Overview
A young boy's innocent curiosity leads him into a deadly game of survival.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- foreboding
- claustrophobic
- tense
- classic movie night
- noir double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly praise the film as a tightly directed, atmospheric noir thriller with especially effective suspense construction and Bobby Driscoll’s performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tommy’s reputation for tall tales directly undermines his credibility after he witnesses the murder.
Nine-year-old Tommy becomes the Kellersons’ target while his parents and police initially reject his warning.
The Woodrys’ cramped Manhattan apartment and adjoining fire escapes turn ordinary domestic space into a trap.
The seemingly respectable Kellersons murder a man and then pursue Tommy to silence him.
Films like The Window, and why
Shadow of a Doubt
Shared film noir atmosphere, child-in-peril suspense, and urban crime narrative.
The Night of the Hunter
Shared black-and-white visual style, escalating domestic menace, and an innocent witness confronting murder.
Wait Until Dark
Shared tightly constructed crime thriller plotting, vulnerable protagonists, and claustrophobic urban suspense.
Movie Details
- Director
- Ted Tetzlaff
- Release Date
- 1949-05-10
- Runtime
- 73 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (75)
Cast
- Bobby Driscoll
- Barbara Hale
- Arthur Kennedy
- Paul Stewart
- Ruth Roman
- Richard Benedict
- James Nolan
- Anthony Ross
- Tom Coleman
- Lloyd Dawson
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Window about?
- A compulsive storyteller becomes the sole witness to murder and must survive the killers who know no one believes him.
- What is The Window like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Window as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Window violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Window as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Window?
- Critics broadly praise the film as a tightly directed, atmospheric noir thriller with especially effective suspense construction and Bobby Driscoll’s performance.
- Which films are like The Window?
- Films with a similar feel include Shadow of a Doubt, The Night of the Hunter, and Wait Until Dark.
- How long is The Window?
- The Window runs 73 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Window?
- In United States, The Window is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.
