Rear Window
A bored photographer recovering from a broken leg passes the time by watching his neighbors and begins to suspect one of them of murder.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock · Drama · Mystery · Thriller · 112 min · 1954
Trailer
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Studio
Patron Inc. / Avernus Productions
Release
01 Sep 1954
Runtime
112 min
Genres
Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Full Plot
Professional photographer L.B. "Jeff" Jefferies breaks his leg while getting an action shot at an auto race. Confined to his New York apartment, he spends his time looking out of the rear window observing the neighbors. He begins to suspect that a man across the courtyard may have murdered his wife. Jeff enlists the help of his high society fashion-consultant girlfriend Lisa Fremont and his visiting nurse Stella to investigate.
Cast & Characters
L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies, a photojournalist
James Stewart
Lisa Fremont, a model
Grace Kelly
Lt. Thomas "Tom" J. Doyle, an NYPD detective
Wendell Corey
Stella, a nurse
Thelma Ritter
Lars Thorwald
Raymond Burr
"Miss Lonely-Hearts"
Judith Evelyn
the songwriter
Ross Bagdasarian
"Miss Torso"
Georgine Darcy
the couple living above the Thorwalds
Sara Berner and Frank Cady
"Miss Hearing Aid", the sculptress
Jesslyn Fax
the newlyweds
Rand Harper and Havis Davenport
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $1.0M, Rear Window has grossed $37.0M worldwide — about 37.0x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Alfred Hitchcock has directed 5 films in our catalog, including Dial M for Murder, Vertigo.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
James Stewart appears in 4 films in our catalog, including It's a Wonderful Life, Vertigo.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
The screenplay was based on Cornell Woolrich's 1942 short story It Had to Be Murder.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
A Supreme Court case in 1990 determined the film rights of Woolrich's original story, affecting Stewart and Hitchcock's estate.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
The film's production company, Patron Inc., was set up by Hitchcock and Stewart in 1954, but a subsequent rights holder refused to acknowledge previous agreements.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Sheldon Abend became credited as a producer of the 1998 remake of Rear Window due to the outcome of this Supreme Court case.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
Rear Window holds 8.5/10 on IMDb (568,382 votes), 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, 100/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.5/10 on IMDb (568,382 votes), 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, 100/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rear Window's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Rear Window holds a 99% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Rear Window's IMDb rating?+
Rear Window has a 8.5/10 rating on IMDb from 568,382 votes.
What is Rear Window's Metacritic score?+
Rear Window has a Metascore of 100/100 on Metacritic.
Is Rear Window good? What are critics saying?+
Rear Window holds 8.5/10 on IMDb (568,382 votes), 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, 100/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Rear Window?+
Rear Window has a runtime of 112 min.
Who directed Rear Window?+
Rear Window was directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Where can I watch Rear Window?+
Rear Window is available to stream, rent, or buy on YouTube TV, TCM, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
Jimmy Stewart's character L.B. Jeffries is a recluse who watches his neighbors' lives through his window, leading him to become suspicious of one of them due to their wife's sudden disappearance. Many reviewers praise the film for its simple yet engaging story and good performances from both Stewart and Grace Kelly.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
L.B. Jeffries (Jimmy Stewart), an adventurous photographer, is temporarily immobilized by a serious leg injury. Bored, and living in a time where TV and internet were not available as distractions, he watches the courtyard out his real window and speculates about the lives of the…
It Had To Be Murder. L.B. Jefferies is a wheelchair bound photographer who by way of relieving his boredom, starts observing the lives of all his neighbours from his apartment window. As he gets deeper into the lives of all around him, he becomes convinced that one of hem has com…
John Chard · 10/10Probably have seen this a half dozen times over the years and still is my favorite Hitchcock movie, favorite mind you not best. Simple story and taking place in one location, but good performances from James Stewart and Grace Kelly. **4.5/5**
JPV852 · 9/10Jimmy Stewart is cracking as the laid-up photographer who spends his chair-ridden days casually observing the day-to-day activities of his neighbours. Gradually, he becomes suspicious of one of them as the wife suddenly disappears and the husband (Raymond Burr) starts making odd…
CinemaSerf · 8/10I love a good plot twist as much as next person but maybe it was better back then.
James · 7/10
