Rear Window (1954) is MASTERFUL STORYTELLING! *First Time Watching* Movie Reaction & Commentary

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My first time watching Rear Window (1954) and I was blown at the films structure and style. I hope you enjoy my movie reaction for Rear Window.
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Original Movie: Rear Window (1954)
*Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. All rights belong to their respective owners.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

⚡ Why do you love Rear Window?I am amazed at the suspense Hitchcock was able to create by primarily using story telling. There was no manipulative tactics here and yet I was really on edge!

[@wesleyrodgers886]

Story driven. No bangs and booms. No gore. Just good story telling.

[@houseofsledge6891]

It's a masterpiece of visual storytelling that showcases all of Hitchcock's power over the medium and, for my money, one of the best and most distinctive thrillers ever made. Huge fan (I was raised on Hitchcock movies rented on VHS from the video store as a kid in the 80s).

[@txxredtache]

The 100th episode of Castle (s5e19, The Lives of Others) is an homage to Rear Window. Even when you know the film (maybe because?) it’s a fabulous hour of tv, a great watch :)

[@cheeseburgersuperior1874]

@@txxredtache In a Spanish time travel series called Ministry of Time, they did a whole tribute episode of Alfred Hitchcock and push it to the max. The music scores, cinematography, plots, and scenes are all Hitchcock inspired, especially the Rear Window movie, though I won't tell which scene. They even have Alfred Hitchcock on that episode too.

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

It’s a ‘bottle episode’ alright, but it’s far from cheap. I’ll just copy and paste what’s been documented: “Hitchcock built one of the largest indoor sets ever constructed in Hollywood at the time. The set, built full-scale, was so massive it didn’t even fit into any of Paramount’s studios. As a result, they had to excavate down into one of the studio’s floors to allow for the building of the set. The whole set was almost 100 feet wide, 185 feet long, and 40 feet high. There were 31 apartments with several of them being fully furnished, including working plumbing and utilities. Over 1,000 lights were used to mimic different weather and times of day. In total, construction of the set cost upwards of $100k, not exactly chump change for 1954.” Adjusted, that’s a very carefully crafted $1 million set in 2021 dollars. And that’s before you pay Grace Kelly. Another thing that isn’t cheap - every other day on set is a crowd scene with birds, kids, cars, trucks, and animals.

[@TheDietrichDaniels]

Thelma Ritter (who played Stella) is one of the great "character" actresses of all time.

[@MrAmccray]

I loved her in All About Eve" She had the best line in the movie when she commented on Eve's heartbreaking story.

[@billolsen4360]

@@MrAmccray Thelma always added a dose working class wisdom to every situation.

[@jillk368]

I tell ya Macy's ain't got any. Nobody's got any. That voice - - irreplaceable.

[@donbrown1284]

True story -- she was paid more than James Stewart and Grace Kelly for this supporting role.

[@jnagarya519]

And has too little screen time in "All About Eve".

[@victorsixtythree]

I heard a story about the premiere of 'Rear Window' - when Grace Kelly is in Thorwald's apartment and we see Thorwald coming home, a woman in the audience grabbed her husband's arm and screamed "Do something!!" And THAT'S what suspense is all about, letting the audience know about some pending danger that the actors on screen are unaware. And in this case we have Jimmy Stewart as a stand-in for the audience. He's seated in his chair like he's watching a movie and the windows across the way are like movie screens. Love it!

[@brianalambert1192]

I still love the ending shot where Lisa switches back to reading her magazines. It's very much how she's more than happy to join Jeff on his adventures, but she's not going to completely give up her own hobbies and interests

[@TheCkent100]

HItchcock almost always establishes an important fact in the first couple of minutes of his movies. In this movie, he showed a wall mounted thermometer that showed 90+ degree weather. None of the apartments had air conditioners, as those were a luxury in those days. And we don't see any electric fans in use either. That's why the couple slept on the fire escape - the outside temperatures were cooler. And that's why the windows were open in the entire complex. So, you really have to pay close attention and look for those establishing shots at the beginning of every Hitchcock movie.

[@jdnevesytrof6208]

The scene when the dog's been found dead and everyone rushes out, except Thorwald, whom you can only see in the blackness of his apartment by the glowing end of his cigarette is still one of the most genius shots in cinema.

[@BR-jt6ny]

I always get goosebumps when Lisa is trying to dissuade him but suddenly she stops and looks transfixed out the window.

[@billolsen4360]

And then, 3 years later, the actor who played Thorwald went to TV and his job was to make sense out of complex murders mysteries and nail the killer.

