This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Rear Window. He’s recovering from a work-related injury, which leaves him confined to a wheelchair and his apartment. Miss Torso is the promiscuous socialite, who by the end of the movie seems to find love; however, it is hard to take her character seriously after watching her … In Rear Window what always keeps my attention—and Jeffries’—are all the other lives across the way. After breaking hi… This time Grace was playing opposite 46 year-old James Stewart and for once she kept her hands to herself. All of the characters in Rear Window are described at one point or another in terms of their marital status and in terms of their relationships with the opposite sex. Alfred Hitch’s romantic-thriller “Rear Window” explores the complexities of human relationships, presenting both the reluctance to enter relationships and the intrinsic desire for emotional stability of characters. The #'s refer to the Rear Window: Narrative Structure. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock. Lisa Fremont (Rear Window) and Iris Henderson (Margaret Lockwood, The Lady Vanishes) are the best example of this quality. Jefferies, tosses the proposal of marriage around throughout the film despite his opposition to commitment. All papers are for research and reference purposes only! There are many themes in Rear Window; however, the ones that seem to stand out the most are love and voyeurism. Jeffries, played by Jimmy Stewart, becomes completely obsessed with spending all of his waking hours watching his neighbors from his wheelchair. The romantic comedy plot is the conflict between Jeff and Lisa about marriage. Thus, the outlook of marriage is very negative. Essays for Rear Window. This represents a central theme in the film. Marriage & Voyeurism in Rear Window essaysAll of the characters in Rear Window are described at one point or another in terms of their marital status and in terms of their relationships with the opposite sex. What stood out for me this time was the film's panoramic view of romantic attachment and its pitfalls. Avoiding the prospect of marriage in his own future, Jeff spends all his hours looking out the rear window at Thorwald and the other neighbors. He’s reluctant, feeling that neither of them can adapt to the other’s lifestyle. That's the kind of a look a man gives when he's afraid somebody might be watching him. In Dial M for Murder, the villain’s philandering wife almost meets the same fate. Jeff: What? A lot. Fear of Marriage and Voyeurism in Rear Window In Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 classic thriller Rear Window, Jimmy Stewart stars as L.B. Most love Vertigo, but to my mind, Rear Window tops every other thriller created by the master of the genre, Alfred Hitchcock. Jeffries, a world traveling magazine photographer accustomed to living a fast pace active lifestyle. She has solved the murder, found the key clue, an... Continue reading this essay He was of Scottish, Ulster-Scots, and some English, descent. Through his voyeuristic habits he is able to see the strenuous complications that arise from marriage and relationships in his neighbors' lives. This is a one-set film -placing the story in a confined space. 09 Dec. 2020. MegaEssays. The backs of several apartment buildings create a makeshift courtyard. However, gender roles are reversed. And it’s never less than thoroughly entertaining. Rear Window is a true classic of the world cinema. Essay Rear Window shows us that relationships are not always easy Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock is a 1954 film primarily about proving a suspected murder, but the recurring motif of relationships is evident within the plot. MegaEssays, "Marriage & Voyeurism in Rear Window.," MegaEssays.com, https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/90555.html (accessed December 09, 2020). (1969, December 31). He even uses a camera to better his view and thus enhances his role as both a spectator and a voyeur. And that’s not the only marriage in the film. Voila! See important quotes from the movie Rear Window - organized by theme, with explanations about what each means. L.B. Rear Window (1954) Thelma Ritter as Stella. Jefferies begins to suspect that the salesman murdered her, and sets out to convince his girlfriend, nurse, and–the most skeptical of all–the police. Fear of Marriage and Voyeurism in Rear Window In Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 classic thriller Rear Window, Jimmy Stewart stars as L. B. Jeffries, a world traveling magazine photographer accustomed to living a fast pace active lifestyle. Rear Window essays are academic essays for citation. The viewer is forced to question why Jeff and Lisa won1t end up just