Rear window

1954 USA Color 122 Minutes

James Stewart

Review

It's just another Wednesday. The calendar's full of 'em.

Raymond Burr Magazine photographer Jeff Jefferies (James Stewart), laid up in a wheelchair after snapping a picture of a crashing race car, is stuck in his New York apartment with a broken leg. He's got little to do but complain to his nurse, Stella (Thelma Ritter), avoid discussing marriage with his girlfriend, Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly) and stare out his rear window into the apartments of his neighbors.

Grace KellyHis neighbors are the vivacious and sexy Miss Torso (Georgine Darcy), a young woman upstairs shooing multiple suitors away,Miss Lonelyheart (Judith Evelyn), a depressed middle-aged spinster who fantasizes about meeting Mr. Right, and a frustrated songwriter (Ross Bagdasarian) who taps out compositions on his piano late into the night. Things go awry when he notices the sudden disappearance of the invalid wife of Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr). Jeff observes him making three mysterious trips very early one morning.

Cast

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Links and more

 

Raymond Burr + James Stewart

News

Judith Evelyn

Within 2 days it would have been Judith Evelyn`s (Miss Lonelyheart) 97th birthday.
* March 20, 1913
† May 7, 1967

Trivia

The 3000 lamps (2000 to replace the sun and 1000 additional lightning) produced so much heat that one day the automatic sprinkler system was triggered.

Rear Window was filmed on one big soundstage at Paramount, with the biggest set they had ever built.

The songs heard on the soundtrack are all from earlier Paramount features, including Captain Carey, U.S.A., Mr. Music, en Red Garters.

Director Cameo: Alfred Hitchcock winding the clock in the songwriters apartment.

During the month-long shoot, Miss Torso lived in her apartment all day, relaxing between takes as if really at home.

Release date: August 1, 1954

Rear window ranks number 88 in the American box-office rankings.
Grossing adjusted for inflation -> $322.2 m
Source: www.boxofficemojo.comSource / More



Bio

Grace Kelly

Photo of Grace Kelly
Hollywood amuses me.
Holier-than-thou for the public and unholier-than-the-devil in reality

Remarkable:

Prince Rainier wanted a substantial dowry from Grace’s family. Her father, Jack Kelly, reacted “I don’t want any broken down prince who is head of a pinhead country to marry my daughter”. But eventually he paid two million dollar.

Born:

November 12, 1929

Born as:

Grace Patricia Kelly

Died:

September 14, 1982

Grace was born into a rich Irish Catholic family in Philadelphia (USA) and was educated in convent and private schools. At a young age, Grace decided she wanted to become an actress and after her high school graduation in 1947, Kelly headed to New York. She worked some as a model and made her debut on Broadway in 1949 in August Strindberg's The Father.

Grace moved to Hollywood in 1951 and after landing a bit part in Fourteen Hours (1951), she achieved recognition for her performance as the wife of Gary Cooper in High Noon (1952).

During the height of her Hollywood career, Kelly appeared in such films as Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), and To Catch a Thief (1955).

While filming on the French Riviera, she met Prince Rainier III of Monaco, and the two began a romance which was soon making international headlines. After making High Society (1956), Kelly retired from the screen to marry Rainier, becoming Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco. Because of her royalty, she was forced to give up her acting career.

Grace died in an auto accident after suffering a stroke while driving.

Academy awards:

1955 Won Best Actress for: The Country Girl (1954)
1954 Nominated Best Actress for: Mogambo (1953)

Selected Movies: