Saturday, January 30, 2021

‘Fate is the Hunter’ 1964

Suzanne Pleshette is a stewardess and lone survivor of a plane crash, Glenn Ford is the meticulous investigator, in 'Fate is the Hunter.'


While Fate is the Hunter is no classic, I'm surprised that the airplane drama received poor reviews and crashed at the box office in ’64. A shame, since Fate is an engrossing flick which spins the “Grand Hotel in the sky” genre. 

'Fate' derives its drama from the aftermath of a plane crash, unlike most airplane epics.

Instead of drama caused during a perilous flight, Fate is the Hunter tells, in Citizen Kane-style flashback, from its characters, their recollections of a flight captain whose plane has crashed. The investigator hero tries to get at the truth and restore the reputation of his war buddy, which may not be the same thing, according to his naysayers. 

Glenn Ford's Sam McBane retraces the last day of pilot Jack Savage's life,
right through to the plane crash, with traumatized stewardess Suzanne Pleshette.

Fate is the Hunter is definitely escapist entertainment: the story is clever, cast is solid, and cinematography and score are beautiful. Yes, it follows the tropes of the genre. Yes, the movie appears to be filmed on a B+ budget. And yes, the characters are archetypes or stereotypes, depending on your love of old movies. But it is briskly told, with several strong performances, and Fate works just fine within its conventions. At an hour and forty five minutes, Fate’s flight time is much more efficient than Airport or The High and the Mighty, two smash hits of the genre. 

Despite the lack of big special effects, the build-up to the crash and the aftermath are intense.

Glenn Ford has never been one of my favorite actors, especially as he grew older. He seemed solid at best, stolid at worst. Yet, Ford has done some good work, and he's especially effective here. As Sam McBane, the man investigating the crash, he is a perfectionist and a believer in facts. Yet he's emotionally conflicted, as he is both investigating and defending the character of his best friend. Sam gradually finds out that he knows more about science than he does his best friend. Ford has several emotional scenes that seem very uncharacteristic for his acting style. Yet, he plays them earnestly and effectively. And unlike other actors of the era, he's not macho, but empathetic. 

Glenn Ford is an empathetic hero who is trying to resolve what went wrong with the plane that best pal Rod Taylor was flying that fateful night.
 

Rod Taylor, on the other hand, is an actor I always liked and think was underrated in his heyday. However, as the playboy pilot Jack Savage, he's over the top at times, in playing this big personality. At times, you wonder why anyone could find someone so insufferable so irresistible. Even when you find out "the rest of the story," as Paul Harvey would say, Rod as Jack is still too much. But Taylor does have his more subtle scenes, especially with Nancy Kwan.  Everyone else in this movie comes and goes, as they are parts of this charismatic character's life. Nancy Kwan is his last love, and gives Sam some food for thought on how to view the case. Kwan plays a scientist and it's great that she gets to do so in a non-sexist way. She is no "lady scientist." Her Sally Fraser may be stunningly lovely, but she is a strong, wise person. And Kwan plays her simply and strikingly.

Rod Taylor is the late pilot whose rep is on the line. Here is the captain in a flashback,
with Nancy Kwan, as the scientist who sees the real Jack Savage.

Constance Towers plays Sam's loyal assistant and love interest, Peg Burke. Powers, who made a big splash in Sam Fuller's pulp films about this time, has such a bland role here, though her presence and intelligence are evident.

An unbilled Dorothy Malone plays Jack's ex-fiancee, a rich heiress who seems like a tamer version of Malone's mambo loving party girl in Written on the Wind. She sure knows how to milk her few moments on screen, with those wide eyes and energetic eyebrows working overtime!

Dorothy Malone makes an unbilled cameo appearance with Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" hairdo!

And Suzanne Pleshette is Martha Webster, the stewardess on the ill-fated plane. Pleshette is essentially in the beginning and end of the movie, but her striking looks, great humor, and no-nonsense acting are always refreshing. Suzanne had that quality which Ann Sheridan also possessed. Most of Pleshette’s scenes are with Taylor and Ford, and she holds her own against the leading men. 

Suzanne Pleshette as no-nonsense stew Martha Webster, looking lovely here.

