Personal Rating - 7.5/10
I want to start by saying this is a perfectly good movie. If you're looking for a good oldie to spend the night watching, don't even read my review just watch it, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Now to those still here I'll convince you further why you should watch it. The dialogue reminds you that there was an era of movies where the screenplays weren't written by a class of kindergarteners. The back and forth, quick-witted comments fly so fast it's hard to catch all of them at times, so bring a butterfly net. The acting is alright, James Stewart and Grace Kelly playing the characters nicely. In classic Alfred style, the shots in this film are long-winded but wonderfully crafted with hidden details all over. Though long it's hard to get bored during this movie.
Are you still here? Okay, let me explain why I didn't love this movie. The story. Don't get me wrong the plot is new, fresh, nicely done; a murder spied by one man who can only stay relatively stationary throughout the movie. But the murder itself is unfulfilling and unsatisfying. I finished the movie wondering why I didn't feel amazed. It's because, for a movie revolving around a murder, you learn nothing about it! What was the real motivation behind it? What was the man's wife truly like, how did she become the way she acted in bed? Why was she said to be bed bound but was walking in one scene? Where was the man going next? Who was at the other end of his telephone? How many people were in on it? Did they get caught? I could go on and on, but no the movie wants you to be satisfied with the relationships that are solved by the end of this movie, the Grace and James, the musician and lonely bottom floor lady, the weird balcony people and a new dog. But that doesn't do it for me! To sit for almost 2 hours, I need more than a little fairy tale ending.
Anyway by this point I'm just rambling. It's a perfectly good murder movie, just not a great nor legendary one.
I want to start by saying this is a perfectly good movie. If you're looking for a good oldie to spend the night watching, don't even read my review just watch it, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Now to those still here I'll convince you further why you should watch it. The dialogue reminds you that there was an era of movies where the screenplays weren't written by a class of kindergarteners. The back and forth, quick-witted comments fly so fast it's hard to catch all of them at times, so bring a butterfly net. The acting is alright, James Stewart and Grace Kelly playing the characters nicely. In classic Alfred style, the shots in this film are long-winded but wonderfully crafted with hidden details all over. Though long it's hard to get bored during this movie.
Are you still here? Okay, let me explain why I didn't love this movie. The story. Don't get me wrong the plot is new, fresh, nicely done; a murder spied by one man who can only stay relatively stationary throughout the movie. But the murder itself is unfulfilling and unsatisfying. I finished the movie wondering why I didn't feel amazed. It's because, for a movie revolving around a murder, you learn nothing about it! What was the real motivation behind it? What was the man's wife truly like, how did she become the way she acted in bed? Why was she said to be bed bound but was walking in one scene? Where was the man going next? Who was at the other end of his telephone? How many people were in on it? Did they get caught? I could go on and on, but no the movie wants you to be satisfied with the relationships that are solved by the end of this movie, the Grace and James, the musician and lonely bottom floor lady, the weird balcony people and a new dog. But that doesn't do it for me! To sit for almost 2 hours, I need more than a little fairy tale ending.
Anyway by this point I'm just rambling. It's a perfectly good murder movie, just not a great nor legendary one.