"Rear Window" Relationships

In Hitchcock's film "Rear Window," each character serves as a relationship archetype. Miss Torso is the promiscuous socialite, who by the end of the movie seems to find love; however, it is hard to take her character seriously after watching her invite so many men over to flirt with. The Composer is sort of similar to the ballerina. He seems very devoted to his art and also likes to be the center of attention. He plays the part of the happy bachelor. While a bit less flirty than the dancer, he invites over way more people and just likes having fun. He does not seem to be too invested in seeking a relationship. In the beginning of the film, Jeff discusses how he does not feel Lisa is a good fit for him, because she seems to be too much about high society than adventure. Later, she proves him wrong by sneaking into the Thorwald’s apartment. I think the Composer and Miss Torso represent less mature versions of Jeff and Lisa, perhaps versions they could be if they were not seeking love. Lisa even mentions how the ballerina’s apartment resembles her old one. Jeff is obviously very passionate about his job as a photographer, and we know this is why he broke his leg. Lisa is constantly reading magazines and dresses like a model; she talks enthusiastically about her experiences as a fashion consultant.

Miss Lonelyhearts first appears in the film after Jeff has given his spiel about Lisa being too high class for him, so it is hinted at that she represents a more ordinary by-the-book woman. However, Hitchcock seems to abruptly counter a purely positive thought process concerning Miss Lonelyhearts by revealing that she makes dinner for two every night but eats alone. This is a little strange, and I was torn between feeling sorry for her and thinking she was a little off. Maybe it just goes to show that nobody is perfect: Jeff does not think Lisa is ordinary enough, and Miss Lonelyhearts is obviously lonely for some reason. Miss Lonelyhearts provides a contrast to the happier single lives of the Composer and Miss Torso.

The Newlyweds and the Thorwalds represent what Jeff and Lisa could be if they were married as opposed to being single. The Newlyweds are obviously in the honeymoon stage of their relationship; they are - for the most part - completely absorbed in one another. On the other hand, the Thorwalds represent one of Jeff’s greatest anxieties: dead romance. Mr. Thorwald makes their relationship even more dead by killing his wife. The beginning of the film shows her pretending to be sick in bed when he comes home. They also argue, and she laughs at him. Neither seems very happy.

Jeff witnesses the lives of all five archetypes, and soon has suspicion that Mr. Thorwald is a murderer. While Lisa does not believe him at first, she quickly changes her mind and ends up taking the greatest risk in finding out the truth. Her effort not only reflects an eventual support and respect for Jeff’s opinion but also reveals that her personality is the right fit for him; and furthermore, they make a good team. By the end of the movie, he is once again bound to a cast (perhaps a play on his feelings of belonging to a lower caste than Lisa), and Lisa too, after only briefly reading “Beyond the High Himalayas,” is status quo with her copy of “Harper’s Bazaar.”

One final note: there is a lot of subtle humor and assumption in this film, and I think maybe Hitchcock wants his audience to wonder exactly what will happen to this couple. realizing that there are no guarantees in life. While the movie does end happily in that none of the protagonists die and the antagonist is exposed, I was left with an eerie feeling of what could be and still wanting to know if such a brief stint was enough to prove Lisa’s compatibility to Jeff. Could Lisa be foreshadowing something when she says, “I could see you looking very handsome and successful in a dark blue flannel suit”? After all, I believe Mr. Thorwald wears a blue flannel suit throughout the film.