acoolsha
Alfred Hitchcock
Rope 11 January 07
Section: hitchcock
Categories: Film / dvd-mine
A brilliantly carried out film, shot in one room/set (based on a play).
There is an undercurrent of suspense in the handling of the cityscape backdrops seen through the window. At least for me there is, as I occasionally observe the light and the position of the artificial clouds, checking for any change in position. Then just when I had given up, there is a shot with a shift in light and positioning of the clouds. Then of course as it gets dark the intervals between changes become shorter.
I noticed many idioms and phrases that seasoned the film with a dry humor:
- knock’em dead
- killing two birds with one stone
- Rupert, you’re the end
- open season for…
- ...would be out of the running
- all washed up
- to lay a bomb
- I could really strangle you
- ...called it quits ages ago
- has something gone wrong?
- got up on the wrong side of the bed
- ...were going at it hammer and tongs
- what’s it all about (then a siren starts in the background)
- I wish I could come straight with what I know
- to throw a damper on something
- I’m sure he’ll turn up
- one guest, who must be gotten rid of
- to tell you the truth
- Now we’re done for
- to be a party to it
Shot of the set
- Title: Rope
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
- Writing credits: Patrick Hamilton (play), Hume Cronyn (adaptation), Arthur Laurents (screenplay) Ben Hecht (uncredited)
- Starring: James Stewart, John Dall, Farley Granger, Cedric Hardwicke, Constance Collier, Douglas Dick, Edith Evanson, Dick Hogan, Joan Chandler
- Cinematography: William V. Skall, Joseph A. Valentine
- Year: 1948