[@CikosDarkPassenger]

@@billolsen4360 he also was in the american version of the original godzilla. raymond burr is a legend.

[@billolsen4360]

@@CikosDarkPassenger Forgot about that. Thanks!

[@nuimaleko7]

Love Thelma Ritter in everything she ever did. Can't believe how insanely beautiful Grace Kelly was. This has always been a favorite.

[@billolsen4360]

Pretty as a princess

[@sarahfullerton6894]

Another great Hitchcock movie starring Grace Kelly is "To Catch A Thief", with Cary Grant, setting the French Riviera.

[@billolsen4360]

Those big blue eyes are irresistible.

[@BigGator5]

Grace Kelly, am I right? Fun Fact: According to Georgine Darcy, when the man and woman on the fire escape struggle to get in out of the rain was based on a prank by Sir Alfred Hitchcock. Each actor and actress in the apartment complex facing Jeff's rear window wore an earpiece through which they could receive Hitchcock's directions. Hitchcock told the man to pull the mattress in one direction and told the woman to pull in the opposite direction. Unaware that they had received conflicting directions, the couple began to fight and struggle to get the mattress inside once the crew began filming. The resulting mayhem, in which one of the couple is tossed inside the window with the mattress, provided humor and a sense of authenticity, which Hitchcock liked. He was so pleased with the result that he did not order another take.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

IT IS Grace Kelly. She was so great in the role. Love the ear piece trivia. I’m going to rewatch that scene now. 🤣

[@peterlenihan1613]

When I was a kid in Brooklyn in the late 50s and 60s, no one had air conditioning. I remember during heat waves in the summer, no one would go into their house before midnight. They were too hot and it was impossible to sleep. If I had the option of sleeping on a fire escape, I would have jumped at the chance.

[@kendn01]

I saw Rear Window a few decades ago in a theater when some of Hitchcock's movies were reissued. I ended up seeing the film in the balcony of the theater - if you ever get a chance to see it in a theater, see it - and try to get a seat in the balcony where you are off the main floor. It is literally like you are sitting in Jimmy Stewart's apartment! It was soooo cool!!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

That would be the best! I always prefer to sit a little higher up in theaters anyway. I like to look dead center in the screen, not up at the screen.

[@christopherdeguilio6375]

I'm sure someone's said it already, but Stella is Thelma Ritter and she plays your favorite character in every movie she's in

[@johnnehrich9601]

Her first role was uncredited in Miracle on 34th St., as a shopper who liked Macy's new policy.

[@jeffreynolin9339]

Can’t agree with you more!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thanks for the reminder! I'll be watching that soon.

[@johnnehrich9601]

@@CasualNerdReactions I so LOVE that movie (the original, not the 1990's remake. Most people today don't know how "famous" the rivalry between Macy's and Gimbels (on opposite sides of 34th St.) was back then, a sort of Hatfield & McCall's feud. And for years I thought they got the real Macy to play his part. Only recently found out the real guy lived in the 1800's.) Another later famous actor in the movie played Fred in I Love Lucy.)

[@TerryNationB7]

I love seeing Thelma Ritter (Stella) in movies. She has a great voice and even when her role is small it is always memorable. I think she was amazing in Pickup on South Street (1953).

[@cstarv]

Since there is no air condition many city dwellers slept outside. I had a good friend who lived in NY in the 60s and enjoyed all the activities. Thelma Ritter is a jewel. Jimmy Stewart is my absolute favorite actor. Hitchcock knew that your imagination could be even scarier than seeing anything on screen. I much prefer that type of suspense/horror

[@bboutube7334]

I live in Montréal and when we have very hot weather, I occasionally sleep on my balcony. Love it!

[@bretthrockmorton7727]

One of my favorite sly bits in the film is as Thorwald is leaving the apartment in the rain toting his metal suitcase, the music playing in the background is "Lover" - - - Lover, when I'm near you And I hear you speak my name Softly in my ear you Breathe a flame Lover, when we're dancing Keep on glancing in my eyes 'Til loves own enchanting Music dies All of my future is in you You're every plan I desire Promise you'll always continue To be mine Lover, please be tender When your tender fears depart Lover, I surrender To my heart All of my future is in you You're every plan I desire Promise you'll always continue To be mine Lover, please be tender When your tender fears depart Lover, I surrender To my heart

[@flarrfan]

Everybody loves Thelma Ritter! By the way, the musician was played by Ross Bagdasarian, who went on to fame as "David Seville and the Chipmunks", as in Alvin and the novelty records of the '60s.

