Review of Rope (1948) by Cecilia C — 13 Mar 2009

Honestly, Rope is far from my favorite Hitchcock film. It is slow-ish and more ?talkie? than most other Hitchcock movies?relying more on dialogue than action for its suspense. But, after viewing it again recently, I found that even one of the less satisfying films by the preeminent thriller director Hitchcock is STILL better than most of the thrillers made today.

The story is loosely based on the Leopold and Loeb murderers?the two University of Chicago students who decided commit the perfect murder to prove they can because they are intellectually superior humans.

So, at the beginning of the film, a murder takes place. And the rest of the film is a will-they-get-caught-or-won?t-they as they entertain guests (including the victim?s parents!) in the same room where the body is hidden.

This is one of the films Hitchcock used as an experiment. It?s his first film in color and, like Dial M for Murder?s attempted use of 3-D, the director tries something he?s not done before here. He uses ONLY nine takes to film the almost hour and a half film.

These long takes, on their own, do a great job of building to and adding to the suspense. We almost feel like we?re right there?in the apartment?one of the guests watching this story unfold. So, instead of choosing one of the more lame and overly-predictable thrillers made today, try this one.

I cannot say it?s Hitchcock?s best but it sure beats most everything else!