Today while I was working I found myself looking out of the window of our upstairs guest bedroom/office. The window faces the upstairs windows of half a dozen townhomes near us and overlooks the walkways that slither between them.
During the late morning, I overheard two arguments, one declaration of love, someone's toddler fall down while trying to pet a local stray cat and someone on the HOA order the groundskeepers to pay closer attention to the newly planted Magnolia trees. If only I could have witnessed or overheard a murder. Instead, I'll have to tell you all about how this reminds me of another favorite film that *also* ranks eleventh - the classic Alfred Hitchcock film REAR WINDOW.
If you're the sort of person who just thinks it's just too rude to listen in on the conversation at the booth next to you, please run from this blog entry now. I'm listening to everyone I can - Pee Wee Herman style with a giant plastic ear. There are millions of little and big dramas happening all around, us all the time. It's my belief that in every life there are moments grand love, heartbreaking devastation, magical hope and grinding angst. And if you're lucky enough you're able to catch a glimpse of a few of them happening around you.
REAR WINDOW is one of my favorites for both its lurid, tawdry minx side and for its compassionate, human depth. Jimmy Stewart flies a freak flag with his binoculars as he peeps his neighbors. His motivations are floating just above illegal for some time. Then he crosses over and finds himself compelled to become involved when something goes terribly wrong for one unlucky lady.
When I first caught REAR WINDOW at a revival screening in Tucson, the decency of Stewart's character really struck me because I'd just read about that horrible Kitty Genovese murder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Genovese) in a Sociology class. Fundamentally Genovese's murder has become a case study in why people do not become involved when a crime or murder is committed in front of them.
In addition to broad Sociological concepts, this movie reminds me of handbags. Not just any handbags. Fabulous damn handbags. Ones that are not just for a wallet and keys but ones that can become overnight cases and hide all kinds of treasures.
Grace Kelly makes a sublime Hitchcock blond if you ask me. She holds the line between fire and ice better than any of the others and manages to reveal a rich intelligence in the way she plays the part of a spoiled socialite.
And of course there's Hitch. Few directors can handle their subject matter with such deceptive ease. Every single time I watch this movie I marvel at his ability to glide between sexual tension, voyeuristic obsession and the good old fashioned creeps. He was a technical master and one of my favorite dark humorists.
Care for a kiss from Ms. Kelly?
