Compulsion (1959) and Hitchcock’s Rope (1948) are two movies inspired by the infamous Leopold & Loeb case, each with a very different approach.
Kristen Winiarski of Hoofers and Honeys, LLC and I talk all about both movies, compare them, and share things we each noticed, including what’s closer to the real case (a bit of true crime here!) vs. things that borrow creatively or are complete creative license. Plus, our mutual love of John Dall.
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rniHI4BG49c
If you’ve never seen these movies, here are quick facts and links to watch (Amazon includes affiliate links):
Compulsion (1959)
Director: Richard Fleischer
Stars: Dean Stockwell, Bradford Dillman, Orson Welles, Diane Varsi, Martin Milner
Plot: In 1924 Chicago, Artie Strauss and Judd Steiner are friends and fellow law students who both come from wealthy backgrounds. They have few true friends as they believe all their contemporaries are intellectually inferior. Within their relationship, Artie is the dominant and Judd the submissive who says he will do whatever Artie tells him. […] They plot to commit what they consider the perfect crime – a kidnapping and murder – not only so that they can experience the sense of killing for killing’s sake but also to taunt the law with their knowledge of it and their superiority after the fact. They believe their crime is above the law. [IMDb, edited]
Rope (1948)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Stars: John Dall, Farley Granger, James Stewart
Plot: Brandon and Philip are two young men who share a New York City apartment. They consider themselves intellectually superior to their friend David Kentley, and as a consequence, decide to murder him. Together they strangle David with a rope and, after placing the body in an old chest, they proceed to hold a small party. The guests include David’s father, David’s fiancée Janet, and their old schoolteacher Rupert, from whom they mistakenly took their ideas. As Brandon becomes increasingly more daring, Rupert begins to suspect. [IMDb, edited]
Watch it here: Amazon