Why was Alfred Hitchcock a “little afraid” of James Stewart?
While both Alfred Hitchcock and James Stewart collaborated with some of the greatest figures in the history of Hollywood, it’s no secret that they helped each other reach the pinnacle of their respective careers. Having worked together on masterpieces like Vertigo and Rope, Hitchcock and Stewart struck up a fascinating creative partnership that continues to have a seminal impact on the current trajectory of American cinema.
Although Vertigo is often the most-discussed out of all their collaborations, Rear Window is right up there with the very best when it comes to either of their illustrious filmographies. An incredibly complex thriller that completely changed the genre forever, Rear Window stars Stewart as an injured photographer who is stuck in his Greenwich Village apartment with a broken leg. Not used to a life of confinement, he starts spying on the neighbours to keep himself entertained.
Stewart’s performance in Rear Window is simply remarkable, steadily increasing in intensity as Hitchcock deftly weaves a tale of paranoia and intrigue. Due to his outspoken opinions on actors (he called them “cattle”), many were intimidated by the prospect of working with Hitchcock. However, on the set of Rear Window, it was the other way around because Hitchcock was reportedly a “little afraid” of Stewart’s behaviour and attitude.
When asked about the production process and the relationship between Hitchcock and Stewart, Rear Window co-star Wendell Corey revealed that there was a lot of tension. “There was a whopping big ego underneath that allegedly shy, stuttering, bumbling persona,” Corey said. “When Jimmy Stewart didn’t like the way a scene was going, he could yell with the best of them — you could hear him over to the next sound stage!”
According to Corey, Stewart was very meticulous about the details of each and every shot, often pointing out the flaws in the setup for multiple takes. The actor admitted that in addition to the crew, even Hitchcock was a little intimidated by Stewart. Corey added: “He was plenty fussy about the right shots, the right lighting, and he could out-argue and out-shout Hitchcock — I even think Hitch got a little afraid of him at times. There was steel under all that mush, believe me!”
Despite the on-set tension, Rear Window turned out to be one of the finest cinematic projects both of them had ever worked on. It’s an infinitely nuanced commentary on voyeurism and our connection with the cinematic medium, even anticipating modern issues such as surveillance states and contemporary media’s exploitation of the spectacle. In a post-pandemic world, it’s almost impossible to not be terrified by the claustrophobia of Rear Window.
Watch the trailer below.
