Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Rear Window’ (1954)

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

There are a great many things that fascinate us in this world, and that’s why mankind has dug into just about every single last one of them in order to properly understand them and what they mean to our society as a whole. And this thirst for knowledge has led to some incredible advancements in technology and science over the years since we understand our world better than ever before and we’ve even been to the stars because of our desire to learn. But like all things, fascination has its downsides as well since sometimes, what captivates us, isn’t exactly healthy for our minds.  
 
Take for example the fact, that we often find ourselves intrigued by what’s happening in other people’s lives. For in reality, what’s happening to someone else and how they’re living their days is really no business of ours. But from to time, we encounter someone unique, and for a time we wonder about them and every facet of what makes their life tick and well, while we know their life has no impact upon our own or that they really aren’t that important to us, we still have to know more about them and why they live the way they do. Granted, eventually our odd fascination with how another person lives eventually fades, when we realize we have our own path to focus upon, but for some this offbeat search for knowledge turns to obsession, the kind that is unhealthy, and it just so happens that one of Alfred Hitchcock’s finest films took the time to examine this taboo aspect of humanity in Rear Window.
 
Now in this particular film we are introduced to a photographer named L.B. ‘Jeff’ Jeffries and this intrepid shutterbug is in quite the unique situation. For he has broken his leg and is forced to stay at home for the time being while he heals and that is frustrating his mind to no end. But to pass the time, L.B. has found a way to keep his brain busy and satisfy his photographer’s eye by keeping an eye on how his neighbors live, and while this seems harmless enough since L.B. is nothing more than an outside observer through a lens, one fateful evening changes the nature of this ‘hobby’. Because L.B. firmly believes that he has seen one of his neighbors murder his wife and now he is obsessed with bringing this to light. But there is just one problem, there’s no solid proof that such an act occurred, which means he will have to take his obsession to a whole new level in order to prove to everyone that what he saw was the truth. 

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​So, this is one of my all-time favorite Alfred Hitchcock films, for so many reasons. In fact, I could talk all day about this one, but for the sake of time it’s best we stick to the key elements that make it so great; such as the acting and assembly of this film. Because James Stewart is simply divine here, since he is able to pull off a flawless performance that dances between sanity and the madness induced by Cabin Fever and his portrayal of L.B. works seamlessly within the story’s marvelous setting. For it’s quite the feat to isolate a human being in the big city, but Hitchcock creates a sense of claustrophobia by setting the movie in L.B.’s apartment and pseudo ‘backyard’ and having our main character be helpless in his own way only adds to the wondrous tension present in this tale.
 
But what truly fascinates me about this film after all these years, is what it has to say about obsession and the human mind. Because it really does dive deep into how easily we are sucked into the lives of others and how unhealthy that can be, since L.B. does find himself drawn into these ‘other worlds’ with ease and he refuses to step away from this newfound hobby. But what is truly magical about this exploration is how at the same time, the audience gets sucked into this obsession as well. For we too are curious to see what kinds of lives have been designed here and it inadvertently reminds us of the voyeur that resides within all of us and how easy it is to get lost in the lives of others and the subtlety present in this part of the story is downright genius to say the least.
 
Yet what is truly intriguing about this commentary on our humanity, is the sheer fact that Hitchcock doesn’t take the time to chide the audience or look down upon us. He understands that curiosity is human nature and offers the notion that it’s okay to peek, but it is not okay to try and peel the layers back. Because we might not like what we will discover about ourselves and others when we do, and the ending of the film hammers that home when we learn the truth about L.B.’s neighbor. But make no mistake about it, this is a fascinating film about one of the more negative aspects of our humanity, something that Hitchcock was always a master of exploring and it is something he examines here with class and dignity, and that makes this movie a must see if you haven’t watched it yet since it is a powerful look at obsession and the dark things that mankind is capable of. 

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