A murderer would never parade his crime in front of an open window.

Hitchcock’s film “Rear Window” would have been more dramatic if he had made it in black and white.  Black and white films tend to be more suspenseful and mysterious, and they heighten abnormality because of the use of shadows and value.  When watching a black and white film, the audience pays more attention to the symbolism of light and dark, which is a key element in mystery and suspense. As I read the short story by Woolrich, I imagined the main character, Hal Jeffries, as a man shrouded in the darkness of his apartment, because the story takes place mostly at night, with the lights off so that Jeffries can see the man in the opposite window.  Another part I thought would have benefited from being shot in black and white is what Jeffries sees in the opposite window, in the home of Lars Thorwald, the murderer.  In Woolrich’s story, Jeffries watches Thorwald pace back and forth in front of his window, which I pictured to be more dramatic than Hitchcock made it.  I would have shot the scene in the darkness with only Thorwald’s shadow visible as he walks past the window.  That conveys to the viewer, as darkness traditionally does, that he is evil or is doing something wrong. I would have never shown his full face in the film; he would always be partly in the shadows, as though he had something to hide.           

Hitchcock, however, chose to use color. In a film, color can be a distraction, as it makes the audience feel safe and comfortable because it is normal and familiar.  In “Rear Window” color can take away from the evil of Thorwald because of the lack of drastic contrast in color that black and white give.  Perhaps, though, Hitchcock chose to film in color because he had added a romantic subplot with Lisa.  Color is an effective way in which to convey romance.  One of the most memorable scenes in the film is that of Lisa’s face as she leans to kiss Jeffries.  Her face fills the camera lens, representing what Jeffries sees, and the vibrant colors of her full lips, covered in red lipstick and her vivid blue eyes are beautiful -- yet distracting from the danger and evil of the main plot.