Rope

tmdb47633491 6/23/2021 3:58:07PM 8.4

Can't believe I'm only seeing this now. It's great. Basically a play. There couldn't have been more than 15 shots. Ending had me in tears. Shouts out

Martin Oaks 10/21/2026 6:55:12AM 8.4

**Inventing a Style** Hitchcock established himself as one of the great masters of world cinema, whose technique has significantly influenced contemporary filmmakers such as Claude Chabrol, François Truffaut, and Brian De Palma. His prolific film production was combined with the editing of fantasy novels, television productions, and suspense stories. He was deeply concerned with the manner of storytelling and how to define the narrative style. His nature as an experimenter and inventor of forms led him to exploit the possibilities of the medium like few others, achieving true artistic creation. From this bold experimentation, Rope was born, a brilliant exercise in psychological tension that caused him no small amount of headaches, as it was conceived entirely as a single sequence shot. After completing filming and editing, the filmmaker himself ended up so fed up with the technique used that he went so far as to dismiss the film as a minor work in his career. Fortunately, he could not have been more mistaken. Rope is, in fact, a fascinating and disturbing psychological study that delves into the minds of two upper-class university students, Brandon Shaw and Philip Morgan, and the complex motivations that drive them to commit a supposedly perfect murder. The drama unfolds practically in real time, intensifying the claustrophobic feel of the setting. Brandon is the dominant figure: a deeply narcissistic individual who believes himself to be above moral and legal standards. His primary motivation is the assertion of a supposed "intellectual superiority." He views the crime as an artistic act inspired by Nietzschean theories of the "superman," misinterpreted and taken to a perverse extreme. Philip, for his part, is a more passive accomplice, yet he adheres to the idea to be part of an act that distinguishes him from ordinary people. The relationship between the two is clearly dysfunctional and possesses a sadomasochistic dynamic. Brandon exerts absolute control over Philip, who is weaker and prone to anxiety. While Philip is tormented by guilt and fear, Brandon enjoys manipulating him and observing his suffering. This mutual dependency, where one wields power and the other accepts it reluctantly, is the central pillar of their shared pathology. The rope, serving as the murder weapon and container for the body, is also a metaphor for the suffocating bonds that unite them. Although never explicitly stated due to the restrictions of the era, the film is imbued with a strong homosexual subtext. The intimate nature of their relationship, their life together in the apartment, and the intensity of their interactions suggest a bond that goes beyond platonic friendship. The crime can be interpreted, in part, as an act of transgression and a manifestation of their social isolation in a world that does not accept their nature. Both demonstrate a disturbing disregard for human life. For Brandon, the murder is an intellectual experiment; for Philip, the dehumanization of the victim allows him to rationalize the act and endure the guilt. The coldness with which they conceal the body reflects their total detachment from empathy. The arrival of Rupert Cadell—the young men's former professor, invited to a toast alongside the victim's family so that the murderers can secretly rejoice—is the crucial catalyst. Rupert is the intellectual idol Brandon attempts to emulate. As the professor begins to grow suspicious, he becomes the figure who confronts Brandon's vanity. His presence destabilizes Philip, exacerbating his anxiety to the point of collapse, which ultimately unmasks the crime. Rupert embodies conscience and reason against the irrational darkness of the young men. The single sequence shot technique forced unusual working dynamics for the period. The actors' positions were marked with colored chalk on the floor so that everyone knew where to stand. Everything had to be perfect on the first take, something that proved frustrating for a perfectionist like Hitchcock. In the end, the camera moves fluidly through the apartment, revealing raw nerves and mounting suspicions. Every movement and every silence is meticulously orchestrated to relentlessly heighten the tension. There is no escape for the viewer: one is trapped in the same room as the protagonists, sharing their very oppression.

barrymost 6/23/2021 3:58:43PM 8.4

Rope was the first Alfred Hitchcock/James Stewart collaboration. They would go on to do "Rear Window", "The Man Who Knew Too Much", and finally, "Vertigo". This being the first, and also a kind of experimental film on Hitchcock's part, it is the weakest of the four. Shot as a play, mainly in one room, and with only a handful of cast members, the concept of how it was done is intriguing even today. Done in roughly a dozen takes, the only times that the camera ever cuts are when it closes in on someone's back and then angles around to the other side. That's the tell-tale sign of the only cuts in the entire film. John Dall's acting is commendable, in the part of the more ruthless killer, Brandon Shaw. He's a very cool character, and feels no guilt over the brutal murder he's just committed. James Stewart, great as he is, seemed a bit out of his element, as intellectual publisher Rupert Cadell. Stewart is always immensely enjoyable, and I have massive respect for his talent. However, he does appear somewhat uncomfortable with his part throughout the film. Another aspect that detracts from the tension is the opening scene of the murder taking place. After David Kentley is dead, he is placed in the wooden chest and the audience knows he's dead from scene 1. Had Hitchcock omitted the scene of the murder, the audience would no doubt be wondering "Is there really a body in that chest? Did they really do it? What's going on here?" And the red herrings in the film would only add to the suspense. As it is, we know from the start who's dead and who-done-it. That said, it's a decent movie, and certainly still worth the watch.