Cocktail for a corpse
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Cocktail for a corpse |
| Original title | Rope |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1948 |
| length | 80 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 (previously 16) |
| Rod | |
| Director | Alfred Hitchcock |
| script |
Arthur Laurents Hume Cronyn Ben Hecht |
| production |
Sidney Bernstein Alfred Hitchcock for Transatlantic Pictures |
| music | David Buttolph |
| camera |
William V. Skall Joseph A. Valentine |
| cut | William H. Ziegler |
| occupation | |
| |
Cocktail for a corpse (original title: Rope , German: "Seil" or "Strick", alluding to the murderous tool at the beginning) is a feature film by Alfred Hitchcock from 1948. The crime film is based on the play Party for a corpse (Rope ) by Patrick Hamilton . It is considered to be one of Hitchcock's most experimental works, as it was shot as a chamber play with only a few characters exclusively in the same setting of an apartment and apparently without editing.
action
Two promising young men, Brandon Shaw and Phillip Morgan, strangle ex-classmate David Kentley with a rope in their apartment. They see the perfect murder as an intellectual challenge, a kind of art, as proof that they are superior to ordinary people. After stowing the corpse in an old wooden chest, they organize a party in their modern apartment, which among other things offers a panoramic view of the Manhattan skyline, as the "crowning achievement" . The unsuspecting guests at the party are Mr. Kentley, the dead man's father, and his sister-in-law Anita Atwater on behalf of the sick Mrs. Kentley. Also invited are Janet Walker, the dead man's friend, and her ex-boyfriend Kenneth Lawrence, who used to be a good friend of David's and also a classmate. David Kentley is also officially invited. Brandon's and Phillips housekeepers, Mrs. Wilson, are also present to serve the guests. Before the party begins, Brandon converts the buffet of the morbid celebration to the very chest in which the dead person lies. Brandon's and Philips' idea of the perfect murder was inspired a few years earlier by ideas from their then teacher Rupert Cadell, who now publishes philosophical books. He believes in the theory of the superman as well as in the art of murder . He is also invited to the party because Brandon thinks the whole thing is "too easy" without Rupert and is convinced that Rupert would be the only one among the guests who would recognize her "work of art". While Brandon is waiting for the guests in a good mood, Phillip is very nervous and is reprimanded sharply by Brandon.
A remark from Brandon sparked a discussion among the guests about the art of murder and the superman theory. Brandon, in contrast to Rupert, puts forward these theses very vehemently, while Mr. Kentley strongly contradicts him. Another uncomfortable situation is the involuntary reunion of Janet and Kenneth, with Brandon remarking to Kenneth that he feels that his chances with Janet are increasing again. While Brandon arouses Rupert's suspicion through his arrogance, it is the other way around with Phillip. He is overwhelmed with the situation and drinks too much. When the amateur astrologer Mrs. Atwater Phillip predicts that his hands would bring him great fame, she means this in terms of his career as a pianist, but Phillip means it in terms of David's strangulation. Meanwhile, David's absence worries the guests. Rupert begins to become suspicious and asks the guests about the inconsistencies. Phillip reacts in a panic to Rupert's questions and tries to avoid him. Rupert, however, notices that Phillip is hiding something from him.
Mrs. Kentley calls because she is very concerned about David's absence. So Mr. Kentley decides to leave the party with Janet and Mrs. Atwater. Kenneth and Janet make it up and he accompanies them to the Kentleys. As a parting, Brandon gives Mr. Kentley old books tied with a rope - the one with which David was murdered. When Rupert is the last guest to take the wrong hat while leaving, he sees the initials "DK" (David Kentley) embroidered on the hat. He decides to ring the doorbell again under a pretext to confront the hosts. During the conversation, Brandon and Phillip increasingly find it difficult to explain, and when Rupert pulls the rope out of his pocket, the completely drunk Phillip reaches for Brandon's revolver, which Rupert can wrest from him. Finally, Brandon and Phillip allow Rupert to open the chest and find the dead David in it. Deeply ashamed of his own spiritual complicity - which, however, is based on a misunderstanding because he never wanted his philosophical theses to be understood as a guide to action - Cadell shoots the revolver out of the window above the busy street. In the last few seconds of the film you can hear the police sirens getting louder and Phillip says resignedly: "They are coming."
