Rear Window

The 1950s was probably Alfred Hitchcock’s classic era, when he controlled all the aspects of his movies, a true auteur.  He typically combined a loose plot, usually set off by a “Macguffin”, with a slightly ambiguous leading man in a dangerous position not of his making, and lots of female sex appeal from his blonde leading ladies.

1954’s Rear Window was more than that, almost a study in claustrophobia and voyeurism, and with real danger and suspense.  The combination of James Stewart with Hitchcock’s favourite blonde, Grace Kelly worked well, with different chemistry from the Kelly/Grant pairing in To Catch a Thief.

James Stewart is a photographer who having broken his leg finds himself wheelchair-bound in his apartment.  Bored and with little else to do he spends his time looking out of the window and soon notices, and then becomes obsessed, with the activities of his neighbours in a flat in the building opposite.  The more he watches the more he is convinced something sinister is going on.

This is original Lobby Card #6 from the set of 8 produced for the movie’s first release.  We think it’s probably the best of the set, with a great image of Jeff (Stewart) and Lisa (Kelly) in the foreground but also a background featuring all of the neighbours that Jeff has been watching from his window..