The Bedroom Window (1987)

One of my all time favorites.

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Being a huge fan of Hitchcock's works and other suspense movies like "Along Came a Spider" and "Body Double", I found this movie pretty good. Good plot, well made, good acting. Plenty of surprises.The plot is one of those that motors along solely because nothing ever goes right. All of the twists are perfectly thought out and it makes for a delightfully messed up tale, but it all totally unrealistic because, come on, who is ever really that unlucky? Also there were a few twists that really were weak . . . the smoking gun in the court room was a joke. Most people who wear contact lenses also have glasses by their nightstand. That was not even hinted at as that would blow a hole through the plot so big you wouldn't be able to watch the movie on your 13" TV screen. And this must have been the era when the push for more gratuitous male nudity was on. There are lots of Hitchcockian touches: the premise itself from "Rear Window" and a stabbing scene at the ballet from "North by Northwest." Not a bad movie at all.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

If Alfred Hitchcock had still been alive and making movies when "The Bedroom Window" project had been green-lit by the studio, I'm sure he would have been offered the job as director. Indeed, the premise of the movie fits comfortable with many of the movies he made. However, I am pretty sure the Master of Suspense would have not only insisted on the script being rewritten, he would have insisted on someone else being in the lead. The script should have been a lot tighter; the movie runs on much longer than it should have. Also, the characters in the movie make a lot of stupid decisions that lengthen the crisis, when characters of even average intelligence would have done a lot smarter things. And while Steve Guttenberg has been okay in other movies, here he is extremely miscast. His performance just adds to the air of dumbness that surrounds his character.In fairness, while the movie is stretched out, I can't say that there are any boring sections anywhere. And there are some well-executed moments that I think Hitchcock would have approved of. Still, I don't think this is a movie to actively seek out - wait until it crosses your path, preferably as a free screening.

Steve Guttenberg is a real surprise here, playing the innocent suspected of being a killer. His transformation to hero type is not always believable, but his performance is earnest. If you throw out the somewhat of a stretch ending, you are left with a twisty thriller that delivers strong entertainment value. The movie is quite tense at times, and the Baltimore filming location works. I put this film in the same category as movies like "Red Rock West" and "Clay Pigeons". All three have a mostly believable script, competent acting, and most importantly, all three are very entertaining. "The Bedroom Window" is recommended of it's type. - MERK

A young man named Terry Lambert (Steve Guttenberg) has a romantic fling with his bosses' wife. With their bedroom "activities" in progress, an outside assault occurs that gets Lambert involved, ultimately in murder.The film's underlying "all for love" theme is not really credible. Plot contrivances, along with incredulous coincidences and improbable timing imply a screenplay that was not well thought out. Further, the lead role in this film calls for a serious actor who can express some feeling. "Police Academy" Guttenberg, boyish and goofy looking, does not lend credibility to the role. That, combined with a dubious script closes any window of believability in this overwrought thriller. And that's too bad because "The Bedroom Window" does present a fairly engaging noir look, as a result of some great lighting and camera work. Production design is also quite good.The film's visual style is about all I can recommend in the way of interest. The ending is rather melodramatic, and includes some unintentional humor in some scenes that involve a man in a phone booth.