The compulsion to evil

Movie
German title	The compulsion to evil
Original title	Compulsion
Country of production	United States
original language	English
Publishing year	1959
length	103 minutes
Age rating	FSK 18
Rod
Director	Richard Fleischer
script	Richard Murphy
production	Richard D. Zanuck
music	Lionel Newman
camera	William C. Mellor
cut	William H. Reynolds
occupation
Orson Welles : Jonathan Wilk Diane Varsi : Ruth Evans Dean Stockwell : Judd Steiner Bradford Dillman : Arthur Strauss EG Marshall : Public Prosecutor Harald Horn Martin Milner : Sid Brooks Richard Anderson : Max Steiner Robert F. Simon : Police Lt. Johnson Edward Binns : Tom Daly Robert Burton : Charles Straus Wilton Graff : Mr. Steiner Louise Lorimer : Mrs. Straus Gavin MacLeod : Padua, Horn's assistant Ina Balin : Mike's girlfriend

The Compulsion to Evil is an American feature film from 1959. The film is based on the novel Compulsion by Meyer Levin , which in turn is based on the criminal case Leopold and Loeb .

action

Judd Steiner and Arthur Strauss are two highly intelligent young people from a middle-class family who believe they can commit the perfect murder . They murder a boy who is on his way home from school. First of all, the police are actually groping in the dark. At the scene of the crime , however, she finds Judd Steiner's glasses and uses them to track them down. You will eventually be arrested and tried. The guilt is clear and they face the death penalty . Her case is being handled by the famous lawyer Jonathan Wilk. Wilk turns against his clients in his plea , but just as impressively against the death penalty itself. Judd Steiner and Arthur Strauss are ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment and thus escape execution.

Reviews

“Dramaturgically and formally convincing mix of crime and court drama, in which Orson Welles critically examines criminal law and the death penalty in a brilliant role. As a defense attorney, he makes an impressive plea not for the accused, but against their execution. "

- Lexicon of international film

Awards

The film took part in the competition at the 1959 Cannes International Film Festival . The leading actors Bradford Dillman, Dean Stockwell and Orson Welles were jointly awarded the Actor Award.

Web links

• The compulsion to evil in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• The compulsion to do evil in the German dubbing index

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The compulsion to evil. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed July 27, 2017 .