[@Col_Fragg]

Earlier, on another video, I commented, "Apparently, sleeping on the fire escape was a thing back in the 50's. Air conditioners were still an expensive item and sleeping outside provided a much cooler alternative than sleeping inside a stuffy apartment. In early episodes of "The Honeymooners," Ralph Kramden mentions sleeping on the fire escape. It's also mentioned in 1950's literature."

[@billolsen4360]

Never knew why Ed Norton didn't suggest reinforcing that fire escape

[@auapplemac1976]

Before home air conditioning, some homes had “sleeping porches” off the second floor.

[@TheBearAspirin]

Decades after first seeing this movie, it still blows my mind how he was able to create distinct characters and stories of the neighbors who all had evolving story lines without any dialogue. I also love how Hitchcock managed to make the characters Jimmy Stewart (who was one of America's most beloved actors) always slightly douchey. Loved Hitchcock's subversive storytelling. Also, Thelma Ritter was indeed a gem and added spice to every movie she appeared in. And it wasn't unusual for city dwellers to sleep on their fire escapes during oppressive heatwaves.

[@catherinelw9365]

I was a kid growing up in northern New Jersey and my first memory there is of living in a similar apartment, and we DID sleep on the fire escape when it was hot!

[@stephanieperry1119]

It did have air conditioning so it may have been more comfortable to sleep outside then inside on warm muggy summer night.

[@celinhabr1]

Thank you for this another classic reaction. One of Hitch's best. James Stewart and Grace Kelly were amazing, but i agree Thelma Ritter was a scene stealer. Also, people really need to stop looking at their phones so bloody much, get out of social media all day...it's only making people more bitter and isolated in bubbles.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Just because I’m replying to this on my phone while I walk at the park doesn’t mean I am not in FULL AGREEMENT. Bitter and isolated bubbles is the exact way to put it. I try very hard when I am with people to leave my phone out of sight.

[@eileenreid5348]

I love Grace Kelly’s outfits in this movie!!!

[@arrow1414]

Its was hot. Here in New York City and other cities it was common to sleep on fire escapes during a hot summers night. And yes in 1954 home air conditioning especially in old apartments (and in new ones at the time) was a luxury.

[@1gremlins2]

Definitely a social commentary on Voyeurism; The way we peep in on the lives of others is often fetishistic. We are all voyeurs now ( think social media) Just as Jeffries observes his neighbours through a glass window, Hitchcock forces us to observe through our glass screen. Seeing fragments of a story that we piece together, unsure if what we see is real or just our imagination, we soon become completely obsessed just like Jeffries. Hitchcock crafted this so well. I recommend you watch “Dial M for Murder” - nobody has reacted to this movie yet, it’s one of his best.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

That’s what I felt watching it like, oh man I’m just as guilty as LB! Hope to get to dial m for murder, a lot of wonderful movies to get through so I’ll just have to keep going.

[@billolsen4360]

Forensic Files turned me into a voyeur. About the only reality TV that is reality

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

"We are all voyeurs now" and exhibitionist too posting every little detail for all to see.

[@echocheck]

When it is very hot and humid in the city and you have no air conditioning, you sleep on the fire escape.

[@jeffreynolin9339]

Thelma Ritter is an excellent example of how essential really good character actors are to making a movie great.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

It really makes all the difference!

[@pleasantvalleypickerca7681]

James Stewart's character is a professional photographer so it makes sense that he observes everyone and everything around him. The brilliance of the film is it is all filmed on a single location and is so captivating. Folks slept on the balcony as is was 95 degree heat and sleeping out side was cooler.

[@saena971]

I saw this movie in a theater once, after having watched it on classic movie channels for years, and it's even better on the big screen. The moment Raymond Burr figures out who's been watching him and we get a close up of him looking over at Jimmy Stewart's window is incredibly chilling.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Oh that sounds amazing! I always used to ignore the classic movies when they’d play. Not anymore. I want to see all these movies on the big screen.

[@jdnevesytrof6208]

Thelma Ritter should have been everybody's snarky grandma back in the old days.

[@realrembrandt8273]

16:40 Yes, the times before Covid...

[@TTM9691]

PS: To answer your question, why do I love Rear Window? Everything you said about being impressed with it being on one set, and the novel approach of having so much of the action far away, where you can't hear what they're saying. And I love the splashy 50s color and set design. It's just a solidly good movie....it's so solidly good that it's great! Like you said when it was over: "that was a good movie". Went down easy!

