10. Shadow of a Doubt, Rear Window

MIT 21L.011 The Film Experience, Fall 2013
View the complete course: ocw.mit.edu/21L-011F13
Instructor: David Thorburn
Shadow of a Doubt and Rear Window show how Hitchcock films can be considered a genre all their own. Main themes: divided self (good/evil, masculine/feminine), attractiveness of evil, nature of cinema entertainment, double plots (story & meta-story).
00:00 OCW Intro
00:25 Hitchcock as its own genre
05:24 Perspectives on these two films
17:33 Shadow of a Doubt
37:33 Rear Window
License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA
More information at ocw.mit.edu/terms
More courses at ocw.mit.edu

[@furkan6402]

27:33 I didn't expect that lol

[@bourdieufan7433]

no lies detected

[@cirquedude123]

Wonderful lecture, extremely insightful.

[@poetcomic1]

The one issue no one brings up is the COMPLICITY of young Charlie and her uncle. She is WILLING to send her murderous uncle out of town to kill more widows! In fact he is on the train with 'that nice Mrs. Potter' who joked about her dead husband's money. The 'innocent' girl has become an accessory to murder! This puts a more interesting light on the whole wonderful film.

[@RickTBL]

As I was showing Shadow of a Doubt to a friend, he pointed out that the name "Charlie" often means killer and we have two Charlies, here.

[@debbieking5171]

Thelma Ritter was not a cleaning woman, she is an insurance company 🙄 nurse. !!!

[@JT-rx1eo]

I'm a big fan of Thelma Ritter the actress. She was great in Pillow Talk too.

[@debbieking5171]

The murders name Lars Thorwald, and the magazine is HARPERS BAZAAR NOT VOGUE, She is reading BEYOND THE HIGH HIMALAYAS.

[@debbieking5171]

LOVE REAR WINDOW!!!

[@debbieking5171]

It's me again, the necklace in Vertigo, moves a plot along and solves a murder.

[@debbieking5171]

Attention boys and girls: jewelry plays a part in both movies. The ring given to young Charlie, and the wedding ring and other pieces of jewelry in REAR WINDOW. Thank you for reading this. Be safe and have a bless day.

[@nazaren45]

👍

[@lukaszprzek4353]

I thought the little sister was likable, aside from that this was a pretty great commentary. I still don’t understand the relationship between young Charlie and that detective. Shadow of a Doubt is a lot better than Rear Window.

[@7somekindofsomething]

Really? I much prefer Rear Window. I find Shadow of a Doubt quite disjointed and not very gripping. Think it's apparent that Hitchcock is still finding his feet and style in this film.

[@tbraganti]

You mean likable versus a “nasty little bitch,” as he calls her? That was a little extreme! I’d take “bratty.”

[@calumbaratti2652]

@@tbraganti yeah that was too much she's just a kid and she was fine

[@joebloggs396]

Hitchcock did good films before Hollywood, such as Sabotage. It took him a while before he got full control in Hollywood, but Shadow of a Doubt is great.​@@7somekindofsomething

[@joebloggs396]

Agreed. Rear Window is largely a vehicle for Jimmy Stewart. Even the murderer isn't that interesting. Shadow of a Doubt gains power and possibilities by being filmed on location, even using locals as extras. The interaction of the two Charley's alone is more interesting than any relationship in Rear Window to me. Rear Window may be better compared with Rope, also filmed one set. Though I find the cast more interesting in Rope, and the premise more unsual.

[@joebloggs396]

Hitchcock could do good films before Hollywood however.

[@trfyhrghty4222]

👍