The film hailed as ‘one of the greatest films ever made’ is now available on Amazon Prime Video

It may be over 70 years old, but film fans are convinced that this thriller is one of the greatest films ever made.

And now, you can judge for yourself, as it’s available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Released in 1954, Rear Window was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, who is still considered one of the most influential filmmakers in world cinema, his career spanned six decades and included directors such as Rebecca (1940), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963).

The gripping plot tells the story of a wheelchair-bound photographer who is recovering from a broken leg. Bored, he spends his time watching people from the window… but things get interesting when he starts to suspect one of his neighbors of murder.

After witnessing what he believes to be a crime, the newspaperman (named LB ‘Jeff’ Jefferies) takes the initiative to solve the mystery with the help of his wife and nurse.

However, he himself must avoid being killed.

This American mystery thriller film is based on Cornell Woolrich’s 1942 short story It Had to Be Murder, and the cast includes James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Raymond Burr, and Thelma Ritter.

Director Hitchcock, who died in 1980, also makes a cameo at one point, seen winding a clock.

Throughout his career, Hitchcock made brief appearances in 40 of his films, a tradition that apparently began by chance when he replaced a non-appearing actor in The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog.

Despite its initial budget of $1 million (£760k), Rear Window grossed $27 million (£20.5 million) during its release ($316 million, aka £240 million, in 2024), and has maintained a loyal fan base ever since.

What makes this story so interesting is that it is shot almost entirely from inside one room and from a perspective outside the window.

This is just one of the elements that led many to consider it Hitchcock’s finest work, with critics in 2025 still declaring it a cinematic milestone.

Rear Window received four Academy Award nominations, and now has a near-perfect score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Critics collectively gave it a score of 99%, while audience reviews accumulated up to 95%.

Among the thousands of comments were many five-star reviews, as cinephiles dubbed it a true ‘classic’ and praised its ability to build tension.

‘The shooting, the angles, the lighting, the music, the performance… everything was perfect’, wrote Gizela E.

Thomas WS reiterated: ‘I rewatch this film whenever I want to be reminded of what great writing, directing, acting and mastery of the art of filmmaking can achieve. . And an absolute must see.’

‘Classic Hitchcock. Important and should not be missed’, wrote Faiz D.

‘It’s stood the test of time. That’s what cinema should be like. Entertaining, contemplative, gripping, and beautiful. Highly recommended’, says HameZz O.

Others argued that anyone who hadn’t seen the film was ‘missing out’, and insisted that the film would ‘get better’ the more you watch it.

As for film critics, Wendy Ide of The Times said Rear Window was ‘perhaps the most elegant and satisfying of Alfred Hitchcock’s thrillers’, and Gerard Far of The Guardian said the final scene alone was ‘as good as any in Hitchcock’s long list of exciting denouements’.

A classic, Rear Window was adapted into a television crime drama in 1998, directed by Jeff Bleckner and using the same story.

The film starred Christopher Reeve in one of his final screen roles, with the actor receiving a Golden Globe nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award win as a result.

Watch Rear Window on Amazon Prime Video.

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