Rear Window is a 1954 American mystery thriller movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The movie is based on the story, It Had To Be Murder, by Cornell Woolrich. John Michael Hayes wrote the script The film stars James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr. It was nominated for four Academy Awards. Critics consider it one of Alfred Hitchcock's best movies and one of the greatest movies of all time.
Plot
The movie tells the story of a photographer L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies (played by James Stewart) who has a broken leg. He spends his days sitting in his Greenwich Village apartment watching his neighbors through their open windows. There is a ballet dancer Miss Torso, a pianist and songwriter, a couple with a dog who digs the flowers up, a newly married couple, 'Miss Lonelyhearts', and a jewelry seller Lars Thorwald with his bed-ridden wife. Lisa Fremont (played by Grace Kelly) is Jeff's girlfriend and visits several times. A nurse Stella (played by Thelma Ritter) also takes care of Jeff.
One night Jeff hears and sees some unusual things. Jeff hears a woman scream, "Don't!" and glass breaking. He sees Thorwald leave the house several times at night with a suitcase. The next day Thorwald's wife is gone, and Jeff sees him cleaning a knife and saw. There is a large trunk. Jeff thinks there has been a murder. He tells Lisa and Stella. Jeff calls Tom Doyle to investigate. Doyle finds nothing. Witnesses say Thorwald's wife had left. Jeff sees Thorwald take out his wife's jewelry and her wedding ring. Lisa says that women would not leave their jewelry at home like that. The two agree that Thorwald's wife did not leave the apartment.
The dog dies and the owner shouts at everyone. Everyone listens except Thorwald. Jeff thinks Thorwald killed the dog and that he buried something in the ground. Jeff calls Thorwald to get him out of the house. He does this so Lisa and Stella can search the ground. The two find nothing. Lisa surprisingly enters Thorwald's apartment. Jeff and Stella see Miss Lonelyhearts try to kill herself, but the piano music stops her. Distracted, Jeff and Stella do not notice Thorwald coming back. Thorwald goes to Lisa and starts grabbing her. Jeff calls the police and says there is an assault. The police arrive and arrest Lisa for breaking in. She shows her finger to Jeff that she has the wedding ring of Thorwald's wife. Thorwald sees Lisa's hand signal and sees Jeff.
Jeff calls detective Doyle. Thorwald calls Jeff and enters Jeff's apartment. Jeff uses flashbulbs to slow down Thorwald by blinding him. Thorwald throws Jeff off the window. Jeff calls for help, and the police come. Jeff falls, but officers catch him. Doyle, Lisa and Stella rush to Jeff's side. Thorwald confesses murdering his wife. A few days later Jeff has casts on both legs. The neighbors of Greenwich Village are happy again. There is a new puppy. Miss Torso's love is back from war. Miss Lonelyhearts is seeing the pianist. The Thorwald's apartment is being painted and redone. Lisa is with Jeff. She reads Beyond the High Himalayas and then reads a fashion magazine.
Cast
James Stewart as L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies
Grace Kelly as Lisa Carol Fremont
Thelma Ritter as Stella
Raymond Burr as Lars Thorwald
Wendell Corey as NYPD Det. Lt. Thomas "Tom" J. Doyle
Judith Evelyn as Miss Lonelyhearts
Ross Bagdasarian as the songwriter
Georgine Darcy as Miss Torso
Sara Berner and Frank Cady as the couple living above the Thorwalds, with their dog Jesslyn Fax as "Miss Hearing Aid" Rand Harper and Havis Davenport as newlyweds Irene Winston as Mrs. Anna Thorwald
Uncredited
Harry Landers as young man guest of Miss Lonelyhearts
Ralph Smiles as Carl, the waiter
Fred Graham as detective
Eddie Parker as detective
Anthony Warde as detective
Kathryn Grant as Girl at Songwriter's Party
Marla English as Girl at Songwriter's Party
Bess Flowers as Woman at Songwriter's Party with Poodle
Benny Bartlett as Stanley, Miss Torso's returning boyfriend
Dick Simmons as Man with Miss Torso
Alfred Hitchcock makes a cameo appearance in the apartment of the pianist.