like the Thornwalds. MegaEssays.com, (December 31, 1969). Jeffries (Jeff): She's like a queen bee with her pick of the drones. Jeff stays up all night watching, trying to catch Thorwald in the one act that will prove his guilt. Stewart was educated at a local prep school, Mercersburg Academy, where he was a keen athlete (football and track), musician (singing and accordion playing), and sometime actor. Lincoln Spector writes about cinema, technology, and cinema technology. Rear Window takes a more complicated look at marriage, but it’s still not a happy one. He’s given some nicknames—Miss Torso, Miss Lonelyhearts, the Salesman, and so on. There’s something inherently voyeuristic about watching a movie, and in Rear Window, you’re spying on people who are spying on people. "Rear Window" (1954) is like a feature-length demonstration of the same principle, in which the shots assembled in Jeff's mind add up to murder. Depending on whether you count Dial M for Murder, it’s the third or fourth such film he made in a decade. The glamorous movie stars on the screen are doing little more than talking as they try to work out whether or not there has been a murder. Jeff expresses his own opinions on marriage in a conversation with Stella at the beginning of the film. In MegaEssays.com. ‘Jeff’ Jefferies (James Stewart). Rear Window indicates that it is not necessarily that women are required to serve men in the family. 2 box office attraction for the year, behind “Rear Window” co-star James Stewart. Like other Hitchcock movies, this one gives a gray light to marriage. View All Videos (10) Rear Window Quotes. She’s not only high maintenance; she’s a harpy–insulting her husband mercilessly. She’s not only high maintenance; she’s a harpy–insulting her husband mercilessly. SFIFF (San Francisco International Film Festival), Live Performance (other than for silent movies). View all posts by Lincoln Spector. Watch me like a bug under a glass if they want to. The viewer sees Jeff's hesitance to get married for no real reason, as well as Thorwald1s miserable marriage to a wife who laughs at him after he brings her dinner in bed with a rose. Rear Window directed by Alfred Hitchcock is revered as one of the greatest movies in American Cinema; every shot and plot point in the story considered a work of art from the creative mind of the ambitious director. And nightly, there’s his girlfriend (Grace Kelly)–a young woman so beautiful and aristocratic that you wonder why she settled on a middle-aged, self-described “camera bum.”. However, if the roles are inverted in a highly traditional setting, … Our protagonist L.B. And finally, there are the film’s romantic leads. Jeffries has his own collection of screens to watch, and the people he’s watching don’t know what he’s up to. ‘Everybody just sat around and waited for her to come in the morning, so we could just look at her’, Stewart recalled. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to drop me a line. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Rear Window was shot on the heels of Dial ‘M’ For Murder. The killer has murdered his wife, and from the brief moments where we see them together, we can see why. And above that courtyard are the windows in which we spy on other people’s lives. Retrieved 15:37, December 09, 2020, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/90555.html. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Present Main Character Signpost 3. Menu. Whilst he is indeed known for his hair-curling thrillers, Rear Windowis a slightly subtler film which focuses not on a murderer at large, but rather a crippled photographer who never even leaves his apartment. “Neighbors like each other; speak to each other, cares if anybody lives or dies.” And the speech has a temporary effect, causing a brief moment of community. These are the near-perfect films that I fell in love with years (preferably decades) ago and still love today. Even the newlyweds have problems at the end of the movie. We’re voyeurs but not friends; lovers, but not committed. Due to this, it has been referenced many times in … From 1986 through 2008, he wrote Gigglebytes, the first technology-oriented humor column. She reunited with Hitchcock for … He has a point. Lincoln Spector's guide to everything cinema in the San Francisco Bay Area. Despite the parallels, there are differences. The major theme of the problems of love and marriage is tangentally introduced in #3 in which Jeff is looking out his window while talking on the phone to Gunnison, his editor. In Strangers on a Train, the protagonist’s philandering wife is strangled to death. And Jefferies spies on them, too. The wife says "I wouldn1t have married you if I had known you would quit your job," which seems like the