Blog #4 (Rear Window)

Rear Window is a great film. Alfred Hitchcock masterfully directed this film so that we can see the film through James Stewart’s character eyes. I time when voyeurism was not at highest Alfred made us all voyeurs with this film. Hitchcock captured the art of voyeurism in the year of 1954 many decades before reality television was even a thought. Being able to view the film through the point of view of L. B. Jefferies, James Stewart’s character, is great. We see his point of view from beginning to end. Not only do we see the murder take place through his eyes, but we get to see how the other characters members act toward him and how they react to his discovery. We also get to see how the characters develop through his eyes.
The story starts with L.B. in a wheelchair, confined to his apartment with a rear window to look out of. Now across from his rear window is a courtyard and a set of other apartments. Being confined to his apartment and to his wheelchair L.B. passed his time by watching his neighbors through his window. His window and periodic visits from his girlfriend and nurse is all L.B. has to pass time. This whole concept sets up the fact that L.B. thinks he witnesses a murder from one of his apartment neighbors. L.B. tells his nurse and at first she brushes him off but as the film continues both the nurse and his girlfriend believes him.
The story ends with the suspected murder in L.B.’s apartment trying to silence L.B. for good. With the help of the police L.B. is saved and the murderer confesses his wrong doing to the police. The tale of Rear Window is compelling and moving but also sends a notation that its creepy to look through someone else’s window and see what they are doing.