Rear Window (1954) Appreciation Thread

I'd have The Wrong Man in my Hitch top ten. Number 1 would probably be Strangers on a Train and followed in no particular order by The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, Suspicion, Notorious, Psycho, North by Northwest, The Wrong Man, Rear Window, Blackmail... for today.

 

I’ve said it elsewhere, but you simply must see this in a movie theater if you can. Very intense. You feel as though you are in the room with Stewart et al. I’m not sure the big screen TV can capture this feeling, but I’ll give it a go with my new Blu- ray copy.

 

This is easy. We know that the weather was very hot. The thermometer showed temps in the 90s. Anyone who's lived in a large city in the summertime heat can relate to that part. This is also the 1950s. Air conditioning was not a feature of these old city apartments. Not many people had A/C back then - so, people did what they had to - in this case the couple took its bedding out on the fire escape to sleep better in the cooler outdoor air.

I grew up in a town house - back then we called then "row houses" - and I can recall on hot summer nights, we'd stay on the lowest floors of the house as long as we could in order to stay cooler. We also would put a window fan on the lower floor, sucking out the house's air, which brought cooler air in through the upstairs windows.

The heat played perfectly into Hitchcock's scenario in REAR WINDOW. Because it was so hot, everyone had their windows wide open so as not to roast inside, so their actions were easily viewable by our protagonist.

 

I tend to overthink things, lol

 

Yea, that is my take as well. Particularly when she seems willing to travel with him and he makes stupid arguments on why she can't.
But she proves her worth big time.

My favorite Hitch for sure. Love the scene where Lisa is twirling the brandy.

Guess I'll have to give it another go tonight.

I wonder if "21" is delivering these days.

 

Another favorite scene is at the beginning, with Lisa laying on the bed/sofa. Lisa & Jeff are arguing about their different lifestyles and how different they are. Lisa won't let Jeff get a word in and keeps interrupting him. She won't shut up The sarcasm back and forth is great.

 

I think Grace Kelly made the right choice to make Rear Window ultimately it worked out for the best for both films.

I first saw this on the big screen sometime in the fall of 1983 after it was re-released and I've seen it a couple of more times in the theater.

As a side note the 1954 Oscars were just a little weird.

Best Picture: Rear Window doesn't even get a nomination although Hitch got a nomination for director.

Best Actress: Grace Kelly gets the nod for "The Country Girl" instead of "Rear Window"? Likewise Eva Marie Saint had a lead role and belonged up against Grace and Judy.

Best Supporting Actress: Eva Marie belongs with the leads and Thelma Ritter deserved a nomination for supporting.

 

I saw this at a Fathom viewing a few years back and was amazed that I enjoyed it so much considering I've seen it a dozen times before. The big screen is a must for it.

 

Vertigo on the big screen is a must as well.

 

I saw it a few times back in the VHS days and recently viewed it again.
I enjoyed it immensely, definitely one of his best and the many posts here indicate all it's many high points.
I rate Vertigo best and really like Shadow Of A Doubt and Dial M For Murder. There really has never been, nor will ever be another director like him.

 

The Oscars are always weird. Scorsese's first best director win came for The Departed. Not Raging Bull. Not Goodfellas. Not The Aviator or The Gangs of New York.

Stanley Kubrick only won one personal award, for visual effects. The year 2001 came out, it lost most of it's awards to Oliver.

In any case, I think Rear Window is my favorite Hitchcock movie. The first time I saw it was for a film class in college. I probably watched it four times in a row for an essay I had to write. I never got bored. I probably watch it once a year, along with The Sting.

 

One of my favorite 3 Hitchcock films. It’s such a fascinating movie visually, from Grace Kelly’s fashion wear to the scenery of apartment living in the city. It also has an interesting mix of characters.

One scene that is somewhat annoying is when Jeff and Lisa watch Miss Lonelyhearts come home with a younger man and Jeff makes a remark about the age difference (“isn’t he too young for her?” or something like that). The double standard was so obvious yet not acknowledged in any way.

 

Holding a film or music to today’s standards are low standards. I venture to guess the reception would be great. I wouldn’t take everything Hitchcock did literally, nor the likes of Antonioni, Fellini or Godard. They’re very much visual directors.

The camera at the end is consistent with the aesthetic perspective of the film - watching much of the proceedings as a voyeur of sorts - through lenses. Stewart breaking out a gun or knife wouldn’t work as well visually or mood wise - the flash plays to the film’s contrasts of light and dark.

 

Hmm ... Ford, Kurosawa, Godard, Antonioni, Fellini, Ozu, Ray, Coppola - very close !!

 

Scorcese? Wilder?

 

That can be true about holding past art to today's standards, but I take George Co-Stanza's point.
(although don't know what else he would do,the average guy recuperating in wheel chair..)
There are some old movies that are dated because obviously so many years past but mostly because we moved in to more realism on screen many decades ago.

 

Wilder sure, but I’m not a fan of The Apartment - Lemon plays a pathetic tool. I always found it embarrassing. Scorsese is a little heavy handed and Goodfellas is separated from Taxi Driver by 12 years.

 

love The Apartment

 

Yeah but Shirley McClain is a real cutie and Fred McMurray is a real s.o.b.

 

Great shots from the World Premiere of Rear Window at the Rivoli Theatre in NYC Wednesday August 4, 1954 at 8:30pm, 1645 Broadway. The NY Times wrote an article the following day, stating that "two thousand spectators crowded the Rivoli Theatre last night for the benefit world première of "Rear Window." Proceeds went to the American-Korean Foundation. Prominent members of the social and entertainment worlds and United Nations officials were in the audience." Grace was with her then boyfriend, fashion designer Oleg Cassini. The adds and the signs next to the marquee sign are awesome!

 

More shots from the Premier.

 

A couple of rare color shots, the only ones I could find from the Premier. Grace looks stunning as usual!

 

Advertisement for the Premiere of Rear Window. With the Premiere Wednesday night, regular continuous showings began the next morning, Thursday August 5th at 9:30am. The advertisement is awesome - the descriptions, artwork, and the "Scientifically Air-Conditioned Rivoli." I love these old details and advertisements.

 

On the set of Rear Window, 1954. Great photo!

 

More rare photos from the set.