Jeff's It Had To Be Murder

Both versions of the story begin in a very similar way: Jeff’s first excuse is given (a focus on his cast keeping him from doing anything productive) then the audience faces a description of his neighbours. Up to this point, the story only presents the man’s wandering eyes due to his curiosity, contrarily to what the protagonists says to defend himself. While in the movie the exchange between Jeff and his nurse delivers the message that the man is pretty much restricted to only staying in the same spot all day, Jeff introduces his situation himself in “It had to be Murder”. During the short explication the character states: “That wasn’t my fault, that wasn’t the idea.” to discourage the idea of him only watching for his own pleasure (1).