While it's not an all-star cast, Ford was number #1 at the box office in ‘58, and Malone was still coasting on her '57 Oscar win. The younger cast—with Taylor, Pleshette, Kwan, and Towers—were considered strong up and comers. And the supporting cast had a bevy of familiar faces. Wally Cox is a standout with his memory of the real Jack, along with Mary Wickes as the pilot’s nosy landlady, and a strong performance by Mark Stevens as Jack’s drinking buddy. As a favor to the producer, Jane Russell appears in a WWII USO show flashback as herself. Frankly, I’ve never cared for Russell’s rudimentary singing and dancing, but Jane’s good humor still comes across. Maybe Fate just seemed like another old fashioned movie at the time? Hard to say!

Jane Russell as herself, performing 'for the boys,' like she did 20 years earlier in real life.

PS about the cast: Why was Rod Taylor made up to look older in the current scenes, while his war buddy, Glenn Ford looks the same in both present day and flashback? Ford was 16 years older than Taylor, and quite honestly, looked it. Were they trying to even things out in the present day scenes?

Ralph Nelson, who specialized in smaller, realistic movies like Lilies of the Field, directed. It’s notable that the way women and two black characters are treated was forward-thinking. The prolific Jerry Goldsmith created one of his first film scores here, and it’s lovely. Milton Krasner got the film’s sole Oscar nomination for his almost noir-like cinematography.

Secret's in the sauce! That's a subtle hint, as Glenn's investigator recreates the fateful flight.

This is one of those movies that plays well within its genre and is fun to curl up with, when you're in the mood for something entertaining, with familiar faces you’re fond of.

Here’s more on Suzanne Pleshette!

My tribute to Suzanne, a childhood favorite: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2016/07/suzanne-pleshette-next-liz-taylor-who.html

My review of Youngblood Hawke: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2019/07/writing-women-dont-mix-for-youngblood.html

FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB  movie page. Check it out & join!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/178488909366865/

 

Here's a sweet set shot of Rod Taylor, Jane Russell, and Glenn Ford!

 

Monday, January 25, 2021

Paul Newman as 'Harper' 1966


Paul Newman as 'Harper,' private eye, posing by his shingle.


Opinions vary about the ’66 neo-film noir, Harper. A number of film fans and critics think it’s a latter day detective classic. Others, like me, just find it a slickly entertaining Paul Newman picture.

Paul Newman's gumshoe sure spends a lot of time in his car or on the phone.

In the ‘60s, genre films were increasingly made with a mod wink at old-time Hollywood—in this case, detective movies. Harper was the brainchild of agent turned producer Elliot Kastner, whose greatest talent was pairing great stars with their cheesiest vehicles. This was perhaps Kastner’s best effort: take Ross Macdonald’s first Lew Archer novel, 1949’s The Moving Target, and riff on the ‘40s film noir era. How he got Harper off the ground is beyond me, when his only previous producer credit was Bus Riley’s Back in Town. Here’s Kastner’s IMDB resume of mostly rubbish: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0440990/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm

Ironically, Harper now feels more dated than the original movies it tweaks. Harper’s trailer and poster paint him as modern and irresistible, but the promo material feel like they’re for an old Playboy magazine cover.

The promo copy for 'Harper' tries for cool, but today just seems coy.

There's plenty of elbowing the old gumshoe movies: Detective Lew Harper tells the barracuda wife of the missing millionaire that he's a “new type.” New, maybe—but not better. Newman led the way as the new breed of movie anti-hero, a trend I think didn’t age well, either. At 40, Paul as Harper often feels more like an over-aged frat boy, as opposed to the equally cynical, but more worldly-wise Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade or other past film detectives.

The first client visit for 'Harper' deliberately echoes Lauren Bacall's 'The Big Sleep,'
 with hubby Humphrey Bogart as Philip Marlowe.

William Goldman's script has a number of zingers. His take on mid-60s California dreaming is more like a noir nightmare. It’s funny at times, but they’re all easy targets: new age religion, druggie jazz singers, crooked lawyers and dumb cops, rich people trying to buy their way out of trouble, etc. There's not a relatable one in the bunch—least of all Harper, who is crude with suspects, and also a juvenile jerk to his lovely ex-wife, as well. I realize I’m looking at a ‘60s movie through modern eyes, but this movie is even less evolved than the movies it’s mimicking from 20 years prior.

Lauren Bacall is a catty client, whose snarky repartee is definitely not decaffeinated!

