Critical Analysis On Rear Window by Kelly J. Lewis

In director Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954), Hitchcock cleverly gives his audience a glimpse into the voyeuristic mind of L.B. Jefferies as he is joined by his girlfriend Lisa and his nursemaid Stella on a quest for what every person desires; adventure by way of voyeurism. The guilty pleasure these three characters get from observing the sordid secrets and unavoidable peril of others is sometimes dangerous, but no less exciting or adventurous.

Through characterization and a mature, intelligent, yet subtle humor, Hitchcock reminds the viewer of the satisfaction that peeking into someone else’s private life brings. Rear Window’s story centers on Stewart’s character, L.B. Jeffries, who is a perfect representation of man’s need for adventure through voyeurism.

Jeffries is a professional photographer that travels the world capturing life with his camera. He is currently laid up with a broken leg that he suffered while snapping pictures on a race car track. The photo that earned him his broken leg is proudly displayed on his wall and is the first of his many pictures the audience sees. The other pictures all seem to have a similar sense of danger. His broken camera, broken leg, and extraordinary photos are just some of the ways Hitchcock immediately sets up the character of L. B. Jeffries as an adventure-seeking voyeur; a restless, high action guy with a fear of commitment related to his fear of settling down and no longer being able to see what there is to see.

At one point, he refers to getting married as “something drastic” and relates getting married to never being able to go anywhere and being plagued by a nagging wife. Hitchcock’s further characterization of Jeffries shows the viewer the mate to Jeffries’ need for adventure – voyeurism.

The entire film revolves around the actions of his New York apartment neighbors. The viewer gets a look into the private lives of these neighbors because of Jeffries’ voyeurism. The mixture of people in this apartment complex make for interesting viewing by Jeffries and helps pass the time that he is reluctantly spending cooped up in his hot apartment.

He watches a sexy blond dancer fight off men, dance around in her underwear, and snack continuously. Jeffries also watches a husband and his nagging wife, a couple who like to sleep out on their fire escape, and a pair of newlyweds who never leave the bedroom. The viewer knows about these neighbors private lives not because of personal contact with them, but strictly through Jeffries’ voyeurism. At different points throughout the film, Jeffries can relate to each of his neighbors because he watches them and can compare their lives to his own.

Jeffries can relate to the husband and his nagging wife because he assumes that what he sees through the couple’s window is what married life is all about. However, Hitchcock gives his viewer a little bit of hope by showing that Jeffries can also relate to the adventurous couple who sleep on their fire escape. To drive home his point, Hitchcock plays up two more characters in Rear Window to show that anyone is capable of finding adventure and pleasure from voyeurism.

Stella, played by Thelma Ritter, is Jeffries’ nursemaid. She quickly becomes the blunt predictor of trouble to come. She tells Jeffries about her ability to foresee trouble, and the viewer believes this because Stella is a bit of a voyeur herself. It becomes apparent by Stella’s comments that she watches what Jeffries does very closely. She watches Jeffries watch his neighbors and makes several observations about its possible consequences. Stella insists that watching his neighbors will bring Jeffries trouble.

As Jeffries trades remarks with Stella, he watches the newlyweds come into their new apartment and looks away as they begin to kiss. He knows it’s a private moment but can’t help but look back. This shows the conflict between his morals and his need for voyeurism. Stella then accuses him of being a “window shopper”, meaning he wants to know what goes on behind the newlyweds covered window, but is unwilling to find out himself by marrying his girlfriend.

Regardless of Stella’s opinion of Jeffries spying on his neighbors, she is soon pulled into his voyeuristic world. The smart dialog in Rear Window, especially between Stella and Jeffries, makes Jeffries’ voyeurism somewhat comedic and less sinister. Perhaps the least likely to end up in the mystery adventure to come is Jeffries’ girlfriend Lisa. She has been described by Jeffries as being too perfect, but she too could be considered a voyeur. She always has her eye on the fashion world and keeps tabs on what every woman is wearing, and her knowledge of what women do with their jewelry and favorite handbags help solve the upcoming mystery.

The mystery begins when Jeffries hears a scream coming from an otherwise quiet courtyard. Later that night he watches his neighbor Lars Thorwald, played by Raymond Burr, leaving his apartment at 2 a.m. in the pouring rain. He is carrying his sales case, which seems peculiar. Thorwald comes and goes three times; all the while Thorwalds usually open blinds revealing him and his nagging wife are drawn. This peaks Jeffries’ interest.
 
The viewer knows Jeffries’ pastime has become an obsession because Jeffries has the beautiful Lisa sitting in his lap, kissing him, and he can’t get his mind off the Thorwalds. At first, Lisa is not interested in what happened to Thorwald’s nagging wife, but it is not long before Lisa begins to believe Jeffries’ claims that Thorwald killed his wife. Hitchcock pinpoints the exact moment when Lisa gets drawn into the alluring murder mystery.

Lisa has just watched Thorwald through his window, tying up a trunk with heavy rope, and in that second has completely changed her mind about what has happened. Interestingly, it’s the sight of the trunk that also draws Stella into the mystery. Stella gives her opinion on how Thorwald disposed of his wife’s body while Jeffries is trying to eat his breakfast. Jeffries finds it hard to eat while Stella is commenting on the dismemberment of poor Mrs. Thorwald. Jefferies reaction to Stella makes this one of the most humorous and ironic scenes in the film because he too, believes Mrs. Thorwald is in the trunk.

This humor also helps to make the transition of Stella and Lisa, being nurse and girlfriend, to Jefferies’ partners in adventure. Thorwald is eventually brought to justice for his wife’s murder only because of the voyeuristic nature of Hitchcock’s adventurous characters.

Because of the use of characterization and subtle humor, Hitchcock’s Rear Window can easily become a favorite to anyone who has ever seen something they shouldn’t have – and liked it.