L.B. Jefferies (James Stewart) is a professional photographer. Recently, Jefferies was hired to cover a photo shoot at a racetrack, but unfortunately, due to a crash incident, he now finds himself bound to a wheelchair with a cast around one of his legs.  Instead of being stuck at a local hospital, he is now resting up in his Greenwich Village apartment, which overlooks the courtyard of many other residents.

After six weeks of being stuck at home, Jefferies is bored and keen to return to work. While stuck at home, he decides to look out his window and watch those around him. He receives a visit from his current partner, who offers to support him during his difficulties, but sadly, the night doesn’t end well. After arguing with his girlfriend, Jefferies is alone again with his thoughts and a view outside his rear window. While most of his neighbours seem quiet or even quirky, Jefferies soon witnesses something quite disturbing and is convinced one of them has committed a murder.

Rear Window is best described as a thriller, and the film creatively deals with a simple situation.  Despite the simplicity of the plot, Director Alfred Hitchcock once again brings a tense and suspenseful film to life. It is filled with many mysteries and unpredictable outcomes that will keep the audience guessing throughout the film.

The camera work here is amazing. The director has a pleasing filming style, especially concerning everything Jefferies sees around his neighbourhood.  The camera movement is smooth, panning around the courtyard with nice shots that zoom in and out. The film is dialogue-heavy, and lines were delivered wonderfully and transferred fantastically to this new edition to the point it feels real even though it was released in 1954.

Overall, if you’ve never seen Rear Window, you are truly missing out. Director Alfred Hitchcock delivers yet another masterpiece filled with mysteries, tense moments, and wonderful camera work. Performances are tremendous, with James Stewart as the lead, and the film is filled with wordy yet fun, snappy dialogue. Nothing about this film is predictable. Even watching it today, the film holds up wonderfully thanks to the recent 4K UHD release from Universal Pictures; this is a must-own for any movie lover.

9.8/10

26th October 2021

Written by Peter Walkden

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