After strangling their classmate David Kentley, friends, or perhaps more than friends, Brandon Shaw and Phillip Morgan host a dinner party in their spectacular Manhattan penthouse with David's body stuffed in the buffet table. Among the guests are their prep school housemaster Rupert Cadell and David's family. As the evening wears on, concern about David's tardiness escalates, as does Rupert's suspicions. He eventually figures out Brandon and Phillip's dastardly deed and to boot realizes a prior discussion he had with them about showing superiority was the influence for it.
Rope was based on Patrick Hamilton's play, which was inspired by the Leopold and Loeb murder. The film was shot in the same vein playing out in real time, with only ten edits and segments running as long as ten minutes. Rope was quite experimental for Master of Suspense Alfred Hitchcock, even though critics weren't very receptive. One particular aspect of the film to note is the incredible miniature Manhattan skyline backdrop as it transitions from sunset to nighttime. The background was the biggest built for a motion picture comprised of 6000 25-watt incandescent bulbs for windows and 250 neon signs.
Location: Manhattan Street
Address: Brownstone Street - Warner Brothers Studios, Burbank, CA
Location Visited: April 2024
