Vertigo (1958)

★★★★1/2

When a San Francisco detective, suffering from acrophobia, is asked my one of his friends to follow and investigate his wife’s activities, he soon becomes obsessively in love with her. The basis of his friend’s accusations is that he believes that she is becoming somebody that she isn’t but as things unfold, detective Ferguson realizes that there is a more sinister plot at hand. Cited as being one of Hitchcock’s best films, I don’t believe it’s his best but certainly one of his greatest achievements in suspense and brilliance. It’s a very complex and thoughtful story the blends mystery with forbidden passion. Wonderful special effects seem to be a byproduct of this film. For me, it’s Jimmy Stewart’s performance that won me over, especially his chilling turn of character at the end.

Rear Window (1954)

★★★★★

After an accident has left him in a wheelchair, Photographer Jeff Jeffries finds entertainment by spying on his neighbors from his apartment window. However, after harmlessly peeping into a mild case of spousal abuse, Jeffries soon becomes convinced that the husband has murdered his wife. Unable to leave his apartment and without any evidence, Jeffries must now prove that the murder happened… or is he developing a case of cabin fever? While the film, at its core, is quite boring, Hitchcock uses voyeurism to create sharp suspense. The audience, like Jeffries, is confined to that one apartment and we aren’t able to see what truly is happening. With great performances by Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly, this is a fine case of pure suspense.