Rear Window (1998 film)

Rear Window is a 1998 American made-for-television crime-drama thriller film directed by Jeff Bleckner. The teleplay by Larry Gross and Eric Overmyer is an updated adaptation of the classic 1954 film of the same name directed by Alfred Hitchcock which was based on the short story It Had to Be Murder by Cornell Woolrich. It was broadcast in the United States by ABC on November 22, 1998. It stars Christopher Reeve (in one of his final screen appearances), Daryl Hannah, and Robert Forster. For his performance, Reeve was nominated for a Golden Globe and won a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Rear Window
Official release poster
Based on	"It Had to Be Murder" 1942 story in Dime Detective by Cornell Woolrich Rear Window 1954 film by Alfred Hitchcock
Written by	Eric Overmyer Larry Gross
Directed by	Jeff Bleckner
Starring	Christopher Reeve Daryl Hannah Robert Forster Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Music by	David Shire
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Christopher Reeve Steven Haft Robert Halmi Jr. David V. Picker
Producers	Sheldon Abend Robert V. Gaulin
Cinematography	Ken Kelsch
Editor	Geoffrey Rowland
Running time	89 minutes
Production companies	Cambria Productions Haft Entertainment Hallmark Entertainment
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	November 22, 1998 (1998-11-22)

Plot

Quadriplegic Jason Kemp, a former architect who now uses a wheelchair, relieves the boredom of his daily existence by engaging in voyeurism, a pastime that allows him to spy on his neighbors from the rear window of his apartment. When he witnesses sculptor Julian Thorpe viciously beat his wife Ilene, he reports the incident to 911 and the police remove him from his home. Thorpe is released the following day, and that night Jason Kemp hears a blood-curdling scream from the courtyard. From that moment on, Ilene is missing from her apartment, apparently replaced by another woman. Jason, certain she was murdered by her husband, tries to convince his colleague Claudia, nurse Antonio, and friend Charlie that his suspicion is true. Thorpe slowly comes to the realization that Kemp is fully aware of his crime, and engages him in a deadly game of cat and mouse in an effort to silence him forever.

Cast

• Christopher Reeve as Jason Kemp
• Daryl Hannah as Claudia Henderson
• Robert Forster as Detective Charlie Moore
• Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Antonio Fredericks
• Anne Twomey as Leila Kemp
• Ritchie Coster as Julian Thorpe
• Allison Mackie as Ilene Thorpe/Ilene's sister
• Ali Marsh as Alison Rothman

Production

Casting

The role of Jason Kemp was the first film for Christopher Reeve following the 1995 Memorial Day fall from horseback riding that left him paralyzed. Scenes detailing his character's rehabilitation were based on his own physical therapy experiences. On the set the actor reached a personal milestone: speaking without being plugged into his ventilator for the first time.^[1]

Filming

Rear Window was filmed on location in New York City, at the Burke Rehabilitation Center (where Reeve was being treated) in White Plains, New York, and in two converted Otis Elevator warehouses in Yonkers. Scenes were also shot at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.^{[citation needed]}

Reception

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 36% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 5.04/10.^[2] Reeve's performance was near universally praised, with Variety saying "Christopher Reeve turns in a sensational performance in ABC's 'Rear Window,' remade with the actor in mind",^[3] the Chicago Tribune said "The results are decidedly mixed but Reeve's performance, the real reason people would want to tune in anyway, is a winner"^[4] and The Hollywood Reporter said "Reeve, even though physically immobile, does an excellent, sometimes wrenching job, with some effective dramatic construction by director Jeff Bleckner. Reeve has strong moments. Good stuff.".^[5] However, Tom Shales writing in The Washington Post, used his review to take personal pot-shots at the actor, complaining "Obviously what happened to him was terrible. But frankly, some of us have had it up to here with his courage in the face of adversity. And now 'Rear Window' has been reconfigured in the face of adversity too. Reeve's 'Rear Window' isn't 'Rear Window' at all but rather the umpty-umpth chapter in the Christopher Reeve Story."^[6]

Accolades

Award	Category	Subject	Result
Golden Globe Award	Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film	Christopher Reeve	Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special	David Shire	Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie	Christopher Reeve	Won
Edgar Award	Best Television Feature or Miniseries	Larry Gross	Nominated
		Eric Overmyer	Nominated
		Cornell Woolrich	Nominated

See also

• List of television films produced for American Broadcasting Company
• Remakes of films by Alfred Hitchcock

References

1. Rear Window at ChristopherReeveHomepage.com
2. "Rear Window (1998)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
3. Richmond, Ray (November 16, 1998). "TV REVIEW: Rear Window". Variety. ProQuest 1401414252. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
4. Johnson, Steve (November 20, 1998). "Raves for Reeve". Chicago Tribune. ProQuest 2292520953. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
5. Letofsky, Irv (November 18, 1998). "Rear Window". The Hollywood Reporter. ProQuest 2469223517. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
6. Shales, Tom (November 21, 1998). "Rear Window: A Clear View of Christopher Reeve". The Washington Post. ProQuest 1620745465. Retrieved July 28, 2024.

External links

• Rear Window at IMDb
• Rear Window at the TCM Movie Database