Interesting because I feel the exact opposite in regards to the weight the ending carries. Jeff is an extremely sympathetic character despite being quite the creeper. This ending lets him off the hook completely so the viewer never again has to decide if his peeping is justified. It is because the real bad guy is caught. If there is no murder we would be left with very mixed feelings about Jeff. I think that would carry much more weight.

Small gripe, I love the movie and everything leading up to that apartment confrontation is aces. Just something that occured to me this time through.

Re: Rear Window (1954)- A Club Discussion
 

The film is flawless.

That is all.

But really, I'll watch it again soon.

I feel like the confrontation at the end could be interpreted as a form of punishment for his peeping. You pay a price if you get into other people's private business, especially if you discover things that the daylight can't stand. In that moment when Stewart realizes the killer is coming for him, the viewer identifies with him and undoubtedly feels a certain fear and therefore also regret towards the causes of that fear, which is a much stronger emotion than simply feeling a bit ambiguous and morally challenged about having peeped without any real consequences.
He isn't really let off the hook if you look at it from that perspective.

Re: Rear Window (1954) - A Club Discussion
 

I'm gonna be honest i've been away for the "club discussions" but im guessing that I can put my opinion here

Rear Window is my favorite Hitchcock. I thought it was amazing while Psycho was just good. Kelly is so great. I'd probably give it a +

Cole back. :cool:

Re: Rear Window (1954) - A Club Discussion
 

i quite like it, though it's not one of my favourites. My favourite bit is the ending, where Grace Kelly puts down the improving book Stewart has tried to get her to read and picks up Vogue.

Fantastic ending indeed. Truffaut called it a potentially pessimistic and cynical one, but I think it's more a moment of playful realism.

Re: Rear Window (1954) - A Club Discussion
 

I just watched it again today. Im kind of disappointed that people think the weak part of the film is the ending, because for me, the last twenty minutes are the most tense. Stewart and Grace Kelly make the perfect pair in this film, and Thelma Ritter is great too. I love the setting of the film and the fact that we only see things from Stewart's living place. It helps to build the tension of the film. Obviously, this is one of the best films of all time.

Makes me laugh every time. I love that.

Re: Rear Window (1954) - A Club Discussion
 

I think Grace Kelly is one of my favorite female performances of all time. Just her presence alone in the film makes it worth watching.

Re: Rear Window (1954) - A Club Discussion
 

I've watched Rear Window last weekend and did a small write-up on it in my diary thread, but forgot to post it here.

Here's a link for interested ---- https://www.movieforums.com/communit...t=48322&page=3

Agreed. I said I was in love with her when I watched it.

Rear Window

I watched it last night:p This was the second time I've seen Rear Window and I had forgotten everything about it, so I'm glad this was on the Hitch watch list.

So some of you think the ending was weak. The ending worked for me because it seemed to flow out of the previous scenes and happened quite naturally. It never felt tacked on or rushed. I liked it.

Though my favorite scene was the establishing shot starting in the apartment - with the blinds up, the blinds go down - the camera zooms out the window, peeping into the lives of the other apartment's rear windows...finally the camera comes back in and we see it's hot! Stewart is sweating bullets! and the mercury in the thermometer is rising, really rising! Then we see Stewart frantically trying to itch his leg in the cast.

That's all brilliantly done as it gives us the feeling of what it's like to be trapped in an apartment, stuck in a wheel chair, bored as hell, while sweltering in the heat...This then drives the story forward and sets the tone, which tells us that being a peeping-tom voyeur is not a healthy hobby! Which is the theme of the movie.

James Stewart is perfect in this role. He's one of my all time favorite actors and is cast well here. And big kudos to a great actress, Thelma Ritter. I loved the scene they shared together at the start of the movie. This is when we learn of Stewart's philosophy on marriage and life. It's a very well written script too. And I just got through watching a short interview with the script writer John Michael Hayes.

I liked Grace Kelly in this, OK. She's better here than in Dial M for Murder. Even the scriptwriter John Michael Hayes, said she was stiff in Dial M. She's certainly pretty and very fashionable too. I'd say her best quality is her poise. You guys will probably kick me out of the Hitch Club:cool: but I think she was the weak point in the movie.

I'm not a fan of Hitch's trick photography, like the glowing effect of the bulb or the blue screen fall of James Stewart. I think that takes away from the rest of the film. Hitch is the master of entertainment films, but the more I watch and rewatch his films, I realize they were the blockbuster CG movie of his day. Now I'm really kicked out of the club:eek:

Re: Rear Window (1954) - A Club Discussion
 

Oh no, no way was Grace the weak point. She's as classy as they came back then.

Re: Rear Window (1954) - A Club Discussion
 

She was classy alright! (I just don't like her acting) but yeah she's got poise and class that's for sure. And she looked great especially in the white tool dress with the black top, and the light green one too. She looked like she stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine.

Re: Rear Window (1954) - A Club Discussion
 

It was her best role. It's sad that her film career was quite a short one.

Re: Rear Window (1954) - A Club Discussion
 

And yes, CR I love the set up scene too. I think it helps give the film a bit of context and makes it feel as if it will narrow the world in context to the story.

Have you seen her in The Country Girl that's my favorite performace by hers. She won an Oscar for Best Actress in that movie. It's a real good movie too. Check out if you haven't seen it.

Re: Rear Window (1954) - A Club Discussion
 

I agree with Citizen. Grace is stunning of course but i'm not a fan of her performance. I'm going to make sure to rewatch this before the next one starts and i'll go into why if i still feel the same.

Re: Rear Window (1954) - A Club Discussion
 

I haven't seen Country Girl but I certainly have to.