Mike Di Benedetto, 12/7/11, Rear Window, American, 1954, Alfred Hitchcock, PG, 114 minutes, 4 Academy Award nominations.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is a unique experience. While viewing the film, one is not simply engaged in a story with characters but takes the perspective of the lead character, Jeff Jeffries. Rear Window is an analysis of human perception and the impulsive nature of curiosity. In contrast to other films viewed in this class, this one puts the you so close to the leading character that you can’t help but agree with and believe him on all levels; you see what he sees and ultimately thinks what he thinks.
The first article I read was a review by James Berardenelli for Reelviews.net. Berardenelli begins with some plot points and talks about how Jeff has broken his leg and as a result, is now driven to voyeurism – spying on his neighbors through his camera lens. He then suggests that Rear Window is “One of the most engrossing … groundbreaking studies of voyeurism…” Berardenelli also talks about the actual murder and we, interestingly, never actually witness it; instead, we are given all clues through Jeff’s eyes. Berardenelli calls this setup “masterful.”
The second article I read was by David Baker, entitled “Seeing is Believing: Detective and Romance in Rear Window.” In this article, Baker focuses on the clash between masculinity and femininity in the film. After witnessing everything, Jeff has trouble convincing the females in his life (girlfriend and nurse) – this struggle is consistent throughout most the film, however, Baker notes on how the investigation eventually brings the cast together.
These two articles highlight the power of human perception – how we can see things that aren’t there just as well as miss things that are. Jeff’s situation renders him immobile and jobless, which leads him to spying. The surrounding character can’t help but behave skeptically towards him when he informs them of what he has witnessed.
Personally, I felt this film did a tremendous hob in making the viewer walk (or rather not walk in this case) in the character’s shoes. Through clever cinematography, a genuine perspective is defined. Baker brought up interesting points regarding the male/female relationships in the film; a very real conflict of the film is not just solving a suspected murder but also Jeff convincing the supporting roles to believe him – and possibly convincing himself as well.
References
Baker, D. (2008). Seeing is believing: detective and romance in rear window. Screen Education, (51), 125-130.
Berardenelli, J. (2011). Rear Window. Reelview Movie Reviews. http://www.reelviews.net/php_review_template.php?identifier=704
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