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IMDbPro

Rear Window

  • 19541954
  • PGPG
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
483K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,624
112
Grace Kelly, James Stewart, and Georgine Darcy in Rear Window (1954)
Through films like 'Psycho,' 'Vertigo,' and 'The Birds,' legendary director Alfred Hitchcock has horrified audiences and inspired generations of filmmakers with his taste for the macabre and innovative cinematic techniques.
Play clip2:27
A Guide to the Films of Alfred Hitchcock
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Mystery
  • Thriller
A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village courtyard apartment window, and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder, despite the skepticism o... Read allA wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village courtyard apartment window, and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder, despite the skepticism of his fashion-model girlfriend.A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village courtyard apartment window, and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder, despite the skepticism of his fashion-model girlfriend.
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
483K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,624
112
  • Director
    • Alfred Hitchcock
  • Writers
    • John Michael Hayes(screenplay)
    • Cornell Woolrich(short story)
  • Stars
    • James Stewart
    • Grace Kelly
    • Wendell Corey
Top credits
  • Director
    • Alfred Hitchcock
  • Writers
    • John Michael Hayes(screenplay)
    • Cornell Woolrich(short story)
  • Stars
    • James Stewart
    • Grace Kelly
    • Wendell Corey
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 970User reviews
    • 178Critic reviews
    • 100Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #50
    • Nominated for 4 Oscars
      • 6 wins & 13 nominations total

    Videos1

    A Guide to the Films of Alfred Hitchcock
    Clip 2:27
    A Guide to the Films of Alfred Hitchcock

    Photos298

    Grace Kelly and James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)
    Grace Kelly and James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)
    James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)
    Grace Kelly and James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)
    James Stewart and Raymond Burr in Rear Window (1954)
    Raymond Burr in Rear Window (1954)
    Grace Kelly in Rear Window (1954)
    Raymond Burr in Rear Window (1954)
    Grace Kelly and James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)
    James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)
    Grace Kelly and Thelma Ritter in Rear Window (1954)
    James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Stewart
    James Stewart
    • L.B. Jefferiesas L.B. Jefferies
    Grace Kelly
    Grace Kelly
    • Lisa Fremontas Lisa Fremont
    Wendell Corey
    Wendell Corey
    • Tom Doyleas Tom Doyle
    Thelma Ritter
    Thelma Ritter
    • Stellaas Stella
    Raymond Burr
    Raymond Burr
    • Lars Thorwaldas Lars Thorwald
    Judith Evelyn
    Judith Evelyn
    • Miss Lonelyheartsas Miss Lonelyhearts
    Ross Bagdasarian
    Ross Bagdasarian
    • Songwriteras Songwriter
    Georgine Darcy
    Georgine Darcy
    • Miss Torsoas Miss Torso
    Sara Berner
    Sara Berner
    • Woman on Fire Escapeas Woman on Fire Escape
    Frank Cady
    Frank Cady
    • Man on Fire Escapeas Man on Fire Escape
    Jesslyn Fax
    Jesslyn Fax
    • Miss Hearing Aidas Miss Hearing Aid
    Rand Harper
    • Newlywedas Newlywed
    Irene Winston
    Irene Winston
    • Emma Thorwaldas Emma Thorwald
    Havis Davenport
    • Newlywedas Newlywed
    Jerry Antes
    Jerry Antes
    • Dancer with Miss Torsoas Dancer with Miss Torso
    • (uncredited)
    Barbara Bailey
    Barbara Bailey
    • Choreographer with Miss Torsoas Choreographer with Miss Torso
    • (uncredited)
    Benny Bartlett
    Benny Bartlett
    • Man with Miss Torsoas Man with Miss Torso
    • (uncredited)
    Nick Borgani
    • Minor Roleas Minor Role
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Alfred Hitchcock
    • Writers
      • John Michael Hayes(screenplay)
      • Cornell Woolrich(short story)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to Georgine Darcy, the man and woman on the fire escape struggling to get out of the rain was based on a prank by Sir Alfred Hitchcock. Each actor and actress in the apartment complex facing Jeff's rear window wore an earpiece through which they could receive Hitchcock's directions. Hitchcock told the man to pull the mattress in one direction and told the woman to pull in the opposite direction. Unaware that they had received conflicting directions, the couple began to fight and struggle to get the mattress inside once the crew began filming. The resulting mayhem, in which one of the couple is tossed inside the window with the mattress, provided humor and a sense of authenticity, which Hitchcock liked. He was so pleased with the result that he did not order another take.
    • Goofs
      After Lisa sees Thorwald tie up the trunk and the camera dollies forward to a close up, there are creaks from the floorboards and footsteps heard from the camera crew.
    • Quotes

      Stella: How much do we need to bail Lisa from jail?

