Rear Window (1954) – Classic Movie Review

Chuck’s Movie Recommendation

Rear Window – 1954

I’m starting this new series of post’s called Chuck’s Movie Recommendation where I will recommend movies from any time and country weekly. These are one hundred percent a personal preference of movies I might have recently watched but are not new, or movies I’m so in love with I just have to write about it.

For my first movie, is a classic I recently saw for the first time, but it’s widely regarded as one of Hitchcock’s greatest film. Now, I won’t always be recommending classic movies, but this movie left such an impression, I created this entire series to justify me writing about it. I’m recommending this movie because I feel like people these days are forgetting about Hitchcock. This is the director that inspired so many directors today, and I believe his movies still stand up, yet people are only watching movies post 1970s. If you’re a movie lover but still haven’t tackled a Hitchcock film, I think “Rear Window” is a fantastic place to start.  Here’s a list of reasons why I think Rear Window is a must see:

The Good

• One of the most ingenious use of a single location. Right when the movie starts, I was captivated on all the long takes of the daily lives of the various tenants. The entire movie takes place in LB ‘Jeff’ Jeffries’ apartment as he looks out the rear window to an entire apartment complex. As he observes his neighbors, he witnesses something a bit odd, and then comes his obsession to solve what he thinks is a murder.
• When a movie actually absorbs you so much that you forget the limitations it has, that’s a movie I believe is timeless. I totally forgot when the movie was made, and that it was all one setting. There’s no fancy shots or tour de force performance. It felt almost like a stage play in the manner we see the neighbors, and everything was constructed so well that I was invested into each neighbor’s life.
• The movie was funnier than I thought with a lot of the lines, and also, it was incredibly suspenseful. The movie was made in 1955 and if it’s suspenseful now, I can’t even imagine what it would be like in theaters when it came out. If you don’t know the story, then you’re really in for a treat, it’s such a fun mystery because the breadcrumbs Hitchcock lays out has you participating in the mystery.
• Hitchcock directed this masterpiece in ways that baffles my mind. He has all these different neighbors that we see through Jeffries’ eyes, and with barely any exposition or dialogue, we know their stories just like our main character. Each one of those tenants could have their own movie, which makes the world of “Rear Window” extremely exciting.
• The goods can keep going on and on, but the last thing I will mention for now is about the characters. Each character were so well fleshed out that they felt like real people. Jeffries had his commitment issues, his annoyances, his interest, and also he had his profession nicely told through dialogue. In a lot of hollywood movies these days, the character development seems to have taken a hit compared to the golden age of American films.

The Bad

I have none. Maybe a better man might be able to nitpick this movie, but I can’t think of any.

The Weird

Now, I don’t think the list below are bad at all, but they are thoughts I had while watching this movie.

• There’s one shot that is very dated. When you watch this movie, you’ll know which one I mean. But of course, this was made in 1954 so I gave it a pass.
• Grace Kelly was around 24-25 when she made this movie and she played the romantic interest for Jimmy Stewart who was around 45-46. I mean … How sexy is Jimmy Stewart? Really?
• I love Technicolor and 1950s acting. Do you?

If someone wants to watch a Hitchcock movie, there’s two movies I will always recommend. This one or “Psycho.” Or “Vertigo.” Or … well there’s a lot but still I will recommend “Rear Window” first.