Rear Window

Name: Rear Window
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Released: September 1, 1954
Duration: 112 min
Rating: 100
Cast: Frank Cady, Georgine Darcy, Grace Kelly, James Stewart, Judith Evelyn

1954

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 18 Critic Reviews

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100

USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 488 Ratings

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8.7

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8.7	User Score Universal acclaim based on 488 Ratings

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Rear Window

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: September 1, 1954 | TV-G

Starring: Frank Cady, Georgine Darcy, Grace Kelly, James Stewart, Judith Evelyn, Raymond Burr, Ross Bagdasarian, Sara Berner, Thelma Ritter, Wendell Corey

Summary: A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbours from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller

Rating: TV-G

Runtime: 112 min

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Metascore

100

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Critic Reviews

100

Dave Kehr

The most densely allegorical of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpieces (1954), moving from psychology to morality to formal concerns and finally to the theological. It is also Hitchcock's most innovative film in terms of narrative technique, discarding a linear story line in favor of thematically related incidents, linked only by the powerful sense of real time created by the lighting effects and the revolutionary ambient sound track. Read full review

100

David Sterritt

In the hands of a lesser talent, this might have become a self-conscious stunt, but in Hitchcock's it has the tightly wound perfection of a flawless sonnet or sonata. Read full review

100

Roger Ebert

Rear Window lovingly invests in suspense all through the film, banking it in our memory, so that when the final payoff arrives, the whole film has been the thriller equivalent of foreplay. Read full review

100

Scott Tobias

In its perfect fusion of popular entertainment and high art, Rear Window ranks among Hitchcock's best. Read full review

100

William Brogdon

Hitchcock confines all of the action to this single setting and draws the nerves to the snapping point in developing the thriller phases of the plot. He is just as skilled in making use of lighter touches in either dialog or situation to relieve the tension when it nears the unbearable. Interest never wavers during the 112 minutes of footage. Read full review

100

Peter Travers

The film leaps off the screen with a thrilling immediacy. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

There is never an instant, in fact, when Director Hitchcock is not in minute and masterly control of his material: script, camera, cutting, props, the handsome set constructed from his ideas, the stars he has Hitched to his vehicle. Read full review

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User Reviews

marcmyworks

Jul 7, 2018

Hitchcock is the master of creating one room set films, in which we the audience see through the mind and eyes of the main character. Jimmy Stewart excellently plays a photo journalist, bound to a wheelchair, suspecting his neighbour of murdering his wife.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

JeBjBo

Sep 28, 2022

Stunning, methodical, funny, erotic, self-aware, suspenseful, intelligent. A masterpiece.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Andremax

Feb 4, 2019

Charming even after six decades, Rear Window is a example how Hitchcok's movies ages well.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LukasRyan1111

Dec 14, 2020

Holds up incredibly well, largely thanks to Jimmy Stewart's effortless charisma & stellar believability. Hitchcock is a master at building tension & keeping the audience guessing. A+

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Rollin

Aug 15, 2019

Before the movie played in my photography class I was expecting a black and white film that still has charm (similar to It's A Wonderful Life minus Christmas). What I got was way greater than I'd ever imagined. The film has interesting characters, great suspense, and an interesting plotlineBefore the movie played in my photography class I was expecting a black and white film that still has charm (similar to It's A Wonderful Life minus Christmas). What I got was way greater than I'd ever imagined. The film has interesting characters, great suspense, and an interesting plotline all from one room. On top of that it still holds up really well for a film made 60+ years ago. The one point deduction is more of a personal profession, since there are other movies that I just enjoy watching more.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DawdlingPoet

Nov 20, 2021

This is a classic film of course, a Hitchcock classic. Its subtle and it relies on you, the viewer, to imagine what may, or may not, have happened. Its interesting how Jeff (the main character) interprets the observations he witnesses. Its all a case of context, I suppose. Hearing him queryThis is a classic film of course, a Hitchcock classic. Its subtle and it relies on you, the viewer, to imagine what may, or may not, have happened. Its interesting how Jeff (the main character) interprets the observations he witnesses. Its all a case of context, I suppose. Hearing him query other peoples interpretations of what he saw made me doubt the truth behind the circumstances. Its definitely a strong case of armchair detective, of course (how could it not?). It features a strong performance from both James Stewart and Grace Kelly, who is quick to challenge his assumptions. It makes me wonder what do others read in to otherwise seemingly every day activities and observations?. Its a slow builder, plot wise but it does well at pulling the audience in, questioning things.

Its an intriguing watch, I found surprisingly tense, so I'd recommend it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Broyax

Feb 4, 2020

Bon alors, j'aimerais -une fois n'est pas coutume- commencer par une note positive : la gracieuse Grace Kelly et sa blondeur enivrante ainsi que ses yeux bleus comme l'océan et... Mais d'ailleurs il faut se méfier, car son prénom prononcé à l'anglaise, ça donne "graisse"... Et on ne veut pasBon alors, j'aimerais -une fois n'est pas coutume- commencer par une note positive : la gracieuse Grace Kelly et sa blondeur enivrante ainsi que ses yeux bleus comme l'océan et... Mais d'ailleurs il faut se méfier, car son prénom prononcé à l'anglaise, ça donne "graisse"... Et on ne veut pas de graisse, non, non, pas du tout !

Alors, il vaut mieux dire "Grâce" avec un gros accent circonflexe sur le "a" mais ne pas l'utiliser comme adjectif parce que sinon ça donne "grasse"... Et elle n'est pas grasse, bordel de merde ! Mais passons, car je me rends compte que je meuble comme un crevard et que je fais mon Hitchcock quelque part ; je me regarde donc le nombril, je me gave de Lexomil (c'est pour la rime) j'allume 3000 watts de projos et je commence à film... à faire de la merde.

Je laisse le fâlot James Stewart en roue libre, avec lui quoi qu'il arrive, on commence déjà à s'endormir et j'étire mon espèce de pièce de théâtre qui dure pas loin de deux plombes au maximum : elle plombe tout avec un aplomb sidérant, hypnotique et surtout soporifique. Je veille bien à ce qu'il ne se passe strictement rien tandis que tout le monde mate ces automates à travers les fenêtres grandes ouvertes... sauf à la toute fin que je m'efforce de rendre encore plus ridicule que tout le reste, ce qui n'est pas une mince affaire...

...mais j'y arrive toujours parce que je m'appelle Hitchcock et qu'il paraît que les bobos m'ont surnommé le "maître du suspense" !! putain qu'est-ce qu'on rigole quand même...… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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