Classical Editing Paper: "Rear Window"

The film "Rear Window", directed by Alfred Hitchcock, is a psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout it. L.B. Jefferies has an immobilizing plaster cast, which leaves him stuck in his apartment peering at the neighbors. He sees one neighbor, Lars Thorwald, up to no good and is on to him for the rest of the movie. Just after Lisa drops the letter off at Thorwalds apartment, she …

…states, "Jeff, the hand bag," would not be nearly as mentally stirring if it were shot differently. The way it is shot here gives us a three shot of them and allows us to see the facial expressions of Stella, L.B., and Lisa. One of the finest directors ever to manipulate the audience and use classical editing is Hitchcock, and in this scene, his use of classical editing brings us on an emotional rollercoaster.