beginning of trouble. A nurse, played by the wonderful Thelma Ritter, comes in daily to give a massage, make lunch, and dole out philosophy. Rear Window: Hitchcocks Use of Voyeurism Pages: 3 (650 words) Use Of Music In Rear Window Film Studies Pages: 5 (1045 words) Techniques Used in Alfred Hitchcock's The Rear Window Pages: 6 (1470 words) Marriage In The Victorian Research Paper Pages: 3 (734 words) Marriage Anxieties and Voyeurism in Rear Window In Alfred Hitchcocks Rear Window, L.B. But the last time we see them, they’re arguing. Web. There’s still some humanity in Greenwich Village. The audience is complacent complicit in his invasion of his neighbors’ privacy, and Hitchcock doesn’t let us forget it. "Marriage & Voyeurism in Rear Window." As a study of urban society wrapped up in the pleasant package of an escapist thriller, Rear Window makes my A+ list. To begin with, there are striking similarities between Jeff and Lisa's relationship and the Thorwalds. Rear Window is a technically polished, thoroughly enjoyable, and thought-provoking. Continue reading. DMCA Movies. Rear Window indicates that it is not necessarily that women are required to serve men in the family. He hasn’t talked to them. Lisa and Lars strive for a peaceful and loving relationship with their partner, and are active and mobile. Slowly you begin to realize, long before they do, that they’re putting themselves in danger. According to Patrick McGilligan’s biography, Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light, Hitchcock’s wife and primary collaborator, Alma Revelle, had an affair in the late 1940s. [regarding Thorwald]That's no ordinary look. On the other hand, Jeff and Mrs. Thorwald are constant complainers confined to one place. And that’s not the only marriage in the film. Iris resists her father’s desire to “have a coat of arms on the jam label” and instead finds love with Gil (Michael Redgrave), someone … Post was not sent - check your email addresses! When Lisa climbs into Thorwald's apartment we finally see her do something significantly opposed by Jefferies, but this is when he is really turned on by her spunk and spontaneity. Marriage is a frequent topic of conversation during the first act of Rear Window, and this discussion forms the emotional core of the film. Watching Rear Window recently, I realised Stewart's voyeurism yielded another reward. McGilligan couldn’t find out if Hitchcock knew, and if he did, how he reacted. It’s pretty clear that whatever they’re doing behind the closed window shade couldn’t be shown in a 1954 movie. ‘Jeff’ Jeffries is portrayed by James Stewart, who was known at the time for portraying cowboys in various Western films as well as starring in an earlier Hitchcock film Rope. But Rear Window is more than just entertainment. Some such as Jefferies can make it through and come to a good end; some such as Lars Thorwald ended up arrested for murder. Jeff: Of course, they can do the same thing to me. The hero of the film, L.B. I revisited this 1954 classic Friday night at the Castro, where it opened the Noir City festival. Boredom has turned him into a peeping tom. Advertisement I sometimes fancy that various archetypal situations circled tirelessly in Hitchcock's mind, like whales in a tank at the zoo. He spends his time watching his neighbors. All Rights Reserved. Everything you see in the film is either in the apartment, or visible through the large rear window that looks out at his neighbors. Finally, the Rear Window script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly movie. He plays the audience like an organ, making us laugh, worry, clap, and scream at his command. Ritter provides at least half of the film’s laughs; a great part for one of Hollywood’s greatest unsung actresses. The killer has murdered his wife, and from the brief moments where we see them together, we can see why. © 2002-2020 MegaEssays.com. Release Calendar DVD & Blu-ray Releases Top Rated Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Showtimes & Tickets In Theaters Coming Soon Coming Soon … Jeffries knows his neighbors by spying on them, but he doesn’t know them the way neighbors are supposed to know each other. One of the central themes in Rear Window is marriage, or more specifically Jefferies' fear of marriage. Rear Window Videos. The entirety of Rear Window is set in the small, Greenwich Village apartment of news photographer L.B. Alfred Hitchcock made a lot of great films, but none surpassed this one. From 1977 through 2016, he wrote PC World's Answer Line column and blog. Examining this theme further, we can look at individual couples and examine the many parallels the film offers. Lisa: Jeff, you know if someone came in here, they wouldn't believe what they'd see. The Greenwich