Review of Rope (1948) by David S — 02 Sep 2009

What do you get when you cross a bit of Edgar Allen Poe's "Tall-Tale Heart", Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes", and the brilliant mind of Alfred Hitchcock? Well, you get "Rope" -- the brilliant (but seemingly often overlooked) Hitchcock masterpiece.

I had never heard of this film (Am I just naive to Hitchcock work or is this a common 'oversight' by even the best of film critics and watchers?). Having watched it, I couldn't believe how great it was (a definate among Hitchcock's top films).

Expecting greatness from James Stewart, it was actually John Dall who thourougly pleased me. He was brilliant as the mad murdering "artist." Stewart played the Sherlock Holmesian type character previously mentioned, following the clues to find the body of the murdered David.

Farley Granger does pretty well too, playing the role of the Poe-like character filled with guilt of the murder and suspicion of being caught for it. Not many films can maintain viewer's interest in just one setting, but "Rope" surely does.

A great film, topping the likes of Vertigo. Job well done, Mr. Hitchcock, job well done.