[@bighuge1060]

This is my favorite Hitchcock movie. The sound design alone is fantastic as it made a film set live and breathe. You were surprised Jeff's apartment door was unlocked but I remember as late as the 1970s, people would keep their front doors unlocked so it was the sign of the times and also Thelma Ritter hurrying out to bail out Lisa would account for the door to remain unlocked.

[@ScaredDawgProductions]

Yeah, in the 60s we very seldom locked the doors, esp. car doors. In the house my grandparents lived (which I now own), people walked in and out all the time, well into the 80s. One of my favorite Hitchcock movies.

[@Maverick4023]

I watched this film for the first time myself recently. I was just as gripped and invested as you were! The plot is a stroke of genius and it's easily one of the most exciting films I've seen.

[@dipsydoodle7988]

This is definitely one of my favorite Hitchcock movies. The reason I love it is because it is so well done that you literally don't know what you should think or feel for the firs half of the movie. The ending really spooked the hell out of me when I first saw it. Knowing this person is in your house and coming for you and you are trapped and can do nothing to defend yourself. What a tense moment! Loved your reaction as usual. You always bring up good points of discussion and questions.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I didn’t know what to think either and I wasn’t sure what I wanted. I figured it was real, but If it had been about confirmation bias that actually might have broke my brain.

[@dipsydoodle7988]

@@CasualNerdReactions haha, seriously. I don't need any more mental exercises than you already get with Hitchcock. 😆

[@lauragreen5622]

I was in a wheelchair for 3 weeks band I totally sat by the the window and watched the neighbors.

[@BR-jt6ny]

I remember when I saw this movie first as a teen at home with my sister and my dad. My sister and I literally could not sit still in our seats, the suspense is so real (something that has never happened with another movie for me)

[@BuntingClipClop]

Same! Especially for a teenager, this movie was extremely nail biting! It's a wonderful family memory enjoying this together.

[@pandude53]

when you get a chance go back and listen to the recorded song the songwriter plays for Miss Lonelyhearts. When the shot of Lisa reading happens the lyrics in the song reference "Lisa" An absolute stroke of genius and humor at the same time>

[@TheBTG88]

No a/c, so sleeping outside on the fire escape was cooler.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

READING ALL THE COMMENTS SUPPOSEDLY BEING ABOUT "REAR WINDOW", THEY SEEM TO BE MORE ABOUT SUMMER WEATHER IN NEW-YORK HEAT WAVE, AM I WRONG OR IS IT A WEATHER FORECAST MOVIE ?

[@davidgiardina5424]

Those of of us in NY know how brutal the summers are here. So before a/c became standard, people would sleep on their fire escapes to escape the heat.

[@trevorschaffer9173]

My favorite Stella line-"When General Motors has to go to the bathroom ten times a day, the whole country is ready to let go."

[@dynodon9182]

Grace Kelly might be the most beautiful actress ever. I noticed your haven't watched The Trouble With Harry. Unexpectedly charming Hitchcock with beautiful New England landscapes. And the movie was mostly filmed on a soundstage.

[@moviemonster2083]

People often slept on their fire escape balcony in those days in the summertime before electric air conditioning because it was cooler. It's the catalyst for the events in the movie, "The Window", 1949.

[@CEngelbrecht]

Yep, Hitchcock always hid a cameo of himself in his movies, starting with the silent "The Lodger" in 1927. Some of them are really creative, for instance in "Life Boat", he appears in a newspaper ad for weight loss, himself being both the before- and after-model.

[@thomasoa]

While cell phones, of course, didn't exist in this era, there was a relatively new type of screen at this time, the television. And there is a reading of this movie as being about television - as the different small windows (TVs had small screens at first) representing different channels.

[@olgawindler9506]

Yes they're sleeping on the fire escape to cool off. Lol I was born in Manhattan in 53 in July during a heat wave. No, there was no air conditioning. It was brutal there in summer. It also made sense that he's a voyeur. He's a photographer stuck at home.

[@katwithattitude5062]

Fun fact: The composer was played by Ross Bagdasarian. Most people probably know him by his stage name Dave Seville. He is best known as the creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

That’s so cool! He was an important part of my childhood and I didn’t even know.

[@corvus1374]

The songwriter is Ross Bagdasarian, aka David Seville, who created the Chipmunks. The killer is Raymond Burr, AKA Perry Mason. One of the girls at the songwriter's party is Kathryn Grant, who was married to Bing Crosby.

[@DelGuy03]

Except for a brief prelude and postlude bookending the movie, you are right -- all the music we hear comes from "natural" sources. This was a massive indoor set at Paramount, for which they even had to excavate (for the drainage system for the rain sequence). It's an impressive piece of engineering, even now. And yes, A/C wasn't really something that people (even rich people) had in their homes then, so people had to keep windows open in the summer, and sleeping on the fire escape was a genuine (if extreme) response to the situation.

