Rear Window Themes

Question 1

Voyeurism

Answer 1

• Jeff’s career as a photographer highlights he is an observer. Demonstrated though his numerous photos from the initial panning shot of the camera in his apartment.
• From the onset, Jeff is portrayed as an observer, elucidated in the opening scene where the blinds in his apartment open like theatre curtains. Jeff’s positioning on the audience side of the curtain symbolizes his lack of participation.
• The rising of the blinds at the beginning of the film can be likened to theatre curtains. They project the notion that Jeff is merely an observer, not a participant
• Retreats into shadows when looking with binoculars
• Jeff falling from his window highlights he has become a part of the world rather than an observer.

Question 2

Gender roles

Answer 2

• Lisa’s elaborate dresses portray from the onset that she is elegant and ladylike
• Lisa’s obeying of Jeff when he tells her to ‘shut up’, evinces the notion that she is submissive, and society’s ingrained expectation that women should obey men.
• Jeff’s label of Lisa, as ‘never wear[ing] the same dress twice’, portrays her as shallow and dismisses the complexity of her personality, while reinforcing the concept of objectifying women.
• Jeff’s sympathy for Thorwald with his nagging wife, alludes to his superiority he feels like a man. Hitchcock employs the Kuleshov effect, cutting between Thorwald’s apartment and Jeff’s reactions to position the audience to share Jeff’s belief that Anna Thorwald is annoying.
• Jeff’s career as a traveling photographer for a magazine and Lisa’s career as a model for a fashion magazine juxtaposes the gender stereotypes and expectations.
• The juxtaposition of Lisa’s risky sleuthing with her outfit choice of heels and a floral dress, emphasizes that she has the ability to remain herself, while also fitting Jeff’s ideals of someone who can ‘go anywhere and do anything.’

Question 3

Relationships – Neighbours

Answer 3

• Jeff looks at the Newlyweds condescending. Believes he knows better. They represent exactly to Jeff’s ideas of marriage.
• Jeff’s neighbours provide possible outcomes for his own life. The newlyweds and Thorwalds fortify his negative views on marriage being entrapment, whereas Miss Lonelyhearts provides a prospective future without marriage.
• Panoramic sweep. Introduces key characters. Indicates the film will be about relationships.
• Fragmented apartment block. Neighbors are not close.
• ‘Shut up’ establishes a lack of friendliness and connection between neighbours whilst simultaneously setting up Thorwald as a an antagonistic character.
• Diegetic sound. Connections between neighbourhood. Accompaniment of piano
• Jeff toasts to Miss Lonelyheart to being single.
• Labeling of Miss Lonelyhearts and Miss Torso. Not close to neighbours. Self-centered. Neighbours are there for Jeff’s entertainment.
• Miss Lonelyhearts represents a possible future for Lisa. Demonstrated when Lisa and Miss lonelyhearts both respond the same way to the music and mirror actions
• ‘You don’t know the meaning of the word neighbour.’ Neighbours gather for the first time after the dogs death. Negative relationships. Partygoers promptly leave after the entertainment is over, lack of empathy between neighbours. Fractured apartments.

Question 4

Relationships- Jeff and Lisa

Answer 4

• Jeff is initially portrayed as adventurous, and transient, and takes pride in his work. Photographs and memorabilia.
• Jeff feels trapped. ‘Swamp of boredom’. Believes marriage will be like entrapment in the cast. ‘drastic’ marriage. ‘Plaster cocoon’ is symbolic of his worries about marriage and commitment, that he will be trapped and unable to escape.
• Jeff’s reluctance to get married is revealed in both his conversations with Stella and his editor. His comment, ‘I’m going to get married then I’ll never be able to go anywhere.’ Reveals his worried of entrapment.
• The juxtaposition of Lisa’s dresses and Jeff’s plain pajamas, coupled with their initial conversation, highlights Jeff and Lisa’s differing worldviews/visions for the future/priorities.
• Lisa is drawn into mystery and voyeurism. Lisa and Jeff have a common purpose goal. Can cooperate. Mid shot of Jeff and Lisa looking out of the window and Lisa’s hand on Jeff’s chair illustrates their united perspective.
• The longshot of Lisa next to Jeff with her hand on his wheelchair portrays them as united, suggesting their partnership in the murder investigation will bring them closer, due to a common purpose.
• Jeff’s wholehearted look of admiration/pride/love/unguarded smile. Jeff’s acceptance of Lisa. Lisa is daring and takes risks. Lisa has conformed to Jeff’s ideals.
• Lisa showed Jeff the wedding ring. Reveals a critical piece of evidence, while simultaneously highlighting Lisa’s will to get married. Foreshadows possible engagement.

Question 5

Murder mystery