Movie of the Day: Rear Window (1954)

James Stewart (L.B. 'Jeff' Jefferies)

1h 52min | Mystery, Thriller | September 1954 (USA)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Writers: John Michael Hayes (screenplay), Cornell Woolrich (based on the short story by)

Stars: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey

Memorable Quotes

Jeff: Why would a man leave his apartment three times on a rainy night with a suitcase and come back three times?

Lisa: He likes the way his wife welcomes him home.

Lisa: I wish I were creative.

Jeff: You are. You're great at creating difficult situations.

Lisa: What's he doing? Cleaning house?

Jeff: He's washing and scrubbing down the bathroom walls.

Stella: Must've splattered a lot.

[both Jeff and Lisa look at Stella with disgust]

Stella: Come on, that's what were all thinkin'. He killed her in there, now he has to clean up those stains before he leaves.

Lisa: Stella... your choice of words!

Stella: Nobody ever invented a polite word for a killin' yet.

Lisa: According to you, people should be born, live, and die in the same place.

Lisa: I'm not much on rear window ethics.

Lisa: The last thing Mrs. Thorwald would leave behind would be her wedding ring. Stella, do you ever leave yours at home?

Stella: The only way somebody would get that would be to chop off my - finger. Let's go down to the garden and find out what's buried there.

Lisa: Why not? I always wanted to meet Mrs. Thorwald.

Lisa: A murderer would never parade his crime in front of an open window.

Stella: We've become a race of Peeping Toms. What people ought to do is get outside their own house and look in for a change. Yes sir. How's that for a bit of homespun philosophy?

Jeff: Readers Digest, April 1939.

Stella: Well, I only quote from the best.

Lisa: Well, if there's one thing I know, it's how to wear the proper clothes.

Lisa: Where does a man get inspiration to write a song like that?

Jeff: He gets it from the landlady once a month.

Stella: Maybe one day she'll find her happiness.

Jeff: Yeah, some man'll lose his.

Stella: [to Lisa] You haven't spent much time around cemeteries, have you?

Stella: How much do we need to bail Lisa from jail?

Jeff: Well, this is first offense burglary, that's about $250. I have $127.

Stella: Lisa's handbag. Uh... 50 cents. I got $20 or so in my purse

Jeff: And what about the rest?

Stella: When those cops at the station see Lisa, they'll even contribute.

Lisa: A woman never goes anywhere but the hospital without packing makeup, clothes, and jewelry.

Stella: Intelligence. Nothing has caused the human race so much trouble as intelligence.

Lt. Doyle: Oh, Jeff, if you need any more help, consult the yellow pages in your telephone directory.

Lisa: Oh, I love funny exit lines.

Jeff: I get myself half killed for you and you reward me by stealing my assignments.

Jeff's Editor: I didn't ask you to stand in the middle of that automobile racetrack.

Jeff: You asked for a, something dramatically different. You got it.

Jeff's Editor: So did you.

Lisa: A woman never goes anywhere but the hospital without packing makeup, clothes, and jewelry.