Orson Welles is a renowned filmmaker, but he was unimpressed with another iconic director and one of his most acclaimed works -Rear Window.Welles cemented himself as a Hollywood legend when he wrote, directed, and starred in themasterpieceCitizen Kane. It had a profound effect on the film industry and has been hailed by some as thegreatest movie ever made.
Welles made other great moviesthroughout his career, though nothing ever earned as much acclaim asCitizen Kane. However, Welles always remained a revered figure in Hollywood and was known to be quite outspoken about the movies he admired as well as the ones he was less impressed with.
Surprisingly, some of his harshest criticisms were directed towards a celebrated filmmaker and one of his movies that is considered a classic by most people.
Welles Lambasted Hitchcock’s Approach As Well As The Acting
Rear Windowis considered one ofAlfred Hitchcock’s greatest movies. The tense and clever moviestars James Stewartas an adventurous photographer whose broken leg forces him to remain stationary, stuck in his apartment with nothing to do but spy on the lives of his neighbors. However, he soon becomes suspicious that one neighbor is a murderer.
It is rare to see a filmmaker who is so vehemently critical of another filmmaker’s work, especially when it’s a movie that so many people see as a masterpiece.
Rear Windowis often named as one of theclassic Hitchcock thrillers, employing the filmmaker’s frequent voyeuristic approach for a riveting plot. Welles, on the other hand, didn’t appreciate that approach. The 2013 bookMy Lunches With Orson: Conversations Between Henry Jaglom and Orson Wellesrecounted a conversation where Welles shared his thoughts onRear Window.
“Complete insensitivity to what a story about voyeurism could be. I’ll tell you what is astonishing. To discover that Jimmy Stewart can be a bad actor. Even Grace Kelly is better than Jimmy, who’s overacting.”
Based on Welles' comments, he found the entire underlying concept of the film problematic. Remarking that “everything about it is stupid,” Welles simplified the film by referring to it as “the one where Jimmy Stewart looks out the window.”
It is rare to see a filmmaker who is so vehemently critical of another filmmaker’s work, especially when it’s a movie that so many people see as a masterpiece.It would be interesting to get more context behind Welles’ issues with the movie, particularly how it handles voyeurism. However, it goes to show how vastly opinions on movies can differ.
Alfred Hitchcock Named Rear Window As One Of The Movies He Is Most Proud Of
Hitchcock Was Happy With The Cinematic Feel Of The Movie
Orson Welles' criticism ofRear Windowdoesn’t take away from the legacy of the movie, and it also doesn’t dampen Alfred Hitchcock’s own opinion of the movie. By the time he madeRear Window, Hitchcock had already made several movies that would become known as his classics, likeNotorious, Strangers on a Train,andDial M for Murder.
Hitchcock’s career afterRear Windowwould continue to produce iconic titles, likeVertigo, North by Northwest,andPsycho. However, out of all of the movies he made, when asked which he was most proud of,Hitchcock namedRear Windowas one of two titles, alongsideShadow of a Doubt:
The other film isRear Window, which is the most cinematic film I have made. Most people don’t realise this because the man is in one room, in one position. But, nevertheless, it’s the montage and the cutting of what he sees and its effect on him that creates the whole atmosphere and drama of the film. In other words, the visual transforms itself to emotional ideas. That film lent itself to that.
Hitchcock’s sentiments are much more in line with the common opinion when it comes toRear Window. It is true that the movie has a confined setting, but the filmmaker does an extraordinary job of giving it a truly cinematic feel.The set of the world outside James Stewart’s window is a brilliant and vibrant creation that gives the movie life.
The audience is not stuck in the apartment with Stewart, but rather experiencing the outside world in the same thrilling way he is. We want to look more closely at the lives of these people outside, and when the mystery is revealed, each glimpse outside the window becomes more exciting.
Orson Welles Was Not A Fan Of Alfred Hitchcock’s Later Work
Welles Didn’t Care For Hitchcock’s Transition To Hollywood
Orson Welles had particularly harsh things to say aboutRear Window, but theCitizen Kanedirector was clearly not a fan of Alfred Hitchcock in general. In the same conversation inMy Lunches With Orsonexpressed confusion over the popularity of Hitchcock’s work. In particular,Welles took issue with the movies Hitchcock made after switching from British productions to Hollywood.
Hitchcock had first established himself as a director with hit British movies, likeThe 39 StepsandThe Lady Vanishes. It was in 1939 that Hitchcock made a deal with Hollywood producer David O. Selznick, with his first American movie being the iconic noirRebecca. This led to him making some of his most famous movies.
Perhaps Welles was more of a fan of his lower-scale movies from Britain and resented the director abandoning that for the Hollywood world. Of course, as beloved as Hitchcock is, Welles isn’t his only critic.Quentin Tarantino criticizedNorth by Northwest, another Hollywood movie from Hitchcock, and another that is considered one of his best movies.
Despite callingRear Windowthe “worst movie I’ve ever seen,” he then went on to callVertigo“even worse”, while many suggest it is actually Hitchcock’s masterpiece. Hitchcock’s style was simply not for Welles, and some would agree with him. As vocal as Welles is about Hitchcock, it is clear he holds a minority opinion on his work.