backgrounds
After almost a decade of working together, Hitchcock's contract with famous film producer David O. Selznick was over. He wanted to work more independently and therefore founded the production company Transatlantic Pictures with the media entrepreneur Baron Sidney Bernstein . Cocktail for a Corpse became their first film. The original intention was to first film the novel Sklavin des Herzens with Ingrid Bergman in the lead role, but she was still working on other film projects; Slave of the Heart then appeared the following year. A modern adaptation of Hamlet with Cary Grant in the lead role was also planned. Thus, for a corpse , cocktail was only the third choice of Hitchcock and Bernstein. The film is based on the 1929 play Party for a Corpse (Rope) by Patrick Hamilton . The film is believed to have been inspired by the 1924 murder of 14-year-old Bobby Franks by 19- and 18-year-old student Leopold and Loeb was committed, who regarded the act of violence as art. The connection was always denied by the author Hamilton. The case also inspired the films The Compulsion to Evil , Swoon, and Murder According to a Plan .
In Hamilton's play there is also strong evidence of a homosexual relationship between the murderers. Because the strict Hays Code forbade filmmakers to portray homosexuality, Arthur Laurent's original script was slightly modified to hide the latent homosexuality between the three main male characters. Among other things, the salutation “dear boy” was deleted everywhere. The relationship between Brandon and Phillip is therefore only hinted at, but that still posed a certain risk. Screenwriter Laurent was also unable to prevail with his idea that the murder would not be shown at the beginning, but would remain a secret for the viewer until the showdown . According to Laurent, this would have created a stronger arc of tension. One of the greatest difficulties for Laurent is said to have been converting the English language and the British characters from the original piece into American characters with American language.
Cary Grant was originally supposed to play Rupert Cadell and Montgomery Clift as Brandon Shaw. Grant refused because of the homosexual references, Clift was rejected because of the open secret of his homosexuality and the possible clarification of the above-mentioned attitude that this entails. In one scene, Janet and Mrs. Atwater talk about movie stars and also mention Cary Grant, who has made a new film with Ingrid Bergman , but the name of the film does not occur to them. This is a reference back to the film Notorious (1946) directed by Hitchcock. James Stewart, with whom Hitchcock was to make three more films in the 1950s, was put in Grant's place. In the end, John Dall and Farley Granger, who were both homosexual, were selected for the roles of the murderers. It was only the fourth film for Granger, who three years later worked again with Hitchcock on The Stranger on the Train . This film is also about a "perfect murder".
For a number of reasons, Cocktail was technically a daring experiment for a corpse ; it was Hitchcock's first color film (in Technicolor ). On the other hand, this film - like some other Hitchcock films ( The Lifeboat , The Window to the Courtyard ) - takes place in just one location. So Hitchcock wanted the audience to feel as though the film was shot in real time in a single, continuous shot. However, since a roll of film in the camera was only ten minutes long at the time, he had to make cuts that remain almost hidden between the scenes ( invisible cut ). This happens e.g. B. so that at the end of one scene the camera moves towards an image (for example an actor's suit, who then fills the entire screen in black) and the next scene begins by moving back from this image. So the actors had to “play through” several minutes, similar to the theater. The finished film contains five hard and five invisible cuts, so only eleven takes. The following rhythm was created: 1 | 2 - 3 | 4 - 5 | 6 - 7 | 8 - 9 | 10-11, the horizontal line representing an invisible cut and the vertical line representing a hard cut. For the actors this meant the difficulty of having to play ten minutes continuously. So Hitchcock did theatrical rehearsals with them before filming the scenes. He later admitted that it was a mistake to have given the editing as an essential, creative instrument of the dramaturgy at the same time. Compared to François Truffaut , he described this in 1966 as "idiotic" and a "forgivable attempt"
Cocktail for a Corpse was released in American cinemas on August 26, 1948, three days earlier in Canada. In the Federal Republic of Germany, however, the film did not appear until 1963. It could not bring in its production costs of 1.5 million US dollars. And when slave of the heart flopped a year later , Transatlantic Pictures were disbanded after only two films. Along with Das Fenster zum Hof (1954), Immer Ärger mit Harry (1955), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) and Vertigo - From the Realm of the Dead (1958), the film was not available for decades because Hitchcock got the rights bought it back and earmarked it as part of his daughter's inheritance. These films were long known as the infamous "Five Lost Hitchcocks" and were not shown again until 1984 after a 25-year absence.
