Rear Window

The Helpless Hero

• Rear Window (1954) • A wheelchair bound photographer spies on his

neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.

• Rear Window is a 1954 American suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, written by John Michael Hayes and based on Cornell Woolrich's 1942 short story "It Had to Be Murder". Originally released by Paramount Pictures, the film stars James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr. It was screened at the 1954 Venice Film Festival.

• The film is considered by many filmgoers, critics and scholars to be one of Hitchcock's best.[3] The film received four Academy Award nominations and was ranked #42 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies list and #48on the 10th-anniversary edition. In 1997, Rear Window was added to the United States National Film Registry.

• Director:• Alfred Hitchcock • Writers:• John Michael Hayes (screenplay), Cornell Woolrich

(short story) • Stars:• James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey• Trivia• Alfred Hitchcock supposedly hired Raymond Burr to

play Lars Thorwald because he could be easily made to look like his old producer David O. Selznick, who Alfred Hitchcock felt interfered too much.

• Storyline• Professional photographer L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries

breaks his leg while getting an action shot at an auto race. Confined to his New York apartment, he spends his time looking out of the rear window observing the neighbors. He begins to suspect that a man across the courtyard may have murdered his wife. Jeff enlists the help of his high society fashion-consultant girlfriend Lisa Freemont and his visiting nurse Stella to investigate.

• Originally released by Paramount Pictures, the film stars James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr. It was screened at the 1954 Venice Film Festival.

• The film is considered by many filmgoers, critics and scholars to be one of Hitchcock's best.[3] The film received four Academy Award nominations and was ranked #42 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies list and #48 on the 10th-anniversary edition. In 1997, Rear Window was added to the United States National Film Registry.