Movies - TV
The 12 Best James Stewart Movie Moments, Ranked
By FIONA UNDERHILL
Rope
The entirety of this experimental Hitchcock film is a masterclass of acting and cinematography, but the most iconic moment comes when James Stewart’s Rupert begins to suspect a murder has occurred. While at a party, Stewart interrogates his suspect, played by Farley Granger, resulting in a flawless scene between two perfectly calibrated actors.
Shenandoah
This Civil War movie features James Stewart as a war-weary patriarch who is determined his sons won’t go to war, but when his youngest son is taken prisoner, he can no longer ignore the conflict. In an iconic moment, the camera zooms in on Stewart as he says, “Now it concerns us,” before a dialogue that reveals complex notions about religion and war.
It’s A Wonderful Life
In the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” James Stewart perfectly portrays George Bailey and all the emotional volatility of this role. The ending is the most memorable when George pleads with God to go back to his old life just to hug his family one last time and then runs back home for a sentimental and
heart-warming scene.
Bell, Book, and Candle
For his last performance as a romantic lead, James Stewart is paired with Kim Novak who plays a modern witch. The romance peaks when Novak’s Gil invites Stewart’s Shep over to seduce him; in an enchanting scene, Gil puts a spell on Shep, holding her Siamese cat just below her own cat-like eyes, and as their purring and humming become one, Shep is bewitched.
The Shop Around The Corner
Setting the stage for many enemies-to-lovers films to follow, this film centers on bickering co-workers Kralik and Klara who are unaware that they’ve been writing anonymous love letters to each other. When Stewart’s Kralik realizes Klara is his secret love, the resulting scene is by turns clever, poetic, and hurtful with zingy dialogue that shows Stewart at his best.