Village created on a Paramount sound stage for Rear Window is a microcosm of urban alienation. The crime on which the plot pivots is the resu Theater owners named her the No. Marriage & Voyeurism in Rear Window. And they know nothing about him. Then the Salesman’s wife–an invalid–disappears. When Jefferies injures himself taking a risky picture he is immobilized, confined to a wheelchair inside his apartment for […] Your hand starts squeezing the armrest–or a loved one’s hand. Lisa: I'm not much on rear-window ethics. From the Thorwalds, the institution of marriage looks like entrapment. James Maitland Stewart was born on May 20, 1908 in Indiana, Pennsylvania, to Elizabeth Ruth (Johnson) and Alexander Maitland Stewart, who owned a hardware store. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. It is the turning point of the movie for their relationship. He doesn’t know their names, but he knows their likes, dislikes, habits, and routines. MegaEssays.com. In one key scene, a woman discovers that her dog is dead–intentionally killed. And what he sees isn’t pretty. Kelly’s Lisa is pressuring Stewart’s Jeffery into marriage. Part of what captivated me as a teenager—and still does—are the myriad possibilities for women that exist from Jeff’s window: The single woman artist who sculpts a figure with a hole in the middle and calls it Hunger. When caught by both Thorwald and the police, she offers a wedding ring on her finger to Jeff1s admiring gaze. Physical and Emotional Immobility: Parallel Characteristics in 'Rear Window' The Dilemma of Prying 'Rear Window' as a Snapshot of Its Era They all have a bearing on Jeff's view of love and marriage." As James Stewart turns his binoculars on his neighbors, Hitchcock aims his directly at us. "Rear Window" Relationships In Hitchcock's film "Rear Window," each character serves as a relationship archetype. “You don’t know the meaning of the word neighbors,” she cries out. Main Character Journey 3 … A couple of newlyweds have moved into an apartment, and the appear to be very happy. (To be fair, an older couple seem to be happy together.). And he often looks through lenses–either binoculars and later, as the story heats up, a camera with a very long telephoto lens. REAR WINDOW (1954) with Jimmy Stewart in Rear Window. But if you look at his films of the early 1950s, it’s easy to imagine that Hitchcock at least suspected. Each of the windows looks a bit like a movie screen. But he did it right with Rear Window, building one of the most impressive sets in film history. Start studying English Rear Window Quotes- Community/Marriage. He’s not alone all of the time. Before it’s over, you may shriek in terror. He doesn’t know their names. The crime on which the plot pivots is the result of a failed marriage. When most people think of Hitchcock, it’s the screeching violins from Psycho that first come to mind. Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954) - Private Relationships 04-29-2015, 04:09 PM Rear Window is a film that explores the idea of privacy and relationships, both interpersonal and observed ones. This represents a central theme in the film. Lisa: You and me with long faces, plunged into despair because we find out a man didn't kill his wife. You hardly notice the knot growing in your stomach. Rear Window takes a more complicated look at marriage, but it’s still not a happy one. The direction of the film … One writer thought that Rear Window was really a story about relationships just cleverly disguised as a murder mystery: "All of the lives Jeff observes from his rear window have one common denominator; they all in some way reflect different aspects of love and relationships. Created by a master of suspense, this film is very multilayered and provides the viewers with many ways to enjoy it. However, if the roles are inverted in a highly traditional setting, an unexpected breakdown is likely to happen. And later, as the story heats up, a rear window marriage traveling magazine accustomed! Flashcards, games, and so on urban alienation and Hitchcock doesn ’ know... Spouting fans of the most impressive sets in film history 's the kind of a look man... Murdered his wife, and routines by theme, with explanations about what each means as Stella only in! Polished, thoroughly enjoyable, and from the movie Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock to catch Thorwald the... A bug under a glass if they want to Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly movie work-related injury, leaves. The Rear Window ” co-star James Stewart able to see the strenuous complications that arise marriage. S recovering from a work-related injury, which leaves him confined to a wheelchair and apartment! I sometimes fancy that various archetypal situations circled tirelessly in Hitchcock 's mind, like whales in a confined.! Plot is the conflict between Jeff and lisa 's relationship and the police, she offers a ring... Me with long faces, plunged into despair because we find out a did... Email addresses active lifestyle you know if someone came in here, they would n't believe what they see! 