Hitchock's Reactions in Rear Wiindow

Jefferies and Lisa’s questionable relationship is indirectly defined by their reactions to Jefferies’ neighbors. While they watch the murder of Thorwald’s wife, there are several other characters for both Jefferies and Lisa to identify with. Jefferies looks toward the Newlyweds as naïve and disillusioned. They are excited about being committed to each other for their whole lives- yet what Jefferies sees is eternal compromise and stagnant decisions. The husband will be nagged constantly by the wife, and he will never be able to escape her influence on his decisions. Jefferies values his own freedom, and as such views the husband as foolish and comical.
Lisa sees the dualistic image of Miss Lonelyhearts and Miss Torso. For her, she says she can identify with both of them. She identifies with Miss Torso through their mutual attractiveness. She too can have any man that catches her eye, yet she is waiting, just like Miss Torso, for Jefferies. She sees Miss Torso as a testament to her loyalty to Jefferies, and in the end, Miss Torso finally sees her man returned to her. Miss Lonelyhearts is a different signifier to her. Lisa parallels Miss Lonelyhearts as her present sense of loneliness. She sees Lonelyharts as an analog to herself if she doesn’t convince Jefferies to take their relationship more seriously.
The Thorwalds give Jefferies the ammunition he needs to see what married life is like to him. He sees the wife’s constant nagging and complaining to Mr. Thorwald, and Jefferies sees him resort to violence and murder to rid him of what Jefferies would see as a burden. Yet at the same time, Jefferies is intrigued by Miss Lonelyhearts. He comes to pity her and identify somewhat with her loneliness and depression. Perhaps he knows that with or without him, Lisa will be ok, like Miss Torso- she has many options, and to limit herself to wait for Jefferies flies against his ideas of freedom.
Hitchcock uses Jefferies and Lisa’s reaction shots to set up these feelings without the use of words and much dialog. It does appear more expressionistic and meaningful to see Lisa’s expressions while watching Miss Lonelyhearts or Miss Torso. His insight even applies to the Composer and the apparent relationship he develops with Miss Lonelihearts, showing that Lisa and Jefferies’ relationship can be redeemed and that Jefferies just may turn around and commit to Lisa. In fact, by the end of the movie, this is just what we see. The most impressive reaction shot is at the end, with Jefferies turned away from the window, a smile on his face while he sleeps peacefully in the apartment with his girl, Lisa.