You could say the film has a sexist view toward women, as they are all mercilessly mocked for their shortcomings, but the men don't fare much better. The nearly all-star cast is mostly typecast: Lauren Bacall as the missing rich man's wife, is a snarky bitch; Shelley Winters as a former movie star gone blowzy is treated with particular contempt by Harper; Pamela Tiffin is the young rich chick on the make. However, Julie Harris is oddly cast as the junkie jazz singer who is also treated rottenly by Harper.

Shelley Winters played more latter-day blowsy broads than Joan Blondell! 

Bacall and Winters do their schtick very well. This is an era where Bacall's character is mocked as old and wrinkled at age 41, when Harper was filmed—and a whole year older than Paul Newman. Lauren looked quite timeless and chic as the rich super bitch, IMO. However, Shelley Winters is outrageous as the horny and drunk ex-star, and seems to be Harper’s walking punchline.

Pamela Tiffin, as the rich client's sexy stepdaughter, isn't exactly Ann-Margret!

Pamela Tiffin is all big hair and apple-cheeked, and dances quite badly on a pool board in a polka dot bikini. Tiffin mainly pouts and preens. Julie Harris sings a few bars of yet another Andre and Dore Previn movie theme about being lonely.

Julie Harris is the junkie jazz singer who's too high-strung for torture games.

As for the men, Robert Wagner plays his charming pretty boy bit for good-natured humor, his only real talent. At 35, RJ's on the edge of his beauty, which is what Newman calls him throughout. As the new age nutjob, Strother Martin has a field day, up in a mountain top home that looks like a low-rent version of Liz Taylor's pad in Boom! 

This was the last time Robert Wagner could get away w/playing the shallow pretty boy.

The two best performances are Arthur Hill as the family lawyer who is in love with Tiffin’s rich girl. His lovelorn lawyer gets to go through some changes and plays them skillfully, with a tinge of melancholy. Janet Leigh as Harper’s rightfully exasperated ex-wife makes her few scenes count.

Arthur Hill plays the most realistic character in 'Harper,' as Newman's old pal,
who is now the family lawyer for the kidnapped man.

Harper runs just over two hours, too long for this fast-paced genre, and it drags in spots. The subplot involving Harper and his ex-wife is supposed to show how he's unable to give up a thankless job that doesn't love him back. From today's standpoint, Harper’s interactions with his ex make him look a dick, and I don't mean a private one. The scenes that are supposed to be funny aren’t and the one where Harper barges in on her late at night for a booty call and sympathy, only to ditch her the next morning, doesn’t age well.

Newman's Harper lets his ex down not so easily after a late night visit. W/Janet Leigh.

For anybody who feels that I’m too hard on Harper, I was expecting to love this movie, as mystery/suspense is one of my favorite genres. I also love films that depict an era or locale. This movie feels very ‘60s, but not in a good way, just a mainstream, dated way. One example: the hip music that plays in any scenes with young people sounds like Herb Alpert-style elevator music. And the young folks dancing hip looks like the Peanuts characters when they dance for joy.

'Harper's' spoof of the cool kids is strictly Squares-ville!

What about Harper himself, Paul Newman? At this point, Paul had loosened up as an actor, from his sometimes stiff ‘50s stardom. In his quiet, serious moments, Newman is on his way to the stellar star character actor he later became. Yet, his anti-hero stardom here came with his sometimes heavy-handed sense of humor. A stronger director other than journeyman Jack Smight would have reigned in Paul’s smirking, eye-rolling, lip-pursing, voice-mimicking “humor.” 

Paul Newman as Harper cracks himself up constantly, with his amused contempt
for the crooked characters he encounters. It feels a bit sophomoric today.
 

William Goldman, considered one of the best screenwriters and go-to script doctor, scripted many crowd pleasers like this movie. He was a bit like Robert Towne in that regard. Yet, Towne wrote a modern film noir that actually had depth and resonates just as much today—1974’s Chinatown.

Harper’s finish was one of those mod freeze frame non-endings that made me want to throw something at the screen. Harper wasn’t new, but just a mixed bag.

Paul Newman was 40 when 'Harper' was filmed.

Check out my take on Paul Newman’s early forays into southern melodrama from 1958:

The Long, Hot Summer: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-long-hot-summer-long-but-not-so-hot.html

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof:  https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2016/08/cat-on-hot-tin-roof-still-scorches-now.html

FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB  movie page. 

Check it out & join!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/178488909366865/

 

"Harper" was going to be called "The Moving Target,"
from the original Ross Macdonald book, for a hot minute.



Wednesday, January 13, 2021

‘Three Days of the Condor’ 1975

Faye Dunaway's softer side, with Robert Redford, in 'Three Days of the Condor.'


Though this film has that gritty '70s feel, Three Days of the Condor seems almost timeless. The styles and fashions are so neutral (and so un-70s!) that it could almost be mistaken for a current movie. Yes, the vehicles and technology show their era, but everything is so toned down that you're not getting tripped up by the era’s idiosyncrasies.

Three Days of the Condor was written as a novel, Six Days of the Condor, by James Grady, at age 26! The hero is Joe Turner, aka Condor, who works with a CIA group, working under genteel cover deciphering coded messages in books, who are assassinated while he has stepped out for coffee and bagels. Turner is from then on the run, not knowing who to trust.

In honor of Faye Dunaway’s 80th birthday Jan. 14, I pay tribute to one of her most appealing, non-neurotic roles, as photographer Kathy Hale in Three Days of the Condor. Compared to her bleached blonde ‘60s starlet, and the latter day glam/plastic surgery superstar, Faye was at the height of her “down home” Dunaway during this era. And she's just as fascinating.

Faye Dunaway as Kathy, Redford's kidnap victim, is one of her most subtle performances.

Obviously, Three Days of the Condor is a vehicle for Robert Redford. Yet, all is not sacrificed to star showboating, which makes Condor unique. While Faye Dunaway is essentially playing “the girl” to the male lead, her role as the slightly sad, dissatisfied photographer is given more gradation than previous actresses from the previous decade of male-dominated movies. Per usual, the female character quickly falls for her alpha male, but Dunaway’s Kathy speaks her mind and demands respect. Their relationship feels realistic in their mutual expectations and is not movie-style maudlin. Dunaway, who played many larger than life characters before and after this movie, is at her most natural. With brown hair, little makeup, and simple clothes, Dunaway looks like any other attractive urban woman. But her close-ups display the cheekbones, the intense eyes, and along with her hesitant, throaty voice, Faye is quite appealing.

Robert Redford as Joe Turner, the espionage thriller man on the run!

Robert Redford, if he walked off screen, with his shaggy blonde hair, cool wire rim glasses, and jeans and sports jacket combo, would have a mob following him in about 30 seconds! He's at the height of his Redford-ness, and I'm not even that big of a RR fan. Bob’s rugged good looks and studied cool image are at the peak of perfection.

Robert Redford style. Here, in the opening scenes of this fine espionage film.

Others have noticed the similarities in plot of Three Days of the Condor to North by Northwest. The “man on the run,” who’s not sure why, and the woman he picks up on the way—for sure. What's fascinating is that NBNW was a fab fifties confection, with glammed-up stars, costumes, locations, and a hint of hard political realities. Three Days of the Condor is informed by the post-Watergate era and certainly doesn't seem far-fetched today. Condor feels sleek, with timeless stars and NYC locations, but filmed naturalistically. Yet the ‘70s thriller is not dreary, that some of the then “new cinema” efforts took for realism. The camerawork is too striking and deliberate to be ignored. The stars look great too, but simply so. And the story is realistic but highly entertaining. What a difference a movie generation makes in smart entertainment.

'Three Days of the Condor' is still a smart, stylish political thriller.

A couple of Condor scenes are indeed a direct nod to North by Northwest. When Redford’s Joe Turner ends up in the same elevator as assassin Joubert, they are surrounded by oblivious people. Hitch uniquely played the same scene for laughs, with Cary Grant’s ad man’s mother asking, “Are you men really trying to kill my son?” In Condor, the scene is fraught with suspense, as each man eyes each other suspiciously amidst a group of rowdy teens, and finally, left alone. What makes the latter scene unique is when the killer picks up a glove and asks if it is Turner’s. He says no, and Van Sydow’s Joubert gently lays it on the elevator’s railing. And shortly after, knowing Joubert awaits outside, Turner pretends to have car trouble, and walks out with a group of young people. NBNW hero Cary Grant creates a similar ruckus at the memorable auction scene.

Max Von Sydow is memorable as the most civil assassin ever.