[@dennispope1355]

Another fun fact. The man portraying the music writer was the same man (Ross Bagdasarian) is the guy who did The Chipmunks, Alvin etc. He also did the song Which Doctor.

[@stevenklyce3555]

You edited the best line in the film, one of the best in cinema… “Where does someone get the inspiration for music like that?” “Oh, he gets it from the landlady once a month”.

[@al.n.darodda6183]

During NYC summer heat waves, people would sleep outside (balconies, fire escapes) because it was cooler outside. No AC in those days. Look it up.

[@CraigMurraysVids]

I've said this before - but this is movie about movies. The windows are all like a different movie screens. And Jimmy Stewart watches them through a camera. One is a dance movie, another a romance, another a musical, and of course another a murder movie. It's a work of genius.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I like that interpretation!

[@michaelpennington7800]

Another excellent reaction, Chris. Thelma Ritter, Stella, was an incredible character actress of the era who stole the scene from every main character in over 30 films. Emmy winner, 6 Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress. Thorwall, Raymond Burr, enjoyed an incredible run in the fantastic TV Series, Perry Mason, then Ironsides. Bith characters were the good guys after having played heavies in film noir and here in Rear Window. The beautiful and talented Grace Kelly made three films with Hitchcock. Hitchcock was always able to bring the very best of the best actors to his films. The apartment buildings were actually a giant set built in the studio. Thank you, again. I so enjoy watching reactions to so many of my favorite films with the younger generation who truly get the treasure of theses films.

[@robertjewell9727]

Great observations about social media and rear windows. The psychology is the same. I like how Hitchcock compares Jeff's isolated sitting with watching a movie. All those windows are like movie screens and Hitchcock forces our empathy because we are in a metaphysical way doing what Jeff's doing.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Absolutely right! We’re all Jeff one way or another.

[@johnnehrich9601]

The villain was played by Raymond Burr who also was in the first Godzilla movie, and then went on to become Perry Mason.

[@davidfox5383]

Wow, Chris... After this one you are officially my favorite reactor! Your comments and reactions are insightful, funny, and completely entertaining to watch. If we lived in the same city you would get an instant invitation to my movie nights... I have some great young filmmaker friends that love coming over to watch classics they've never seen before. I hope you will watch more Hitchcock...Vertigo, The Birds, Marnie, North by Northwest, etc. etc. Great work!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thank you so much, David! Your movie nights sound like a blast, I'm sure there are many great conversations. I'll definitely be watching more Hitchcock on my channel. I don't know how often, but I enjoy these so it'll definitely remain a part.

[@520azdc]

Grace Kelly, who played Lisa, retired from her award winning acting career just two years after this movie to marry the Prince of Monaco and become Princess Grace.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I was wondering why she didn’t have many movies after the 50s! Good for her, but I would have loved some more!!

[@botz77]

The apartment building is a set. It took so many lights to photograph it's truly amazing stuff.

[@aatragon]

The musician was played by Ross Bagdasarian, creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks.

[@altaclipper]

That actress is Gtace Kelly, who became Princess Grace of Monaco.

[@richardzinns5314]

One critic that I read pointed out that the only time we get camera shots that are not from inside Jefferies' apartment is during the very brief sequence when the neighbors all come together, and form a sort of momentary community, over the death of the dog. And then they all go back again to not communicating with each other.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Oh that’s a good insight. Very interesting.

[@TheAlmaward]

The people sleeping on the fire escape are doing so because of the heat. It's cooler outside by at least a few degrees. Additional movies you might like: Dial M for Murder (also Hitchcock, also starring Grace Kelly), and Wait Until Dark (Audrey Hepburn as a blind woman). ;)

[@eddietucker7005]

The best part was Grace Kelley and the costume design. My, God she was gorgeous! She basically quit acting when she, in real like, became Princess Grace of Monaco. (She married the Prince.)

[@CasualNerdReactions]

She really was, I’m not sure I’ve ever see an actress where it made more sense for her to become a princess.

[@pleasantvalleypickerca7681]

Back when films made you feel good!!!

[@ernestoalamo3591]

She became Princess Kelly.

[@JosephRGrych]

The limited POV is very effective for creating suspense and an unsettling vibe. It also works extremely well in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) and Rosemary's baby. I love this method of storytelling in which we, the audience, find stuff out as the character does.

[@pleasantvalleypickerca7681]

This proves you can make a great film on one location with a small budget. Modern directors could learn a lot from this!!!

[@DreamingCatStudio]

I love the story behind the building with all the people in windows-the crew built the building for the movie if I recall. I love the active lively neighborhood. Thelma Ritter is the voice of reason and caring. Thorwald’s menace is powerful-the great Raymond Burr. I love how Jeff, Lisa and Stella get so involved with Miss Lonely hearts and of course the murder mystery. What I sincerely dislike is the blatant misogyny about Lisa… there’s a difference in lifestyles but the movie emphasizes Jeff’s side as the better one. FYI: the couple who were sleeping outside were trying to get cool! They mention heat throughout and no-one had AC!

[@MrUndersolo]

This is the Hitchcock film that becomes more timely as the years pass. A perfect example of how you can make multiple narratives in one film. Just pick anything by the master and you will be all right...

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Completely agree! Definitely interested in more Hitchcock.

[@laurab68707]

This is my favorite Hitchcock movie. I love all the characters. Grace Kelly is stunning. Thelma Ritter is hilarious. And of course, James Stewart is one of the best former actors out there. I like how the story line keeps you guessing until the end. Glad you liked it. Great reaction!

[@michaelsegriff3362]

The people slept on the fire escape because in 1954 very few people had air conditioning and this film takes place during a heatwave in NYC. Greenwich Village to be precise. Also notice there was no TV. Also, how damned articulate the characters were, and the clever dialogue. Love it!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Yes! The writing was so witty, I loved it! It did eventually click that it was because it was cooler outside, but it definitely took a minute... or half the movie. 🤣

[@AtomicAgePictures]

Rear Window is my favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie. Following almost directly behind it would be North by Northwest and that's the next Hitchcock film I would recommend it to you.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I think it is officially edging out vertigo for the next Hitchcock film. Closely followed by strangers on a train.

[@smakedoctor]

We watched this at the beginning of quarantine. So relevant lol

[@CasualNerdReactions]

It really is. 🤣 I laugh because it hits a little too close to home.

[@TTM9691]

Oh wow, this was so great, Chris, I'm so happy you were as impressed and as entertained as I/we have always been!! 2:46 brilliant observation. This came out just as TV was getting hot (and taking attendance away from movie theaters!), so yeah, you are right on the money there. / Ha, yes, everyone loves Stella, and everyone loves Thelma Ritter who played her, an actress that seemingly appears in every movie from the 50s and early 60s, a great character actress./ Yes, Hitchcock does a cameo in almost all of his movies, usually in an early part of the movie because he didn't want people getting distracted looking for him. Some of the cameos are very noticeable, and some of them are blink and you miss him./ It's funny, as I'm watching I notice: virtually everybody's eyes in this movie are blue! And you too! It's a blue-eyed world in Rear Window!/10:57 I love this reaction! Ha! "She's onboard!" Yes! / You said you like "bottleneck" stuff; another old classic that is one of the few with other reaction videos, is "12 Angry Men", an excellent movie. Also, do YOU watch reaction videos? Because there is a great channel, "Mia Tiffany", she only does old classics, and she usually sprinkles in trivia before and after the movie. Since you just saw "Rear Window", I"ll give you the link to her reaction, in case you're interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6eVqn6sdpihfsU I'm sure I said this under the "Psycho" reaction: Although most people are going to tell you "North By Northwest" (definitely fun) or "Vertigo" (fans are divided, I'd wait on this one) or "The Birds" (ok, but not his best), I'm nominating these two as the ones most likely to make you slap your hand on the table and say "damn good movie" like you just did with "Rear Window" and "Psycho: "Shadow Of A Doubt" (Hitchcock's personal favorite) and "Strangers On A Train" (MY personal favorite!). Both are super classics that don't have any reactions yet (although Mia is doing "Shadow Of A Doubt" soon). So I'm just putting my two-cents for those, if you ever decide to do another one. No worries if not, of course! And in fact, maybe just watch them on your own, and enjoy them without having to worry about editing and all that. Whatever! You'll definitely enjoy them.(And, just in case I haven't thrown this out there yet: Citizen Kane! Oh my gosh, not just anyone can react to that movie.....but you can!)

