Rear Window

Photographer Jeff Bridges is hot and bored with a leg in plaster confined to a wheelchair sat by his rear window, which overlooks the courtyard of his tenement building.

Monotony is broken up with visits from his girlfriend (Lisa) and from his physiotherapist (Stella) who warns him of his voyeurism and that he should marry Lisa. Later, Lisa and Jeff argue over their future and he spends the remainder of a wet and humid night, observing a salesman regularly leaving his apartment with a heavy suitcase and returning with it empty.

The morning dawns with Jeff noticing that the salesman’s invalid wife is absent and sees him wrapping up a large saw and knife. Later deliverymen collect a large trunk. Jeff is convinced that the wife has been killed; he contacts a detective friend who discovers that the wife has sent her husband a postcard to say that she’s received the crate.

After the death of a dog, Lisa, Stella and Jeff are all convinced that the salesman is guilty and hatch a plan. Lisa delivers a note and Jeff telephones him with a blackmail ruse and both agree to meet. This gives Lisa opportunity to enter his apartment where she finds his wives’ handbag, jewellery and wedding ring. However the salesman returns to find Lisa in his apartment. Jeff rings the police to save Lisa from being assaulted but she is arrested. Lisa points to the wedding ring that she is wearing, but the salesman also sees and he is aware that Jeff knows of his wives’ disappearance.

Stella leaves to bail Lisa and Jeff rings his detective friend for help. Soon, the salesman enters Jeff’s apartment to find him alone and helpless. Jeff finds his camera and fires a succession of flashbulbs, which temporarily blind his attacker but once vision is restored, a struggle ensues and Jeff is thrown out the window. Jeff grabs the window ledge and shouts for help. The Police make a timely appearance and help to break his fall. The salesman is arrested for murder.

The final scene depicts Jeff back in his wheelchair, sat by the window, this time with two broken legs!