The melody that Philip plays repeatedly on the piano during the film is the first of Francis Poulenc's three Mouvements perpétuels .
Cameo
Since the film only plays the murderer in the apartment except for the opening credits, Hitchcock had to make his short appearance as an extra in the opening credits; he is walking down the street with a woman. Initially, he planned the cameo in the form of a neon sign , which can still be seen in some settings of the skyline . The advertisement shows the familiar and simple self-sketch of Hitchcock's likeness.
The "theory of the superman"
In Cocktail for a Corpse , Hitchcock also deals with Nietzsche's theory of the superman . He lets the killer Brandon, who at first appears likable, ponder about life worth living and life not worth living; the related implications are addressed in several places in the film. In this respect, the film can also be seen as an examination of the Holocaust . Three years before the film, Hitchcock had worked on a documentary about the Holocaust.
In the final shot of the film, Rupert Cadell distances himself from Brandon's opinion that as a superman he could commit murder. He represents the theory as a pure model of thought without practical consequences.
characters
Rupert Cadell
Brandon Shaw
Phillip Morgan
Janet Walker
- Rupert Cadell ( James Stewart ) is a publisher of philosophical books and a former high school teacher . He is such a charming and friendly man that his theories, some of which are cruel, are thought to be fun in the discussion group. He is convinced of Nietzsche's theory of the superman , for whom murder, among other things, should be considered a privilege. However, he would never put his theories into practice and he had never thought of trying them, but only understood them as theoretical. Brandon says that Cadell lacks the courage to commit murder, that he is far too deliberate. Only when Rupert sees the result of his theory does he understand that it was a mistake and that all people are worth the same. He finds Brandon and Phillip mainly through his precise powers of observation and knowledge of human nature. For example, he notices that Phillip is trying to lie to him, and he notices David's initials in the hat.
- Brandon Shaw ( John Dall ) is a former student of Rupert and Son from a good family, who only committed the murder for the fun of risk and experience. He considers himself a superhuman, which is why he considers most other people superfluous. He planned the murder of David down to the smallest detail. He dominates his accomplice Phillip at will and becomes strict with him when he shows weaknesses. On the other hand, he is charming and funny towards his guests. It's also Brandon who makes macabre jokes with the relatives and thus challenges his fate at the end of the film. He thinks he is too ingenious to be discovered. Too late he realizes that because of his exaggerated casualness and risk, the book is slipping out of his hand and he has maneuvered himself into a hopeless position. In the end he tries - unsuccessfully - to get Cadell to his side. The tiny mistake in the act of not removing David's hat that led Cadell to track down the murderers is also Brandon’s admission that he is not a superman.
- Phillip Morgan ( Farley Granger ) is a former student of Rupert who is about to start a career as a pianist . Phillip has a sensitive and nervous personality that becomes a weak point as the film progresses, because he starts off at the slightest hint of danger. On the other hand, he warns Brandon about his risky behavior, but he cannot prevail. When Brandon made clear hints to Cadell towards the end of the film, the completely drunk Phillip said: "Cat and mouse - but who's the cat and who the mouse?" As the film progresses, it becomes clear that Brandon, Phillips' career as a pianist promotes, has urged him to complicity. A homosexual relationship between the two is also hinted at when Phillip raves about Brandon and praises his special " charisma to scare you". Towards the end of the film, his relationship with Brandon turns to hatred and he threatens him and Rupert with a revolver.
