Rear Window (1954)
When this finished I was sort of annoyed at the ending. Maybe it is because I have come so used to modern films making twist endings and this is fairly straightforward, and Hitchcock also did a very subversive ending in Vertigo. I was thinking it would go in a direction similar to maybe 12 Angry Men about the dangers of drawing conclusions on circumstantial evidence and how letting ones bored mind take over with imaginations.But after having slept on this, it is pretty clear that the murder mystery plot isn’t really what makes this movie special. It is a vehicle for how Jeff sees the world. He is bound to his chair and wants to get back out there doing exciting things as a photographer, so he looks for drama through his neighbors windows. His obsession pulls in both his nurse and his girlfriend, ultimately leading them into dangerous situations and all he can do is watch and observe. Between all the detective stuff there is some interesting gender dynamics at play here as well. Jeff seems quite cynical in his views on marriage and he reflects that view in his interpretation of the lives of his neighbors. He is definitely not the perfect hero and I have a feeling that the ending isn’t quite as happy as it may seem on the surface.
I generally liked Vertigo better, but there is no denying Hitchcok’s filmmaking craft here with building tension, telling stories with little use of words and making a very impressive controlled environment with his sets.
Rating: 4