Way too Late at the Movies: Rear Window

Up until yesterday, this is about all I knew about Alfred Hitchcock's  1954 film "Rear Window":

But again thanks to YouTube Free Movies, I got to watch this yesterday. And while it's a slow burn, man does that tension build and the payoff in the last ten minutes, [chef's kiss].

I understand they made a remake with Christopher Reeve taking the place of Jimmy Stewart, but here's something to ponder: Voyeurism and post-war boredom was kind of a theme for this film, what with scenes like this:

Jeff: You know, as much as I hate to give Thomas J. Doyle too much credit, he might have got a hold of something when he said that was pretty private stuff going on out there. I wonder if it’s ethical to watch a man with binoculars and a long-focus lens. Do you, do you suppose it’s ethical even if you prove he didn’t commit a crime?

Lisa: I’m not much on rear window ethics.

Jeff: Course, they can do the same thing to me, watch me like a bug under a glass if they want to.

Lisa: Jeff, you know if someone came in here, they wouldn’t believe what they’d see. You and me with long faces, plunged into despair because we find out a man didn’t kill his wife. We’re two of the most frightening ghouls I’ve ever known. You’d think we could be a little happy that the poor woman is alive and well. Whatever happened to that old saying, “love thy neighbor”?

Can you imagine what a remake in the modern day would look like, what with things like the Patriot Act and the SEE MEE SEE MEE vibe of the Internet? Jeff would be broadcasting the whole thing for all of the Internet Weirdos to see and follow along with and they too would be very unhappy when the found out "a man didn't kill his wife," and they'd be mad if they didn't get to see it live.

But back to the film. I love that it's all on one set, a very compact story to tell. Characterization is spare, as would be the characterization of people you saw regularly but never really bothered to get to know. The love story is even downplayed when the action gets thick, with the (maybe) payoff being that they do decide to get together after, well, after.

A great film, one I'd certainly watch again. It feels timeless.