- Janet Walker ( Joan Chandler ) is David's friend who works as a columnist for a women's magazine. Janet likes the role of the attractive, fun-loving woman surrounded by men who takes great care of her appearance. Before dating David, she already had relationships with Kenneth and Brandon. At first she seems very superficial because she left Kenneth for the richer David, but in the course of the film it becomes clear that Kenneth has ended the relationship. She is becoming more and more justified and very worried about David and is the first to express the suspicion that Brandon has something to do with his absence.
Mr. Henry Kentley
Mrs. Anita Atwater
Kenneth Lawrence
Mrs. Wilson
- Henry Kentley ( Sir Cedric Hardwicke ) is David's wealthy father and a successful writer. As a voice of morality, Mr. Kentley seems rather boring overall, for example when Mrs. Atwater mentions that he catalogs his books all day. Henry replies, "Not all day - sometimes I read them too." He is a caring and concerned husband and father who leaves the party early out of concern for David. He is the only one who sharply contradicts the superman theory. He is of the opinion that every life is worth the same, a thesis that Cadell also endorses.
- Anita Atwater ( Constance Collier ) is David's eccentric aunt. In contrast to her brother-in-law, her clothes and character make her look very fun-loving and active. She likes to go to parties, is a hobby astrologer and, as a regular moviegoer, raves about Errol Flynn and Cary Grant . But she deals less often with philosophy or deeper thoughts; For example, when Cadell presented his theses of the superman, she initially thought it was a joke and laughed at it.
- Kenneth Lawrence ( Douglas Dick ) is Janet's ex-boyfriend and a good friend of David until he started a relationship with Janet. Unlike David, his family is not as rich and trials are more difficult than David. The rather reserved, friendly Kenneth still mourns Janet afterwards, even though he ended the relationship himself. The encounter between the two is rather uncomfortable at first, but concerns about David bring them closer together again and they decide to remain friends. Brandon says that after David's death, Janet will have no choice but to start a relationship with Kenneth again.
- Mrs. Wilson ( Edith Evanson ) is Brandon's housekeeper. The lovable, somewhat talkative woman gets on well with Cadell, who she used to work for. She doesn't have a wealthy or intellectual background like the other characters and mostly talks about the weather, cooking or household chores. Nevertheless, she soon notices the strange behavior of Brandon and Phillip, who both stood up with their left feet. She tells Cadell about it and thus gives rise to his suspicions. Mrs. Wilson also protests against the fact that the food should be served on the chest because it seems completely pointless to her, so Brandon has to give her a reason. But in the end she gives in.
- David Kentley ( Dick Hogan ) is the murder victim, he is murdered right at the beginning of the film and stowed in the chest. He only speaks a few sentences in the trailers of the film. David, who is considered reliable and athletic, comes from a rich family. Unlike Kenneth, he copes with learning with ease. He studied at Harvard . He was about to get engaged to Janet when he was strangled for being found inferior.
synchronization
The film Cocktail für eine Leiche was dubbed in German in 1963 and premiered in Germany. Around 1967, however, all copies located abroad were destroyed for legal reasons (or because of poor advice from Hitchcock - Vertigo and Das Fenster zum Hof were also affected ) . This dubbed version was therefore considered lost until the end of 2010, when the pay-TV broadcaster TNT Film showed a restored version of the film including the Universal Studios opening credits and used this first dubbed version for the German soundtrack for the first time since the theatrical release in the 1960s.
Since the first dubbed version was not available when the film was first shown again in the Federal Republic of 1984, the film was re-dubbed with the longstanding German standard voice of James Stewart , Siegmar Schneider . This second dubbed version was usually used on TV broadcasts and all VHS and DVD releases so far.