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Great information, once again thanks! I made a comment in the full length about the blue eyes, a few moments they were like TOO blue. I was thinking it had to do with the coloration process. 12 Angry men, I am so confident I'll love. I don't know when I'll get to it, but no later than February because I have to watch it haha. I love reaction videos! I didn't know they existed until last summer, but I so appreciate them and I have been rushing to watch reaction videos to these the moment I finish editing them! (I wanna make sure I don't steal ideas or copy haha) Thanks for sharing. I will definitely do more Hitchcock, haven't decided which one to do next, but I will take your info into consideration! Hopefully, I get to do them all. I DO plan to react to citizen kane, it's a little intimidating, but I appreciate the vote of confidence. :)

[@TTM9691]

​@@CasualNerdReactions Oh, absolutely no need to be intimidated by "Citizen Kane". It's just a movie. It's an entertaining movie, you'll have no problem at all with it. That would be like being intimidated by "Star Wars" (which many young reactors are! Then they see it, and they realize it goes down as easy as ice cream!) But again.....no rush at all, one movie at a time.....and I think "Poltergeist" is the next one, right? Looking forward to that! Horror with a heart! :D.

[@michaelceraso1977]

great summations on some of the best HITCH films that should be reactions done on. My faves are this and NORTh by NW as I've always loved the idea of travel on a train. I def agree about thelma R too as I believe from the period 1951 to 1963 Ms. Ritter was nominated for 6 Academy Awards. She is one of the most nominated actors who never won the statue.

[@ChrisMaxfieldActs]

6:48 In the days before air conditioning, people who lived in small apartment buildings in NYC would have ovens for bedrooms. Sometimes, the fire escape was enough cooler to make it worth schlepping the mattress out there.

[@doctorj6030]

I used to live in the NYC area growing up.in the 1950s. Very few people had air conditioning, you did anything u could to stay cool, windows were wide open, everyone lives close together & you could not help but look into other windows, anyway this was another great Hitchcock movie, James zsrewart, the beautiful future Princess Grace of Monaco & the scene stealer Thelma Ritter, also Raymond Burr , star of Godzilla & the future Perry Mason. A lot of suspense in this movie, good acting. Good story. Good Choice.

[@homebuyercoaches4044]

Fun fact, the guy composing the music in the apartment was the creator of a little band known as Alvin and the Chipmunks.

[@curtinparloe]

Straight from stumbling across the channel today and watching your reactions to Jaws, Alien and this. Loved the other two reactions, but this was the one that got me subscribed. For me, one of the greatest things about Hitchcock is his visual sense. He could look at a set or location and know exactly what lens the DoP would need for the perfect framing. Kubrick was famous for that (having started as a photographer) but it's something I don't hear mentioned enough about Hitch.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I’m so glad you’re enjoying the channel and thank you for sharing! That is an Incredible gift! Definitely not something that everyone has

[@Wizardjudge]

No air conditioning yet. People slept on the fire escape.

[@chimpinaneckbrace]

Jimmy Stewart is just like a Reddit detective, except he knows what’s he’s talking about.

[@daannzzz7415]

Thelma Ritter (Stella) is so fun to watch in all of her movies. Some are dramas. Some are Comedies and some inbetween but she is always great.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Definitely will be watching more films with her in it at some point.

[@classiclife7204]

Hitch was often experimenting, giving himself little challenges. Several years earlier with "Rope" (which you should watch, btw), he tried to do a whole movie with no cutting. Here, the action occurs outside the main characters. This movie had a big revival/theatrical release in the mid/late-1980s, and it was a serious hit (again), and revived interest in Hitchcock, whom everyone had probably taken for granted. You can do worse than reacting to several Hitchcocks over the coming winter. Some great ones: - Rebecca (Netflix has a dreadful remake right now, do not bother. See Hitch's instead) - Shadow of a Doubt (Hitch's own personal favorite; one of mine, too. Cheery! AND dark!) - Notorious (Grant, Bergman, and Raines) - Rope - Dial M for Murder - Strangers on a Train (from a Patricia Highsmith story) - North by Northwest - Vertigo - The Birds I don't know what the streaming services are carrying at the moment, so I overlisted. Btw: why IS Stewart looking out the window, anyway, with Grace Kelly in the room? :) Great reaction!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

ROPE sounds amazing! Don't tell me, but did he succeed? I loved 1917 for that reason and I'd love to see how Rope turned out. Will be watching more Hitchcock to be sure. SERIOUSLY, I couldn't look a way, completely mesmerized.

[@shallowgal462]

The bad guy was played by Raymond Burr, TV's Perry Mason and Ironside.

[@philipholder5600]

Thelma Ritter, was a Gem . She stole every movie she was in.

