Rope (1948)

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

This week I watched Rope (1948). This movie is a crime drama mystery that lived up to its genre. I believe the point of this film was three-sided. I think it served to point out that there are people who exist in the world who can be typified as monsters. I think it also served to remind us to have a realistic perspective in regards to humanity and I think it also made the point that a leader should seriously consider the implications behind his or her teachings and shared thought processes. I think that the story demonstrated two different perspectives. The first perspective was that of the world through the eyes of a monster and then of that through the eyes of a human. I personally did not like the film as I don't like grim murder based stories, but if that's the kind of thing that you enjoy watching then it was a good film. The most unnerving part about the editing in this film had more to do with the shot style. If it weren't for the shaky and strange movement in the shots then I don't think that the editing would be too noticeable. However, certain points of the movie did not feel fluid to me. Perhaps the oddity of the visual dynamic was intentional and if that's the case then that was definitely effective. The plot was riveting and the payoff was better than I had anticipated. All in all this was a good film to learn from, but I wouldn't watch it again.

Rope - what can I say about this film? It is perfect in many ways and even though it was filmed many years ago, it is still very impressive and interesting as if it was shot today. Full of suspense, philosophical, touching, very human and very smart. The actors are superb!!! the camera work - genius. A very tasty candy for film lovers.don't miss this masterpiece.

The entire film takes place in a fancy New York City apartment where there is a small party with a handful of guests. In essence, the party is a kind of odd, coming-out party for two murderers who had just killed an acquaintance they believed to be "inferior" and therefore not worthy of his life. The movie is considered one of Hitchcock's lesser films, nevertheless, it is still very good. If you are not accustomed to the movies of pre-1960, the first thing you will notice about Rope is that the strangulation of the murder victim in the first minute of the film is decidedly non-graphic and really kind of fakey in an overly tame sort of way. Contemporary film would have made the scene violent and explicit. Another observation is that if the viewer gives it any thought, the two murderers really have no actual use for their crime, which was conceived to display their ability to commit the perfect crime. To whom do they boast of their crime? They speak of it, they are discovered and it fails to be a perfect crime. Minor technicalities, I guess.I liked the performances of John Dahl and Farley Granger, particularly John Dahl. He is sophisticated, intelligent and smugly evil. Granger's performance is good too as the frightened accomplice. Jimmy Stewart is the older man whose intellect is admired by the murderers. I wonder if this movie paved the way for Stewart to play in a number of later Hitchcock films.Anyway, I recommend the film for those who are interested in dialogue surrounding a curious but tense situation, with minimal physical action. If there is a desire for car chases or massive explosions, the viewer will be disappointed.

Spoilers. Observations. Opinions.Saw it for Constance Collier. She was an early twentieth renowned stage actress who was quite nice looking in those days. I just adore actresses and actors from turn of the twentieth century stage work.In this film, she portrays dowager appearing aunt to David. I thought she would be at the end of the film, figuring out the crime along with Jimmy Stewart -- two acting heavyweights if there ever were such.I was disappointed that she left the scene earlier. During her time in the film, however, she did a great job with her astrology and palm reading. I thought she was going to psych Farley Granger out and get him to tell her everything that happened.Go Jimmy! Come up those stairs with the police. Alas, that did not happen. Jimmy had seen the DK hat, and he decided to sleuth out the culprits.Hitchcock has built the suspense. I liked the Technicolor, even though some complain of its primitiveness. It was spectacular. I will watch it again for the Hitchcock cameo appearances.John Dall portrayed another bad guy in the film, The Corn is Green, starring Bette Davis as his encouraging schoolteacher. In it, he is a backward, illiterate coal mining teenager who grudgingly attends her school. He is insolent and verbally abusive. He is filthy, and has ragged clothes. Later, he cleans up and learns some manners. He is selected to attend an exclusive school elsewhere, because of his mental abilities. I portrayed Miss Moffatt, the teacher, in a play.Dall in Rope portrayed smarmy, wealthy, snooty and calculating Brandon. Brandon is a brat used to getting his own way. He tries to act superior and overpowering.Farley Granger here portrays a nice, dutiful young man who gets roped, pun, into helping with the dastardly crime. He does very good drunk scenes, and his nervousness and panicky scenes are done to perfection.The young woman is very beautiful. The maid/housekeeper is very dutiful, and I was hoped that she, also, would be part of the detection of the crime.Sir Cedric Hardwicke is always excellent. Here, he is intelligent and charming; he has class and good bearing. He shows nervousness about his missing son.