Rope

Alfred Hitchcock's "Rope" is a daring psychological thriller that unfolds in a single New York City apartment in what appears to be real-time. The film opens with two wealthy and intellectually arrogant young men, Brandon Shaw and Phillip Morgan, murdering their former classmate, David Kentley, for the sheer thrill of committing the "perfect crime." They believe themselves to be superior beings, inspired by the philosophical ramblings of their old prep-school housemaster, Rupert Cadell.

To further prove their intellectual superiority, they hide David's body in a large wooden chest in their living room and proceed to host a dinner party. The guests include David's unsuspecting father, his fiancée, and other friends. The most anticipated guest is Rupert Cadell himself, played by James Stewart. Throughout the evening, Brandon subtly taunts his guests with clues about the murder, enjoying the morbid irony of serving food from a buffet laid out on the makeshift coffin.

As the party progresses, Phillip, the more sensitive of the two murderers, becomes increasingly agitated and guilt-ridden, his anxiety threatening to expose their horrific secret. Rupert, an astute observer, begins to notice the strange atmosphere and the inconsistencies in Brandon and Phillip's behavior, leading him to suspect that something is terribly wrong. The tension builds to an almost unbearable level as Rupert's suspicions grow, culminating in a gripping climax where the truth is finally revealed.

"Rope" serves as a powerful critique of intellectual arrogance and the dangerous real-world consequences of abstract philosophical theories when taken to their extreme. Director Alfred Hitchcock explores the corrupting nature of the belief in one's own superiority, a concept loosely derived from Nietzsche's idea of the "Übermensch" or "Superman." The film argues that such philosophies, when divorced from morality and empathy, can lead to monstrous acts. It's a cautionary tale about the responsibility that comes with knowledge and the inherent value of every human life. Rupert Cadell's horror and shame upon discovering the murder underscore the film's central message: that no individual has the right to decide the fate of another, and that civilized society is built on a foundation of mutual respect and moral obligation, not on the dangerous delusions of self-proclaimed supermen.

One of the most prominent alternative interpretations of "Rope" views the entire film as a metaphor for the homosexual experience in the repressive 1940s. In this reading, the murder is not just a crime but a symbolic representation of a hidden, socially unacceptable act—their homosexuality. The chest containing the body becomes the "closet" where this truth is concealed. The characters' anxiety and fear of exposure are interpreted as mirroring the constant fear of being "found out" as gay in a homophobic society. Brandon's desire to reveal the crime can be seen as a defiant wish to "come out," to have his true nature acknowledged, regardless of the consequences.

Another interpretation focuses on Rupert Cadell's character, suggesting that he may also be gay and that his initial intellectual arguments in favor of murder are a coded defense of homosexuality. His eventual horror and condemnation of Brandon and Phillip could then be seen as a form of self-loathing or a retreat back into the safety of societal convention when confronted with the raw reality of transgression. This reading adds another layer of complexity to Rupert's character, portraying him not just as a moral authority but as a hypocrite grappling with his own repressed identity.

"Rope" holds a significant place in film history, primarily for its audacious technical experimentation. Alfred Hitchcock's attempt to shoot a feature film in what appears to be a single, continuous take was revolutionary for its time and has been influential on subsequent generations of filmmakers. While Hitchcock himself was later critical of the experiment, it remains a landmark in the development of cinematic language, prefiguring the long-take virtuosity of directors like Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

Culturally, the film was controversial upon its release due to its dark subject matter and, more pointedly, its strong undercurrent of homosexuality. In an era when the Hays Code heavily censored depictions of sexuality, "Rope" pushed boundaries with its portrayal of the intense, implicitly romantic relationship between Brandon and Phillip. This has made it a key film in the study of queer cinema, analyzed for its use of subtext and coding to navigate censorship.

The film's exploration of Nietzschean philosophy and the dangers of intellectual elitism also resonated in a post-World War II world grappling with the horrors of Nazi ideology, which had similarly twisted concepts of a "master race." The film received mixed reviews upon its initial release, with some critics finding the technical gimmickry distracting, but its reputation has grown over time. It is now widely regarded as a bold and fascinating entry in Hitchcock's filmography, a claustrophobic and intellectually charged thriller that continues to be studied and debated for both its form and its thematic content.

Upon its release in 1948, "Rope" received a mixed critical reception and was not a major box office success. Many critics found Alfred Hitchcock's experimental use of long takes to be a "stunt" or a "gimmicky" novelty that ultimately detracted from the narrative's tension rather than enhancing it. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times, for instance, called the film a "thin exercise in suspense." There was also an undercurrent of audience uneasiness, which screenwriter Arthur Laurents attributed to the film's thinly veiled homosexual themes.

Over the years, however, the film's reputation has significantly improved. Contemporary audiences and critics are more likely to praise the film's technical audacity and its brave exploration of controversial themes. Roger Ebert, while acknowledging Hitchcock's own dissatisfaction with the film, called it "one of the most interesting experiments ever attempted by a major director." Audiences today often praise the film's claustrophobic atmosphere, the sharp dialogue, and the compelling psychological dynamic between the three main characters. While some still find the long-take technique to be somewhat stilted, many now see it as effectively contributing to the real-time tension and theatrical feel of the story.