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.
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.