摄影师杰弗里斯(詹姆斯·斯图尔特 饰)因站在赛车道中间拍摄,断了左腿,只得在家静养七周。除了保险公司的护士斯特拉(西尔玛·里特 饰)和女友丽莎·卡罗尔·弗里蒙特(格雷斯·凯利 饰)每日前来照料,百无聊赖的杰弗里斯只能在窗前闲看邻居们的日常生活以打发时间。对面公寓的二楼住着人造珠宝推销员拉尔斯·托瓦尔德(雷蒙德·伯尔 饰)及妻子安娜(艾琳·温斯顿 饰),夫妻之间争吵不断。一个雨夜,杰弗里斯看到拉尔斯提着箱子外出数次。次日,杰弗里斯又看到拉尔斯用报纸包裹一把锯和一把刀。杰弗里斯起了疑心,他怀疑拉尔斯杀害了安娜并分尸抛弃。然而,杰弗里斯并未目击案发过程,也未见到尸体。那么真相究竟如何呢?杰弗里斯的推测只是他的臆想吗?为了证实他的推测,杰弗里斯要如何寻找证据呢?Professional photographer L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries breaks his leg while getting an action shot at an auto race. Confined to his New York apartment, he spends his time looking out of the rear window observing the neighbors. He begins to suspect that a man across the courtyard may have murdered his wife. Jeff enlists the help of his high society fashion-consultant girlfriend Lisa Freemont and his visiting nurse Stella to investigate.