Sure the film itself is a bit of a stunt (both the long shots and the fact it's done in real time), but thanks to the sure hands of Hitchcock, it's a well done stunt. I thought James Stewart excused himself nicely in a role that might have served as a predecessor for Columbo. And John Dahl and Farley Granger did fine as Leopold and Loeb, er Shaw and Morgan. A great deal of tension is wrung out of the film itself.
Like several others here, I think making Shaw and Morgan a gay couple was pretty bold for a film in the 1940s (although you could argue it was influenced by their real life counterparts). Brandon's smugness and coolness is contrasted by Philip's nervousness and guilty conscience. I guess what I'm saying is that these characters feel more realized than similar characters in other films.
Like several others here, I think making Shaw and Morgan a gay couple was pretty bold for a film in the 1940s (although you could argue it was influenced by their real life counterparts). Brandon's smugness and coolness is contrasted by Philip's nervousness and guilty conscience. I guess what I'm saying is that these characters feel more realized than similar characters in other films.