The cast is superb. Max Von Sydow is fascinating as the assassin, Joubert. Von Sydow is intimidating, yet has some subtle moments of gentility. Cliff Robertson is a great villain as well, but with the worst comb-over ever. Tina Chen is touching and striking in a small role of Joanna, Redford’s co-worker. The “office” cast is so believable that you are engaged from the get-go. The interaction is so strong, that you’re invested when you see them killed. Director Sydney Pollack helms one of his best stories and his greatness with actors is apparent. This was one of Pollack’s seven collaborations with Redford.

Cliff Robertson is fine as Redford's shady superior, but his comb-over is not!

Dave Grusin composes yet another jazzy ‘70s score that sounds great and percolates this thriller perfectly. Cinematographer Owen Roizman does a fantastic job lensing this story. His specialty was “gritty New York City feel” and it shows here. Roizman frames his city beautifully, down to the most ordinary aspects. There’s a shot of Max Von Sydow’s killer crossing the street and his reflection on the wet surface is still stunning. Roisman shot many memorable films of the ‘70s and early ‘80s—his first Oscar nom was for his second film, a little number called The French Connection! Lorenzo Semple, Jr. co-wrote the articulate screenplay.

Enjoy Faye Dunaway at 35, in the midst of her ‘70s stardom. And enjoy a still-fresh, smart thriller , 45 years later.

Faye Dunaway's photographer lends Redford's CIA man on the run a hand.

Here’s some links to more Robert Redford, as well.

Also, check out my memories of The Way We Were: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2016/08/robert-redford-and-barbra-streisand.html

And here’s a look at early Robert Redford in This Property Is Condemned: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2018/07/this-property-is-condemned-1966.html


FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB  movie page. 

Check it out & join!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/178488909366865/

 

Saturday, January 9, 2021

Rope 1948

 

Rope: Farley Granger, James Stewart, and John Dall makes small talk about murder.

Rope is one of those films that was regarded as a disappointment upon release, but now has many fans who sing its revisionist praises.

This was Alfred Hitchcock’s grand experiment to create a cinematic effort that looked seamless, with no obvious cuts. What the cast and crew of Rope had to go through to achieve single takes that were about 10 minutes long was arduous, to say the least. It’s been discussed to the point of obsession, so I’ll only say that the end result looks like a beautifully filmed play. Rope actually was a Broadway drama, by the playwright of Gaslight, which ironically, movie fans often mistake the film version as Hitchcock’s work.

(R) Alfred Hitchcock, with his 'Rope' cast, on the film's only set.

Rope is the sum of very extreme parts, so I’ll focus on the positives of this film first. This was Hitchcock’s first film in color, and it’s very subtle for a ‘40s movie, when the creator of Technicolor’s wife—and “advisor”—Natalie Kalmus always wanted color to pop from the screen. The color, lighting, and cinematography are beautiful, but not in the showy studio era way.

Hitchcock creates his customary mood of suspense. The premise is grisly, but the execution is mild, reminding me of Night Must Fall, with the charming killer who kept a head in a hat box. The tension doesn’t come from the murder, but whether the pair will get away with the deed. Rope riffs on the Leopold/Loeb murder case as an inspiration, as Brandon (John Dall) and (Philip) Farley Granger kill for thrills and to prove their superiority.

John Dall and Farley Granger with their title co-star, who gives a more genuinely
taut performance than either of them!

They kill a fellow student they deem as inferior and hide the body in a trunk. The macabre kicker is they proceed to host a small dinner party, with the buffet served atop the trunk! The film happens in “real time”—for a movie, that is. Except for the opening, the entire film takes place in the murderers’ apartment. Obviously, these young college grads are rich, as their apartment is resplendent, and they aren’t exactly serving hotdogs and beer. The lavish skylight backdrop, while obviously artificial by today’s standards, is quite beautiful, and I found myself staring at it during the film’s dull patches.

The 'Rope' set got the best reviews upon its release.

Since the killers invited the victim’s father and fiancee to the party, tensions arise as to his whereabouts, as he was also expected as a guest. And once the mentor to the young men arrives, it becomes a cat and mouse game as to whether they can fool him, or if he will catch them in their web of lies.

As the "buffet" is cleared, the body is hiding in plain sight.

Rope is a more cerebral suspense film for Hitchcock, and perhaps disappoints fans who remember the movies that made his reputation in the ‘40s, or his spectaculars of the post-war era. For suspense lovers, the premise is still intriguing, and the execution is expertly smooth.