In contrast to the DVD, the first dubbed version can be heard on the Blu-ray. The film was also shown on TV broadcaster ARTE, most recently in March 2016, in this original dubbed version. In the original English version, when Brandon discusses Nietzsche and his theory of the superman, Mr. Kentley interjects that most of the National Socialists were also Nietzsche supporters. Brandon replies that the Nazis were not supermen, but were incapable and therefore lost the war. At least in the first German dubbed version, however, the Nazis are not mentioned, the discussion between Brandon and Mr. Kentley is more general about Nietzsche.
| role | actor | Dubbing voice 1963 | Dubbing voice 1984 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rupert Cadell - philosopher | James Stewart | Siegmar Schneider | Siegmar Schneider |
| Brandon Shaw - David's murderer | John Dall | Joachim Pukass | Helmut Gauss |
| Phillip Morgan - David's murderer | Farley Granger | Ernst Jacobi | Hans-Jürgen Dittberner |
| Janet Walker - David's friend | Joan Chandler | Ilse Kiewiet | Anita Lochner |
| Kenneth Lawrence - David's friend | Douglas Dick | Michael Chevalier | Hubertus Bengsch |
| Mr. Henry Kentley - David's father, writer | Cedric Hardwicke | Paul Wagner | Joachim Nottke |
| Mrs. Anita Atwater - David's aunt | Constance Collier | Agnes Windeck | Tilly Lauenstein |
| Mrs. Wilson - Brandon's housekeeper | Edith Evanson | Lu Neatly | Gudrun Genest |
Reviews
While the reviews were cautiously positive when the film was released in 1948, this changed over the next few decades. Only one of 33 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes is negative for the film, which brings it to a 97% approval rating .
Variety wrote when the film was released that Hitchcock could have chosen a more entertaining subject. At the same time, the actors were praised: James Stewart is doing an "impressive job" and John Dall and Farley Granger are "outstanding" as murderers. The film critic Roger Ebert wrote in 1984 that the film was "one of the most interesting experiments ever made by a great director and well-known actors" and described the work as "worth seeing". The lexicon of international films believes that the film made with “considerable formal skill” is given a macabre appearance due to its “intellectual-playful style”, but it can also be understood as a warning against Nazi gentlemen's ideology.
literature
- Patrick Hamilton : Party for a corpse. A detective piece (original title: Rope ). German by Gottfried Greiffenhagen and Joachim Preen . [Not for sale stage manuscript.] Kiepenheuer, Berlin approx. 1974, DNB 780160673
- Donald Spoto: The Art of Alfred Hitchcock. Hopkinson and Blake, New York 1976, ISBN 0-911974-21-0 .
- Robert A. Harris, Michael S. Lasky, eds. Joe Hembus : Alfred Hitchcock and his films. Citadel film book from Goldmann, Munich 1976, ISBN 3-442-10201-4 .
- François Truffaut : Mr. Hitchcock, how did you do it? (1966). Heyne, Munich 2003, ISBN 3-453-86141-8 .
- Birgit Recki: The ethos of the image sequence in Hitchcock's Rope / Cocktail for a corpse: A performance-aesthetic example. In: Ludger Schwarte (Ed.): Bild-Performance. Wilhelm Fink, Munich 2011, ISBN 978-3-7705-5079-1 , pp. 211-230.
Web links
- Rope in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Cocktail for a corpse in the German dubbing file (first dubbed version 1963)
- Cocktail for a corpse in the German dubbing file (Second dubbed version 1984)
- Rope atrotten tomatoes(English)
- Excerpt on Rope from Hitchcock's conversation with Truffaut (Mr. Hitchcock, how did you do that?)
- Review by Dieter Wenk in the Filmzentrale
- Cocktail for a corpse in 1000 screenshots
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Trivia on Cocktail for a Corpse at the Internet Movie Database
- ↑ a b Arthur Laurent's comment in the "Making of" of the DVD edition
- ↑ a b Cocktail for a corpse at Variety
- ↑ François Truffaut: Mr. Hitchcock, how did you do it? . Heyne, Munich 1973, ISBN 3-453-86141-8 , pp. 174, 178.
- ↑ Cocktail for a corpse at Rotten Tomatoes
- ↑ Cocktail for a corpse from Roger Ebert
- ↑ Cocktail for a corpse. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .