Rope (1948)

Technically, this is one of Hitchcock's most consciously experimental pieces of film. There is no music at all, except over the credits and in a couple of scenes where Philip plays the piano. And it is made to at least appear to have been shot in a single very long take. In fact it is not and there are a few cuts that maintain an appearance of seamlessness by taking place as the shot passes across some dark surface like the back of a jacket. This contributes nicely to the tension. It does has a certain awkward consequence however in that the action is thereby set in real time and it takes some suspension of disbelief to accept that a society dinner party might last about 45 minutes from start to finish. (It also means that, whether you think this is a movie worth buying or just one to rent, it would be particularly criminal to watch it on TV with commercial interruptions.) Another nice technical touch exploits the location of Brandon and Philip's apartment high in New York and close to some neon signage. For much of the film it is daytime outside but in the scenes towards the end as a climax approaches, a surreal, nightmarish atmosphere is created by the slow by constant modulations of colouring of the light that result.

This is Hitchcock's first movie collaboration with James Stewart who does an excellent job playing a smart intellectual type who gets a nasty shock when he finds two of his students putting into action the clever sounding but disgusting ideas he thought he was so smart in expounding. It's a rather nice study in the perils of a shallow predeliction for novel, supposedly "advanced", moral thinking. (Brandon and Philip, arrogant patricians killing for fun, will have recalled to an American audience of the time the famous `20s case of Leopold and Loeb.) The movie is a interesting moral fable and also a nice, if slightly stagy thriller. It's not one of Hitchcock's greats but it's certainly no dud. There are no high-drama moments of nailbiting suspense but instead a constant uncomfortable tension as social events unfold in an apartment where only two of the participants know there is a fresh corpse in the cupboard just under all those fancy dinner goodies and their nerves are starting to fray...


A Sleeper   January 10, 2007
C. M. Hoover (Shaker Hts., Ohio)
This film is truly a sleeper of suspence flicks. An anxiety evoling plot around the murder by two prep school buddies of another inspired by the tutelage of a former teacher masterly played by James Stewart. Hints of eugenics and homosexuality add to the character development as the dominating alum manipulates his weaker half. See if you don't sympathize with the victim's father and former girlfriend who are among the invited guests at the dinner party where their loved one just took his last drink. Little do they know he is still among them, dressed, pressed, and folded like antique linen.








The More You Watch, the Tighter the Suspense Grows   March 24, 2008
Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States)
Brandon (John Dall) and Phillip (Farley Granger) feel they are superior to their friends in every way. As such, they think they can plan the perfect murder and get away with it. Their victim is David Kentley (Dick Hogan). And to prove just how superior they are, they invite his family and friends over for a dinner party with his still cooling body in a trunk in the room.

Among the guests is their old school advisor Rupert (James Stewart), the only person Brandon thinks can figure out what they've done. Will they get away with murder? If not, which will give them away first, Brandon's arrogance or Phillip's guilty conscience?

This is a very intriguing psychological thriller. Based on a play, the movie was filmed on one rather limited set and was filmed in as few takes as possible. While those transitions (to reload film) are obvious, the constant rolling of the camera adds to the suspense. There are some strange camera angles at times, but they build the suspense as well. The limited set is an added bonus as it focuses our attention to build the suspense.

The acting is absolutely wonderful. While it does suffer at times from the overacting prevalent at the time (at least by today's standards), it captures the characters and their emotions perfectly. This is especially true of John Dall and Fraley Granger who bring such nuance to their characters we always know their thoughts. Their two characters are rich enough for some pretty in depth character studies.

To be honest, I found how much I enjoyed this movie a little disturbing. It will entertain you and make you think for some time afterward. So if you have missed this gem, watch it today.