[@carolpurcell4666]

You commented on why the couple was sleeping in the balcony……they showed a close up of a thermometer at 95 degrees

[@GrouchyMarx]

One thing about Hitchcock, Chris, you can do ANY of his movies and they'll be excellent. @ 3:08 If you'd like to see Thelma Ritter (Stella) in the brief role that made her very popular do "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947), but save it for Christmas time! I think you will enjoy it a lot, based on the few movie reactions of yours I've seen so far. Another EXCELLENT Christmas movie suggestion that has Jimmy Stewart, and one that I think he's most known for, "It's A Wonderful Life" (1946). @ 5:38 Yes! Haven't seen your Psycho vid yet, but he's in that one too. He's so well known for his cameos that there are websites listing and locating them as some are very difficult to spot him in. A few more awesome Hitchcock films to suggest: "Dial M For Murder" with Grace Kelly again, "Rope" one of a couple of films with two difficult Hitch cameos, "North By Northwest", "Notorious", "The Birds", "Shadow Of A Doubt", and too many more to name for now but these will entertain you and give you plenty of Hitchcock material to do. ✌️😎

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thank you for the great suggestions. Miracle wasn't on my holiday plans, but it is now for Thelma Ritter! I am definitely watching it's a wonderful life as well! Hopefully more Hitchcock in the future too, but I do plan to pace myself :)

[@ChemicalCrash]

Fantastic analysis! Your social media parallels were pretty spot on.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thanks, I was really impressed at how applicable those themes were for today. That is a sign of a timeless movie right there.

[@dovegrey1]

Thelma Ritter (Stella) was a national treasure! One of the best character actors ever, check her out in All About Eve (if you haven't seen it) starring Bette Davis--she has some of the best lines. Grace Kelly was one of the most beautiful women of the Golden Age of movies and she could act pretty darn well. They didn't call Hitchcock the master of suspense for nothing!

[@danieladiaphorist1308]

Sleeping on the fire escape was because of the lack of air conditioning. When I was young the neighborhood would drag cots into the street and we would party and sleep . That tradition disappeared when everyone got a.c.

[@savannah65]

At the time this movie was made, residential air conditioners were rare. In the cities, people who had fire escapes would sleep on them, because it was much cooler than sleeping inside. By the late 1960's, window air conditioners became more available and affordable, and sleeping outside on the fire escape faded away.

[@bretthrockmorton7727]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this yet, but the guy playing the frustrated composer in the movie is Ross Bagdasarian Sr., better known as the originator/original voices of "The Chipmunks" under the name David Seville.

[@philipholder5600]

Yes. That was Hitchcock's trade mark.was to do a cameo,and see if people could find him.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Well, now I’ll be looking for him when I watch these films. 🤣 which I’m sure everyone does

[@misseva7404]

Your compassion for Miss Lonelyhearts made me a little teary.

[@renee7407]

That was a really fun watch with you! Great reaction!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thanks, Renee! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@DaninMaine]

Rear Window is an example of the way Hitchcock sets obstacles for himself to overcome. His main obstacle here is telling the story in a confined space, the apartment. Another example is his movie Life Boat.

[@echocheck]

The bad guy is played by a grey-haired Raymond Burr who usually played heavies until he got the part of Perry Mason on tv.

[@zedwpd]

You cant chastise him for watching his neighbors then tell him he has a responsibility to call the police to help Miss Lonely Hearts who he only knew about by watching his neighbors.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Hmm. I see the contradiction, but I think that just because you were doing the wrong thing doesn’t absolve you from the responsibility to do the right thing. You shouldn’t be spying on your neighbors, but if you are and see someone in danger then it would be equally wrong to not report it.

[@MrGpschmidt]

One of The Master's best films. Excellent production design definitely captures NYC's Greenwich Village with a fantastic cast - bonus - watching this on Thelma Ritter's birthday today :D Trivia note: the musician neighbor is Ross Bagdasarian who would go on to create Alvin & The Chipmunks :D And has there ever been anyone more utterly gorgeous than the late, great Grace Kelly? Nice job Chris - urge you to see VERTIGO my fave Hitch flick next!

[@williambill5172]

They slept on the fire escape because there was no AC and on hot nights it was just cooler outside.

[@geoffmower8729]

Oh wow another great actor James Stewart he made so many classics The Glen Miller story, Strategic air command, Flight of the phoenix.

[@cheeseburgersuperior1874]

Yes. Hitchcock loves to make a cameo in his movies. You better be ready to spot him.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I’ll try my best, but no promises! 🤣

[@DR-mq1vn]

The couple slept on the fire escape because it was too hot inside their apartment probably. No A/C and outside probably felt a little better at night.

[@bodiddlymitchell5877]

Also, people used to sleep outside when it was hot. AC was a luxury