It Had To Be Murder.
L.B. Jefferies is a wheelchair bound photographer who by way of relieving his boredom, starts observing the lives of all his neighbours from his apartment window. As he gets deeper into the lives of all around him, he becomes convinced that one of hem has committed the act of murder, thus putting himself and those close to him in mortal danger.
Much like most of Alfred Hitchcock's other lauded pictures, Rear Window has been dissected, examined, appraised and written about by far more versed people than myself, a mere film fanatic. So how do I even start to write a review of a film that I view as one of Hitchcock's best? Well maybe I should just write what I like about it without delving into psycho babble and a deconstruction of the human psyche and all its little offshoots! So I will!.
Rear Window is adapted by Alfred Hitchcock and his writer John Michael Hayes, from the Cornell Woolrich story called It Had To Be Murder/Murder From A Fixed Viewpoint. The film of course forces us the viewers to become voyeurs, watching a newly hooked voyeur go about his business. Quite a neat trick from Hitchcock, and one can reasonably assume that the maestro director was chuckling with glee within his genius girth.
Working from the confines of a single set, Hitchcock has molded a suspenseful, intriguing, cheeky and sexy picture, with a top line cast giving the smart screenplay the performances it deserved. What is often forgot by those more concerned with the psychological aspects of Rear Window is the blatant irony of L.B. Jefferies situation, his obsession with the neighbours is not confined to a probable case of murder, his interest first and foremost is with the love lives of those he observes, thus forcing (excusing) him to acknowledge the love from the woman who so wants to be in his life!
It's also important to note the merits of each character of the piece, those that visit Jefferies and the conversations that take place, even the suspected murderer has a bemused interest pouring from his very frame. Rarely has a film been produced that has every single character having a critical element to the story. Then there is the ending where Hitchcock and his team weave all strands together to leave us wryly smiling away whilst simultaneously feeling that we have been had by the big director, and be under no illusions here, we have been at the mercy of a genius and party to a film of unquestionable quality. 10/10