Movie Monday: Rope (1948)

Hitchcock films are always fun to watch, but they especially get the adrenaline pumping during the Halloween season! One of the best and (in my opinion) highly underrated Hitchcock movies is the cinema classic Rope.

These photos are not mine.

This is yet another Hitchcock film where James Stewart stars as the leading man. It is said that Stewart was Hitchcock’s ideal leading man like Grace Kelly was his ideal leading lady. People have also said that Stewart was the only actor that could ever hold his own against Hitchcock in a screaming match. I suppose the director respected him a little more because of that.

Rope was based off of a play that Hitchcock saw back in 1929 under the same name. The storyline follows a murder that actually took place in 1924. Two college students, Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold, killed a fourteen-year-old named Bobby Franks.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding this film because of how Loeb and Leopold are portrayed. In real life they were lovers, and this film seems to paint them in a poor light. However, as a audience member who watched this movie for the first time, I was so encapsulated by the mystery of this film and never gave second thought to the sexuality of the two men. I found both of their characters intriguing and complex all at the same time, two qualities every timeless film should contain with its leading figures.

These photos are not mine.

One of the most clever aspects of this film is how it takes place in, primarily, one room with a large window that overlooks the city. This shows you how long the group of character have been at the dinner party, and displays a rather beautiful sunset to watch as the scenes unfold. Another cool element in Rope is how the whole film is pieced together to give you the feeling that the movie was shot in one single take. This trick was later successfully copied by Oscar winning film Birdman (2014).

These photos are not mine.

Besides enjoying the challenge of making Rope appear as one single take, Hitchcock also made this his first Technicolor movie! Unfortunately, both of these factors were not easy or cost effective. It made studios even more nervous after this film was not the success they hoped it would be.

Despite its unpopularity, Rope is and forever will be one of my favorite Hitchcock films. This drama/mystery is especially perfect for the Halloween holiday. So if you are looking for a classic movie to watch that won’t scare your socks off, watch Rope.

Much Love,

Sarah

Source for some of the fun facts found in this review: http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/78315%7C0/Rope.html

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