Alfred Hitchcock's Rope

Rope (1948) 

Cast List

James Stewart  ...      Rupert Cadell, Publisher 

John Dall  ...             Brandon Shaw, Murderer 

Farley Granger  ...     Phillip Morgan, Murderer 

Cedric Hardwicke  ... Mr. Kentley 

Constance Collier  ... Mrs. Atwater, Kentley's Sister-In-Law 

Douglas Dick  ...       Kenneth Lawrence 

Edith Evanson  ...      Mrs. Wilson, the Housekeeper  

Dick Hogan  ...          David Kentley, Murder Victim 

Joan Chandler  ...      Janet Walker, David's Fiancee 

Things to notice:

Rope is Hitchcock’s first film in America where he acted as producer and director. Before this, he worked for producer David O. Selznik. See previous post for details about Selznik. Being his own producer, Hitchcock was able to cast who he wanted, film what he wanted and basically, call all the shots himself. He was in complete control of the film. So many of the following choices came from Hitchcock's own artistic vision:

Rope is Hitchcock’s first color film.

Rope was originally a play by Patrick Hamilton. The movie has only one set. The camera was moved from room to room. Walls were whisked up into the studio “flies”.  Grips (technicians who move or work with set pieces) stood off-camera removing and replacing furniture when the camera moves forward and backward. 

Most shots in movies last only five to fifteen seconds - the shots in Rope last on average 10 minutes (the length of time a “magazine” of film can be exposed in a camera.)

These 10 minute takes each end as the camera is moved closely to an object or a character’s jacket.  The next reel is then filmed focusing on this object and pulling back. As you watch the film, try to notice each “take”. 

If any mistakes occurred during the ten-minute take, the complete shot had to be done again.

The music Hitchcock selected is Poulenc’s “Mouvement Perpetuel” (perpetual movement).  In the film the camera is constantly moving (moving perpetually, for instance). 

The film is an exercise in suspense. The murder happens within a few seconds of the opening shot.  The tense situation or suspense occurs as the murderers place the body in a chest, invite his parents and fiance over for dinner and serve the meal on the chest itself.

Themes found in the movie include: cannibalism, ritual, sexuality, and the difference between theory and practice (book learning versus real experience).

The rope used to kill Dick Hogan is used to tie up his books, presented to his father like a gift.

The play is based on the Leopold and Loeb case. You can learn more about the Leopold and Loeb case here.

As you watch, list the moments in the movie when the shot changes:

1.  Example:  The camera moves from an exterior shot of the street and window to an interior shot of the apartment as Dick Hogan is shown being strangled by Brandon and Phillip.

2. ? Try to locate the various shots. You should find about 7 of these. 

HOMEWORK: Please work on shooting your film script projects.