Rope's play-like presentation isn't helped by staging like this.

However, where Rope slacks is in the dialogue, the characters, and the key performances of the killers. Arthur Laurents, who was gay, wrote the screenplay and makes it clear that the two men are a couple, as Leopold and Loeb were said to be. But I feel Hitch’s influence on the story, both good and bad. The good is the subtle suspense. The bad is the occasional heavy-handed attempts at humor, as when the guests are trying to remember the name of a film they’ve just seen—Hitch’s Notorious.

'Rope's' John Dall and Farley Granger compete in a cinematic jaw-jutting contest.

The two leads are twisted villains and are played by two actors with no depth, charisma, or empathy. It’s a trick to play the star villain and at least make the audience want to understand you. Though John Dall and Farley Granger were both gay, like Brandon and Philip, they still aren’t up to the task. While Dall grandly overacts and makes as many faces as Farley, Granger does his hurt puppy dog routine, jutting his jaw to make his pout even more pronounced. The theatrical acting is from another era at its worst, because there were up and coming young actors who represented a more natural style of acting. Granger, to his credit, tried to expand his range and experience throughout his long career. Much like Richard Chamberlain, Farley was a teen idol first, known for his gorgeous looks, and later broke away from that mantle. As for the affected Dall, his film career ended quickly, for several speculated reasons, and his reputation rests mainly on two cult classics, Rope and Gun Crazy.

Farley Granger and his two go-to acting expressions: pouting & hurt puppy dog eyes. 

Frankly, most of Rope’s cast doesn’t fare any better. They are archetypes, performed archly, with the kind of “smart” movie talk that I can’t abide. The New Yorker’s critic hit the nail on the head way back in ’48: "In addition to the fact that it has little or no movement, Rope is handicapped by some of the most relentlessly arch dialogue you ever heard."

Joan Chandler and Cedric Hardwicke give 'Rope's' most empathetic performances.

Constance Collier as the “colorful” party guest and Edith Evanson as the busybody maid are mildly amusing clichés. Douglas Dick is bland as the ex-boyfriend of the female lead. Dick Hogan as the victim, David, retired after this film—no comment! The notable exceptions are Cedric Hardwicke as David’s father, who underplays the worried dad, with genuine heart. Joan Chandler, whose brief career included playing John Garfield’s sweetheart in Humoresque, manages to convey a real person despite the overbearing dialogue. Finally, James Stewart is a rock as the college creeps’ former professor, for whom they seem to have a love/hate relationship. While Stewart was miscast as the sophisticated intellect, this is probably one of the last movies where Stewart seriously tones down his folksy “Jimmy” persona. And he’s really a supporting player, coming in midway into the action. That favor to Hitchcock paid off, when Stewart did three great Hitchcock movies with him in the ‘50s: Rear Window, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Vertigo.

James Stewart is the murderers' one-time mentor, who should have skipped this soiree.

What’s irritating about Rope is that the two leads go to a great deal of trouble to lure their victim, kill him, and then in an act of bravado, hide his body in a trunk, and serve their guests from a buffet on that trunk. They then act like a couple of basket cases the moment the deed is done. Dall’s character sneers and postures, while Granger is as jumpy as an oversensitive cat. Genius professor Stewart is on to them from the get go—and he must a genius to guess that his hosts murdered someone and then hid the body beneath the dinner spread, right? I also found Stewart’s Rupert berating the bad boys for taking his “superman” superiority talk so literally, it feels like a cop out, given his earlier jibes about murder.

There’s a dualistic feel about Rope: from a technical and storytelling standpoint, it’s tense and taut; but the artificial acting and dialogue alienate one to the point of stupefaction.

John Dall & Farley Granger posture in profile, in 'Rope.'

Here’s my other takes on Alfred Hitchcock movies:

One of my fave fun Hitch films, NBNW: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2020/08/north-by-northwest-1959.html

A tribute to Hitchcock blonde Eva Marie Saint: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2019/07/eva-marie-saint-secret-weapon-of-north.html

A perfect Hitchcock picture, Rear Window: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2017/06/hitchcocks-rear-window-still-thrills.html

One of Hitch’s most controversial, Marnie: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2017/02/hitchcocks-marnie-misunderstood.html

 FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB  movie page. 

Check it out & join!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/178488909366865/