ROPE

I don’t think many of us can say we have had a close relationship with someone who was murdered. I am happy for all of you who don’t fit in this scary category. Alas, I am not so lucky. I had a six-year, on-again, off-again love relationship with a man who took a vacation and lost his life due to a robbery gone awry. His injuries were so bad, he never regained consciousness or knew what had happened. He lay on the sandy shoreline just minutes away from a gorgeous Caribbean resort. He was alone, and his murder was never solved. Sounds like a true reality series, but nevertheless, it definitely happened.

I found out about his horrendous death through a phone call from his best friend a few weeks after he died. No one in his family bothered to let me know. The funeral had already taken place, and they had moved on, enjoying the benefits of his will and the money he had graciously set aside for his siblings and mother. They were a greedy bunch. They were the cause of our many arguments and breakups. They never knew that just before he took off on this vacation, my unlucky boyfriend had bought a ring for me and asked me to marry him. I turned him down, obviously. It was a sad, tumultuous ending after trying to find a way to make it all work. We were doomed from the start with his family’s tight grasp on his life. It took me a very long time to come to terms with this fact, to finally let go and move on. My last words to him were not kind. I am sure I said something along the lines of “too little, too late,” and that he and his family deserved each other. It was not one of my finest hours, but in my defense, I did not think that this would be our closing moment together. I imagined I would someday see him again during better times for both of us. Oh, the universe usually twists our fates and sometimes has the audacity to fu ** with us.

Since then, I have learned how and what to say when in the midst of a relationship, or perhaps fighting for its survival. I am, after all, older and wiser. I have always been drawn to plays or movies that deal with a murderous theme. I want to solve it and witness justice as the concluding result. It is one of my favorite genres. I can’t even count the number of murderous book series I have devoured over the years. It doesn’t matter if the material is filled with chaotic mayhem or calm, cool, proper accusations. Bring it on. I am ready to put that period in its final place even though I couldn’t do that for someone who mattered to me decades ago.

Alfred Hitchcock (PSYCHO, THE BIRDS, VERTIGO, and NORTH BY NORTHWEST) was the consummate creator and director of films encased in suspense, danger, and murder. He was the genius behind using an everyday, innocent-looking weapon as the center of a violent deed. He knew how to make his movies resonate and tingle long after the credits rolled. In 1948, his subtle, underappreciated masterpiece made its debut. A simple ROPE would never be seen the same again. Trunks were quickly banished to the attic, and, I am sure, the wealthy thought twice about who they invited to their small, intimate dinner parties. (Definitely not Jimmy Stewart) ROPE made an impact on those who thought themselves too smug and superior to be caught. ROPE proved this theory insanely wrong in less than ninety minutes.

ROPE was not nominated for any Oscars. It did have major issues with being seen at all. This is because Hitchcock was not in possession of the film’s rights. ROPE was one of five films that were locked away in a vault. (VERTIGO, REAR WINDOW, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, and THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY) It took thirty years for Hitchcock to buy them back, and he in turn left this legacy to his daughter, Patricia. She, in turn, finally released them. They were known as the infamous “Lost Five Hitchcocks.” ROPE had a budget of $1.5 million, which was a large amount in those days. Jimmy Stewart received $300,000 for his role as Rupert. This was an enormous chunk out of the total budget.

ROPE was uniquely filmed in chronological order within 33 days. Hitchcock decided to film ROPE during 10 blocks of time varying from 4 minutes to slightly over 10 minutes. These blocks of time were non-stop. Hitchcock considered this to be an experiment mirroring a BBC show he watched while in England. He wanted the movie to appear as if it was unfolding in real time right in front of audiences. Filming in these long periods of time was not easy for the cast and especially for the crew. It was Hitchcock’s first Technicolor film. ROPE was loosely based on a play that premiered in London and later moved to the New York stage for 100 performances. While on Broadway, it was known as ROPE’S END.

There were only nine cast members. The murder was disclosed in the very beginning, so the entire film was fraught with the question of whether the deed would be discovered and solved. It was all about finding the perfect victim for the perfect crime. Brandon (John Dall) and Phillip (Farley Granger) were guilty as charged. They worked well together, personifying traits of the weak, whiny one vs. the brainy, powerful counterpart. These two characters drank a lot and argued continuously. They stood so close together while filming that several states would not allow ROPE to be seen on screen for fear of showcasing homophobic characters.

Jimmy Stewart played a tenacious former headmaster of an all-boys school. His slow, thoughtful questions and jabs took their turn on the killers’ bravado. It was only a matter of time. The film also mentions the murder victim’s name 73 times. I liked this quiet, calm side to the frenzied, wild-eyed characters Stewart usually portrays. In later interviews, Stewart said this was his least favorite role.

The camera angles were pure genius throughout the filming. There were moments when audiences would watch a supporting character, a maid, clean up the dining room while listening to the killers have a discussion in the background with the unrelenting Rupert. The verbal intensity was off-the-charts, yet the vibe was cool and calm. The body was hidden in plain sight in the center of the room. It was an inventive, bold choice. Every character had to continuously walk around the victim’s final resting place while asking each other, “Where’s David? Why is he so late? It’s not like him to not call if he was detained.” Kudos to the writers for creating such irony.

There were also several times a piece of ROPE was utilized throughout the dinner party. Talk about Chutzpah! Every tantalizing and hold-your-breath moment was mesmerizing. Who would have ever thought of roping several books together and then using just the camera’s eye to showcase the books and ROPE being handed to the victim’s father by one of the killers. I wanted to scream at the audacity of it all.

ROPE was sadly not revered as one of Sir Alfred Hitchcock’s biggest hits. There were those who called it a prank in the art of filmmaking. I vehemently disagree with those who take the easier road in exploring the incomparable, creative juices of a quintessential murder movie director. In my mind, ROPE was a tour de force, a crime thriller classic. It projected a claustrophobic allure that can only be created by the king of this genre. Hitchcock has an uncanny eye for details that reel audiences in for all time.

ROPE also planted a seed for me to ponder. What should your last words be to those you love or have loved in the past? Will you regret what you said? All of us can’t help but think about that final period along our lifelines. Were we kind or off-putting? Sometimes I wish I could go back and thank my old boyfriend for all the lessons learned and the good times we shared. His murder will haunt me forever. I know Hitchcock would have created a different finale.

ROPE is available to rent on Prime Video.