'Rope'- Film Review (2-2)

'Rope'- Cutting Edges (2)

'A lesson in suspense, without the use of camera editing' 

Alfred Hitchcock was hardly a stranger to the art of suspenseful film making… a skill that is in some ways best shown in his less reputable work of ‘Rope’. A 1948 psychological crime thriller, following two men (Brandon and Philip) in the aftermath of the murder of David, a fellow student who they deemed intellectually inferior to themselves (the motive for their killing).

A dinner party is held to “perfect” the crime, while the body remains in the chest for its entirety as a sour and morbid mocking, to those unsuperior enough to work it out….before (in theory) having it dumped at the bottom of the lake.

Though referred to by Hitchcock himself as an “experiment that didn’t work out” (in James’ Stewart’s review, 1984),  it was an interesting idea to, in his words, "break all my own tradition of using film, the cutting of film, to tell story”. This helped pave the way for camera and composition consideration… and alternative ways of building suspense with limited camera orientations, in the absence of Hitchcock’s usual techniques of camera editing.

The film is split into nine sections, linked through black transitions (a close up of Brandon’s jacket, a close up of the chest etc.), giving the impression that it’s done all in one take.

What impression does this have upon the story?
Well, in terms of camera itself, it’s restrictive of it’s movement.
In fact, James Stewart, who played the school teacher, Rupert Cadell, commented that, “While we were making ‘Rope... I suggested to Hitch that since we were filming a play, we ought to bring bleachers into the sound stage, and sell tickets.”… and that in keeping the production a film instead, the final product, according to critic Roger Ebert (1984),  “seems curiously limp and unfocused, perhaps because Hitchcock was handcuffed by denying himself the usual grammar of camera movement and editing”.
Only basic camera shots could be made, while others (dramatic Dolly zooms, or the Vertigo Effect- as first used in his film ‘Vertigo’) were unobtainable.

In that regard, it does feel very restricted to the living room and doorway (the only two places that are featured for the entirety of the film), which works well with the sense that both Brandon and Philip (particularly nearer to the end) have trapped themselves in a corner, the second they'd strangled the life out of David’s body.
Despite having a wide view of the city, the fact they’re seeing this through crossed panels and up high gives the impression this is something they cannot escape from.

Fig. 1

Suspense also comes from the ability to plant knowledge in the viewers mind, in the ignorance of the characters. A sense of responsibility comes, on our part, to warn those nearby.
Funnily enough though, the people we are encouraged (in some ways) to feel fear for are the killers. The very people who knowingly caused their eventual downfall, and who are, in actuality, the real threat.
In some way this antagonises us, and makes us begin to empathise with the characters, regardless to what they’ve done.
Does their arguments and views, though, make us want to agree also? If it’s coming from their mouths?

Well, not entirely. One opinion as expressed on 'The Domain for Truth''s biblical analysis of 'Rope' (1948), is that"a careful evaluation of the film would reveal that Hitchcock was not endorsing the murderers’ philosophy but rather he was posing to the audience that there are definitely tensions and problems with their espoused worldview. “

He's expressed to have shown the "fruit of this worldview and using Rupert to give this monologue as a plea for us to reject the nihilistic philosophy of the murders. We must reject relativism, Nietzsche’s philosophy and any other philosophy that undermine human dignity as being made in the image of God”.

It does, however, work as a means of building tension in the scene. Existing solely for the experiment of film making, as opposed to a specific, argued world view.
It puts the audience in a threatened position, and once that position seem's to have reached it's pinnacle, Hitchcock switches to an alternative character who we are then encouraged to feel involved with.
Either way, no matter what view the audience may endorse, they are in some way feeling threatened. Whether it be by the finding out of the murder, (Brandon and Philip), or the well-being of Rupert, in his discovery.

Fig. 2

Throughout the entirety of the film, semiotics and codes of things that normally wouldn’t have particular connotations, are used consistently to keep the film, the conversations and the subjected anchored completely to the chest, and David's absence. Having constant emphasis on it, replicates in some ways, the guilty conscious of Philip's mind, and Brandon's constant need to confirm self-superiority, particularly from his former teacher, Rupert.
These objects, that only have meanings that only we and the killers can pick up on, but the party visitors have no idea of, involves us since unless they were in the wrong, and possessed the killer’s reactions, they could not physically pick up on any of these things.

Things like how the book tied with the rope in a particular fashion… Janet’s mention on “How to keep the ‘body’ beautiful’… “These hands (referring to Philips) will bring great fame”… the candles and food on top of the chest as an “Altar” of the victim, and the “I didn’t strangle the chicken!”  comment etc.

