James Stewart is L.B. Jefferies, a photo journalist. He has met with an accident and with a broken leg, sits in his Greenwhich village apartment and observes his neighbours thorugh the rear window.

Many critics believe that Rear Window is one of the best works of Mr. Hitchock. It is a representation of all that is common in Mr. Hitchcock's movies. The themes of vouyerism, guilt, romantic incompatibility and crime fuelled largely by his strict catholic upbringing.

The movie is very smart in being aware that there isn't much going on with the chair bound hero and it creates these overly suspicious or peculiar neighbours to keep us curious. It injects in the plot (absent from the original story) a love angle with Grace Kelly as the Park Avenue love interest of the reckless adventurer Jefferies. But Ms. Kelly is a wise choice. It gives us more than enough to look at in the old dusty room where all of the movie takes place.

Mr. Hitchock hints at but never explores fully the reasons for Mr. Stewart's behavior. His boredom and romantic compications make him deeply external -- constantly wanting to avoid thinking about himself by looking into the lives of others. Mr. Stewart is good for the role -- a quite man with expressive face. A bold man who is scared of making the wrong commitments but a curious man with a desire to learn everything.

Ms. Kelly is clearly brilliant as Lisa. She is confident and not apologetic about her socialite aspirations. However she is confident about loving Mr. Jefferies and realizes that she can clearly convince him and rid him of his doubts by playing his cards for a while.

Rear Window has excellent camerawork. The shots of the neighbours' windows are clever and decent even when the intention of the viewer is not. It masterfully creates this assertive, abrasive, recluse typical New York community.

Rear Window is a worthwhile investigation into the human intrigue of closed doors and open windows.