This classic Hitchcock thriller, which was based on a short story of the same name by Cornell Wollrich, was made in 1954. Starring Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr (before he was Perry Mason), it was a box office smash. The master himself can be seen about a half-hour into the film, winding the clock in the songwriter’s apartment.
This film was unavailable for decades because its rights together with four other pictures, were bought back by Hitchcock and left to his daughter as part of his estate. Known as “The Five Lost Hitchcocks” these films were re-released in 1984 after a 30-year hiatus. The other four were “The Trouble With Harry”, “Vertigo,” “The Man Who Knew Too Much” and “Rope.”
Supposedly, Alfred Hitchcock hired Raymond Burr to play killer, Lars Thorwald, because he reminded Hitchcock of his old producer, David O’ Selznick, whom he felt interfered with many of his earlier productions. It is also believed that the real life love affair between photographer, Robert Capa, and Ingrid Bergman was Hitchcock’s inspiration for the film’s romantic aspect.
The set for this movie was the largest indoor set ever built at Paramount Studios at the time, and all of the sounds from the film come from within the core of the film itself.
James Stewart is marvelous as the male lead in this suspenseful tale of a man who breaks his leg and inadvertently, while peering out his window, witnesses a murder. Grace Kelly is beautiful, charming and witty as his socialite girlfriend. Thelma Ritter provides the comic relief for the film as the cantankerous nurse hired to care for him during his convalescence.
Suspense builds like a giant wave as it does in all Hitchcock films. The last few minutes are riveting, and the ending is quite amusing and unexpected.
What are some of your favorite moments from this classic Hitchcock film?