Fig. 3

Even at the beginning of the film, when the opening music (sounding much like a typical 1940-50’s romance or drama) begins, that juxtaposes against the title. Bright red, which works with our associations to ‘blood’ and common, horror codes and conventions.
Incidentally this helps build tension right off the bat. A sense of foreboding for what’s to come.
Something that seems out of place in the small talk, gentleman’s context of the party, and sophisticated, smart looking protagonists.


Incidentally the film is an interesting look at the other aspects of film, away from editing, that play a huge part in building suspense. Knowledge, and the role of the camera it’s self (in adopting different perspectives, to help change audience association to the characters).

In fact, it’s only at the end, that we're seen to adopt the perspective of Rupert's thoughts, (when the camera moves around in his theoretic explanation on how he'd have murdered David), and we begin to side with him, and feel fear towards the true antagonists, Brandon and Philip).

There’s a definite feel of threat in these last moments, as we adopt the P.O.V of the vulnerable side, and the unwritten knowledge that he’d figured out the death of David, and his location in the chest, which could either make us continue to side with Brandon and Phillip (who we’ve followed the entirety of the film), or Rupert- who is the one who’d only theoretically discussed murder, and was innocent in the sense he hadn’t acted upon it.

(Though technically you could argue him giving them up to ‘society’ was a death sentence in itself. Though others may also believe it 's justified since he'd managed to stop them from doing it again. In the end both dirty their hands in a sense, to ‘right’ what they each believe to be ‘wrong’).

Additionally, in terms of the scenes and colours… closer to the end the red and green of, presumably, the police, help emphasis the ‘Ticking Clock’ aspect, moves the pace, changes our perception so it feels (in a way) as if Hitchcock is lifting the veil from our eyes, to see the truth from a perspective outside the murderers….and incidentally, help enforce Rupert’s speech.

Fig. 4

As if to hit the nail on the coffin (no pun intended), the knowledge that the death sentence in America is to be hanged by a rope, as well, hangs (pun intended) in the air unspoken. In the haunting silence afterwards, once Rupert has shot the gun, the police draw ever closer with the non-diegetic sounds of wailing getting louder, and the lights shining up into the living room.

The slow walk of Rupert as he sits in the seat by the chest… the silent walk of Brandon, and deliberate act of pouring his drink... the haunted, perfectly still Philip, and the slow ‘Following’ camera shot, all help finish the film on a pinnacle of suspense, as we are left to image what’ll happen, once they are caught.

All we are left with is: ‘They’re coming’.

References

Illustrations

Fig. 1 'Rope' (1948), [Film Still], Available at: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/79/5f/47/795f47aede532b6e0f9cfcb9fc3cfc35.jpg (Accessed Date: 28/01/17).

Fig. 2 ‘Rope’ (1948), [Film Still edited sequence], Available at: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSyvcULbcI3gSaIBuDYKJOrwPm_Nt8rHGrmJcnw-zc7EytBwShgbRRcUVkO1rvmIwfIG9FBjPvq29g7z8j_Y0Ld0avMzvUy22uSpl7PthnKqjMg_EaLe5-IRYJWgev5prtHhuVelE_BE/s1600/Rope+%2528La+corde%2529_1948_plan+s%25C3%25A9quence_va-et-vient-bonne.jpg (Accessed Date: 28/01/17).

Fig. 3 ‘Rope’ (1948), [Film Still], Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDywdyFsbOM (Accessed Date: 16/11/16).

Fig. 4 ‘Rope’ (1948), [Film Still], Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEuPy4doa3c (Accessed Date: 16/11/16).

Websites

Ebert, Roger, (1984), 'Rope', [Online]. Available at: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/rope-1948 (Accessed Date: 28/01/17).

Hutchinson, Pamela (2012), 'My favourite Hitchcock: Rope', [Online]. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2012/jul/27/my-favourite-hitchcock-rope (Accessed Date: 28/01/17).

'ilgattapardo', (2009), 'Vertigo Effect', [Online]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je0NhvAQ6fM (Accessed Date: 28/01/17). 

'Stack Exchange' (2013), 'Why the long takes in Rope?', [Online]. Available at: http://movies.stackexchange.com/questions/15916/why-the-long-takes-in-rope/15923 (Accessed Date: 28/01/17). 

'The Domain for Truth', (2015), [Online]. Available at: https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/christian-worldview-analysis-of-alfred-hitchcock-rope-1948/ (Accessed Date: 28/01/17).