A different kind of Hitchcock   July 27, 2008
nodice (Manchester, Ga United States)
3.5 stars. A film inspired by the true crime case of Leopold and Loeb, Hitchcock tried to do a few different things with this film and I'm not too sure it worked. The decision to shoot in eight ten minute long sequences might have sounded appealing, but to me it came off a bit too gimmicky. The film is also a little slow in getting started and doesn't really pick up until Jimmie Stewart comes onto the scene. Jimmie, as always, is perfect and it is he who steals the show. Of course, I don't know how either of the boys thought this was the perfect crime, but then again, what do I know. Still the third act turns out to be quite suspenseful and is what made this film enjoyable. Recommended.


An Ode to "Rope" -- One of Hitchcock's Underrated Best   November 2, 2008
GFS3 (Boston)
Alfred Hitchcock's "Rope" (1948) is a claustrophobic masterpiece - a spiraling descent into the dark recesses of human nature. Hitchcock explores the rough edges of ego and impulse and how they can lead to horrible consequences.

It may be Hitchcock's greatest movie. Certainly it is his most tightly constricted piece - filled with long takes in near real-time. It's an amazing achievement of controlled tension.

The only exterior shot in the film comes during the opening credits. The camera rests on an apartment window with the curtains pulled shut. There is a muffled scream and then suddenly we're inside the apartment where David Kentley is being strangled to death by two of his friends.

The movie setting goes internal. It reflects the direction of the film because we're about to get inside the minds, motivations, and the personalities of the characters. We're trapped inside the apartment for good - just like poor, dead David who has been stuffed into a chest.

His murderers are two wealthy, intellectual young men named Brandon Shaw (John Dall) and Philip Morgan (Farley Granger). They have killed their friend for one reason - to experience the sensation of murder. They want to pull off the perfect crime - and revel in their superiority.

To make matters even more horrifying, Brandon and Philip are throwing a dinner party and inviting David's family, his girlfriend (Janet), the girlfriend's ex-boyfriend, and their former academy teacher Rupert (their mentor who has inspired their crime with his misinterpretations of Nietzchian philosophies of the Superman).

"Nobody commits a murder just for the experiment of murder," Brandon says as he pops a bottle of champagne. "Nobody except us."

But the celebration isn't what Brandon expects because the heavy weight of their crime begins to crush the more sensitive Philip. Brandon is the cold, charming snob - and a classic sociopath. Philip, however, slowly begins to unravel. He gashes his palm after crushing a wine glass in his hands when David's aunt mistakes another guest for David.

But even the cool and calm Brandon has moments of panic. When David's father asks where his son is, Brandon stammers: "I thought he was coming with you!"

Rupert (Jimmy Stewart) doesn't show up until 30 minutes into the film. And once he arrives the film becomes his. Stewart - one of the greatest actors in American history - is amazing in "Rope." Personally, he didn't like his performance, but the movie is in essence about the transformation of Rupert - his growth from a bitter cynic into a connected human being. And it works.

Here's a peek into Rupert. Introduced to Janet (Joan Chandler):

"Ah, Miss Walker," he says.

"How did you know?" she asks.

"Brandon has spoken of you."

"Did he do me justice?"

"Do you deserve justice?" he asks and then waltzes off with a smirk.

The commanding personality of Rupert begins to melt Brandon. He joins Philip as the weight of his crime is reflected back to him in the presence of his mentor.

Rupert - a naturally suspicious and cunningly observant man - gets his first thread to pull when Brandon - a game player - serves chicken for dinner. Philip no longer eats chicken after having to strangle one at Brandon's farm. When Brandon tells the story with an evil twinkle in his eye, Philip has an outburst of anger. The scene gives Rupert his first clue and his investigation begins.

He comes up with gems like this: "You're more than unusually allergic to the truth tonight Philip. That's the second time you haven't told it."

Ultimately the keen Rupert finally discovers the grim secret in the bottom of the trunk. It's a chilling scene. The movie ends with Rupert throwing open the apartment window and letting the outside cleanse the inside of the apartment with its noise and voices.

And Philip utters the last words of the movie: "They're coming." They don't make movies like "Rope" anymore. But they should.


For more literate blather visit the Dark Party Review ([...])