Rope (1948) is an Alfred Hitchcock classic film notable for its single location, edited so as to appear as a single continuous shot, taking place in real time. It is the first of Hitchcock's films that was made in color.
The film was based on the play Rope by Patrick Hamilton, which was said to be in turn inspired by the real-life murder of a young boy in 1924 by two University of Chicago students named Leopold and Loeb. Hamilton, though, always denied the link between his play and the case.
Although it is commonly believed that all the cuts in Rope are hidden, in fact, only half are. Another misconception is that all the shots last ten minutes. Actually, of the ten shots used for the film, only three approach or exceed the ten minute mark. Five of the shots range between seven and eight minutes, and the penultimate and final shots last only about four-and-a-half and five-and-a-half minutes, respectively.
The extraordinary cyclorama in the background was the largest backing ever used on a sound stage. It included models of the Empire State and the Chrysler buildings. Numerous chimneys smoke, lights come on in buildings, neon signs light up, and the sunset slowly unfolds as the movie progressed. Within the course of nine reels, the cumulus clouds, which were made of spun glass, change position and shape a total of eight times.
Much of the film is based on the idea that one might murder someone just to prove that one could. Some film scholarship has found links between this idea and literature and philosophy. Suggestions have been made that the novel, Crime and Punishment, and its protagonist Raskolnikov form a subtext to the film — whereby the film parallels the idea of murdering just for the sake of performing the act. References to Nietzsche abound throughout the film — particularly to his idea of the superman.
John Brandon (John Dall) and his friend and roommate, pianist Phillip (Farley Granger), strangle their mutual friend, David Kentley, with a piece of rope and then temporarily place his body in a trunk, intending to dispose of it in the country that night. Over champagne, Brandon boasts to Phillip that they have committed the perfect crime because they are exceptional men. As an added touch, they have planned a dinner party that evening for David's parents; his fiancée, Janet Walker; his friend, and Janet's former fiancé, Kenneth Lawrence; and their former prep school housemaster, Rupert Cadell (James Stewart). Brandon attributes the impulse for the murder to Rupert, who professes to believe that murder is a crime for most men, but a privilege for the few. After Mrs. Wilson, the men's housekeeper, sets the dining room table for dinner, Brandon decides it would be far more interesting if the dinner was set out on the trunk that holds David's body. The guests arrive as scheduled, but because Mrs. Kentley is ill, Mr. Kentley is accompanied by his sister, Mrs. Atwater. When she mistakes Kenneth for David, Phillip is so unnerved that he breaks the glass that he is holding. Rupert is the last guest to arrive. When Phillip states that he does not eat chicken, Brandon explains to the guests that it used to be Phillip's job to choke chickens and once, one revived. Phillip angrily denies the story, to Rupert's bemusement, because he knows that the story is true. Rupert then expounds his theory that murder should be an art, reserved for the few who are superior beings. When Kentley asks who will decide who is superior, Brandon responds that men of intellectual and cultural superiority are above traditional moral concepts. Recognizing the ideas of philosopher Frederich Nietzsche, Kentley points out that Hitler, too, espoused his beliefs. Privately, Rupert asks Brandon if he is planning to do away with someone. As the evening progresses, Kentley becomes alarmed by David's failure to arrive; Janet grows dismayed by Brandon's efforts to reunite her with Kenneth; and Phillip becomes more and more agitated. When Brandon gives Kentley a bundle of books tied with the rope they used to strangle David, Phillip cracks. Disturbed by the odd behavior of Phillip and Brandon, Rupert tries to determine where David might have gone. After a distraught Mrs. Kentley telephones the apartment to report that David is not at home, the guests leave hurriedly. Mrs. Wilson gives Rupert a hat, but it is not his, and he notices the initials D. K. inside. After everyone leaves, Brandon and Phillip quarrel when Phillip admits that he is frightened. Then Rupert rings the doorbell, claiming to have forgotten his cigarette case... http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=88638
*** One of the reasons I love the Classics so much is b/c their dialogue is chalked full of quips and witty responses, this movie is one of them.
Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel,Crime and Punishment, is absolutely the primary subtext of this piece. The murderer in this film, like Dostoevsky's protagonist Raskolnikov, wants to get caught--they NEED to get caught--the only difference that Dostoevsky's protagonist is remorseful, even finding a certain salvation b/c of his crime. John Brandon (John Dall), though, wants to get caught for a much shallower and selfish reason; pride. Since the time of his youth, we learn that John has always been the type to seek approval by wanting to show others just how much smarter he was. He is an academic, and thus feels his academic superiority gives him a certain superiority and divine right over others -- a right so divine that he can even murder those he deems unfit. Subconsciously speaking, John wants his college mentor, Rupert (Stewart), to know just how smart he is, and that he was able to take (what he thought were) Rupert's ideas, and put them into practice.
And as Rupert uncovers the crime, he then begins to re-examine his own personal thoughts on Nietzsche's Übermensch. Ultimately though, although we see a change in Rupert by the movie's end, we see no real change in John. He did what he did b/c he felt it was done with just cause. And for that reason; we're not upset by the fact that Rupert calls the police and tells John that he MUST die -- John in fact would rather die than admit he was wrong. Dostoevsky's Raskolnikov, however, does not receive capital punishment and nor should he. Unlike John, he was remorseful for his murder -- even finding a certain solace and inner-peace in his rehabilitation process. A very stark contrast to John Brandon. Yes, this masterful film is absolutely the Hitchcock version of Crime and Punishment.
And a special praise must go to the cinematography (of course) but "hats off" especially to the casting department -- John Dall resembles a young Jimmy Stewart in both physical looks and mannerisms so much that it's hard to not think that the two are father and son. Hitchcock did an excellent job casting Stewart's protege, Dall gives what I perceive to be one of the more over-looked performances from the Classic age. And James Stewart really needs to be given more credit for the diversity of his overall work as an actor. I've mentioned before that he and Cary Grant (along with others such as John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart,etc.) more than any other actors, defined what it meant to be a actor in modern American cinema.
