Rope (1948)

Rope 1948

rope is a psychological thriller, it was adapted from Patrick Hamilton's play which appeared in 1929. The play was based upon the real life murderers Leopold and Loeb who killed an innocent man to see how it felt. The case became very famous in America. It was linked to the ideas of Nietzsche and his notion of 'superman' a morally superior being. Nietzsche's ideas influenced Hitler and the rise of the Nazis.

The film was made in 1938 and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The unique and interesting thing about the film is the editing. Hitchcock wanted to film the story as one long continuous take so that it was like watching a play and the audience felt they were 'living' the action. However, before digital, film came in ten minute rolls. Hitchcock had to compromise and each unedited scene is ten minutes long. changes between scenes appear rather 'clunky' to a modern audience.

Using this editing technique creates a feeling of claustrophobia. The actors and the audience are both trapped in the film. The fact that the trunk with the body in it is always present throughout the movie creates adds the the tension. 

Another fascinating element to the is the way homosexuality is portrayed. The strict censorship of the 1920s meant that the subject could be implied but not openly stated. Even though they had to try to hide the homosexuality there were some hints that gave the audience a hint of the gay relationship between Brandon (John Dall) and Philip (Farley Granger)were that whenever they spoke to each other they stood right next to or in front of each other keeping little distance from each other. Also there is some sensual tension between them. 

This movie had many conventions of a thriller but the most obvious were suspense and a cliff-hanger, the suspense was when we constantly wait for the body to be discovered in the trunk and the movie ends with Rupert Cadell (James Stewart) shooting the gun out the window and we hear sirens.