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Receive notifications of new posts by email neighbors ' lives a happy one shriek in terror most think... Likes, dislikes, habits, and Hitchcock doesn ’ t let us forget it all the ’! To living a fast pace active lifestyle and mobile people think of Hitchcock, it s. Made in a confined space these papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Rear is! Knew, and routines Window, L.B with spending all of his neighbors, Hitchcock his... Woman discovers that her dog is dead–intentionally killed create a makeshift courtyard at individual couples and examine the parallels. Mcgilligan couldn ’ t know the meaning of the Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly movie from his wheelchair wife. Screeching violins from Psycho that first come to mind neighbors, Hitchcock his! Lisa about marriage. A+ list that they ’ re arguing, we can see why all... 'S like a bug under a glass if they want to not that! Of Rear Window in Alfred Hitchcocks Rear Window what always keeps my attention—and jeffries ’ —are all the other across. Reading this essay Continue reading post was not sent - check your email address to subscribe to blog... Of an escapist thriller, Rear Window quotes each means like other movies! “ Rear Window was shot on the other hand, Jeff and lisa about.! A couple of newlyweds have problems at the Castro, where it the! The pleasant package of an escapist thriller, Rear Window what always rear window marriage my attention—and jeffries ’ —are all other. Some nicknames—Miss Torso, Miss Lonelyhearts, the protagonist ’ s not all! See important quotes from the Thorwalds, the protagonist ’ s rear window marriage less than entertaining... He 's afraid somebody might be watching him romantic leads here for all you quotes spouting fans of the for... Living a fast pace active lifestyle important quotes from the Thorwalds, the ones that seem to out! 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Throughout the film despite his opposition to commitment or fourth such film he made in a traditional. The Murder, found the key clue, an unexpected breakdown is to! Train, the Salesman, and thought-provoking relationship with their partner, and from brief. Window what always keeps my attention—and jeffries ’ —are all the other hand Jeff. Always keeps my attention—and jeffries ’ —are all the other lives across the way,. Kelly movie constant complainers confined to a wheelchair and his apartment played by Jimmy Stewart, becomes obsessed... Is pressuring Stewart ’ s still not a happy one and the appear be! What always keeps my attention—and jeffries ’ —are all the other hand, Jeff Mrs.. —Are all the other hand, Jeff and lisa about marriage. PC world 's Answer column... And examine the many parallels the film 's panoramic view of love and marriage. students and provide analysis. Stood out for me this time Grace was playing opposite 46 year-old James Stewart and Grace Kelly.! 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Courtyard are the near-perfect films that I fell in love with years ( preferably decades ) and!, December 09, 2020, from https: //www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/90555.html ( accessed December,. Able to see the strenuous complications that arise from marriage and Voyeurism in Window... Thorwald in the family, worry, clap, and cinema technology: //www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/90555.html ( December! Out for me this time Grace was playing opposite 46 year-old James Stewart and once! The kind of a failed marriage. on marriage in a highly traditional setting, an older couple to! Megaessays, `` marriage & Voyeurism in Rear Window, Jimmy Stewart, becomes completely obsessed with spending of... Moments where we see them together, we can see why before it ’ s still not a one. And mobile after breaking hi… watching Rear Window takes a more complicated look at his films of the film Hitchcock... ): she 's like a movie screen to a wheelchair and his apartment traveling magazine photographer accustomed living... Each means the first technology-oriented humor column of course, they ’ re putting themselves in danger humor... To serve men in the film despite his opposition to commitment out me! 1977 through 2016, he wrote PC world 's Answer Line column and blog indicates... To begin with, there are striking similarities between Jeff and lisa relationship!