      L.B. Jefferies: Well, this is first offense burglary, that's about $250. I have $127.

      Stella: Lisa's handbag. Uh... 50 cents. I got $20 or so in my purse.

      L.B. Jefferies: And what about the rest?

      Stella: When those cops at the station see Lisa, they'll even contribute.

    • Crazy credits
      The film is bookended with the opening and closing of window blinds across Jeff's rear window.

      The opening titles appear on the former, and the Paramount logo appears on the latter.
    • Alternate versions
      The film has been fully restored from original negatives in 1998 and a new negative has been created that resembles the original color scheme of the film. However, the first kissing scene had to be restored digitally because the source elements were in bad condition.
    • Connections
      Edited into Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies (1990)
    • Soundtracks
      Excerpt from 'Fancy Free'
      (1944) (uncredited)

      Ballet Music by Leonard Bernstein

    User reviews970

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Another Hitchcock masterpiece
    Alfred Hitchcock is considered by most to be the master of suspense. I believe he was also a master of understanding human nature. He intuitively understood that human beings are voyeurs by nature, not in the perverted sense, but in the curious sense. We are a species that slows down to look at accident scenes and steals furtive glances at lovers in the park who are oblivious to everything but each other. A major appeal of cinema and television is that they offer us an opportunity for guilt free voyeurism. When we watch a film, aren't we in essence looking through a window and watching people who behave as if they don't realize we are there?

    Hitchcock realized this and took voyeurism to the next level, allowing us to watch a voyeur as he watched others. While `Rear Window' as a whole is probably not quite at a level with `Vertigo' (which was far more suspenseful and mysterious with a powerful musical score) as a cinematic accomplishment, it is more seductive because it strikes closer to our human obsessions. Hitchcock's mastery is most evident in his subtle use of reaction scenes by the various characters. We watch an event that Jeff (James Stewart) is watching and then Hitchcock immediately cuts to his reaction. This is done repeatedly in various layers even with the other tenants as they interact with one another. For instance, in the scene with Miss Lonelyheart (Judith Evelyn), we see her throw out the man who made a pass at her and then we see her reaction after she slams the door, followed by the reaction of Jeff and Lisa (Grace Kelly). In another scene, Detective Doyle (Wendell Corey) sees Lisa's nightclothes and presumes she will be staying the night. Hitchcock shows the suitcase, then Doyle's reaction, and then he goes to Jeff who points his finger at him and says `Be Careful, Tom'. This elegant scene takes a few seconds and speaks volumes with little dialogue. Such technique gets the viewer fully involved, because if we were there this is exactly what we would be doing, watching the unfolding events and then seeing how others around us responded. In essence, it puts us in the room with them.

    Hitchcock was a stickler for detail. For instance, he aimed the open windows so they would show subtle reflections of places in the apartment we couldn't see directly. However, there were certain details included or excluded that were inexplicable. Would Thorwold really be scrubbing the walls with the blinds open? Would Lisa be conspicuously waving at Jeff while Stella (Thelma Ritter) was digging up the garden? Moreover, wouldn't Lisa have taken off her high heels before climbing a wall and then a fire escape? This film had numerous small incongruities that are normally absent from Hitchcock films. Though these are picayune criticisms, they are painfully obvious in the film of a director known to be a compulsive perfectionist.

    The acting is superb in this film. Jimmy Stewart is unabashedly obsessed as the lead character. Photographers have an innate visual perceptiveness and the ability to tell a story with an image and Stewart adopts this mindset perfectly. Grace Kelly has often been accused of being the `Ice Maiden' in her films, yet in this film she is assertive and even reckless. Though cool at times, she is often playful and rambunctious. I always enjoy Thelma Ritter's performances for their honesty and earthiness and this is another example of a character actor at her best. Raymond Burr often doesn't get the recognition he deserves for this role, which is mostly shot at a distance with very few lines. Yet, he imbues Thurwold with a looming nefariousness using predominantly physical acting.

    This film was rated number 42 on AFI's top 100 of the century sandwiched between `Psycho' (#18) and `Vertigo' (#61). I personally think more highly of `Vertigo' but it is a minor distinction, because I rated them both 10/10. `Rear Window' is a classic, a masterpiece of filmmaking technique from a director who was a true pioneer of suspense.
    helpful•123
    24
    • FlickJunkie-2
    • Apr 10, 2001

    FAQ10

    • Why is Jeff whispering when he is on the phone to Tom after Lisa's arrest when he is in his own apartment?
    • Who was the dress designer for Grace Kelly's outfits?
    • What is 'Rear Window' about?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 1, 1954 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 18, Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $36,764,313
    • Gross worldwide
      • $37,034,514
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1(original ratio)

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