Review of Rope (1948) by James S — 02 Jan 2009

Supreme Alfred Hitchcock thriller that is masterfully crafted and keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat almost until the very end.Filmed in one sweeping tracking shot and taking place entirely in three rooms, Rope follows the aftermath of a murder of a young man by two of his former school friends and the subsequent party thrown by them for his family and friends.

...just to see if they can get away with it.The idea practically writes itself into a great script but the script and great dialogue are just one of the many triumphs in Rope. The relationship between the murdering pair of men is intriguing from the beginning and hints at their being more than friendship between them.

The meeker of the two, Phillip, seems clearly infatuated with the mastermind, Brandon. The conversation immediately following the opening murder is akin to a couple just finished having sex rather than brutally strangling someone.

It is brilliantly played.The tension escalates slowly as more and more people are introduced and Phillip becomes convinced they will be discovered as Brandon revels in the joy of the act. There is one sequence which consists purely of the maid clearing the dinner items away while the rest of the characters can be heard talking off screen.

It delivers way more drama and tension than it sounds like it should and is a prime example of what a great director Hitchcock was.The only fly in Rope's ointment is surprisingly James Stewart. His character becomes a little just too much of a goody goody and his righteous speech at the end of the movie spoils the dramatic finale.

But for the most part Rope is an almost flawless masterpiece, a tight, well scripted, funny, well directed, well acted tour de force.