Despite many of the particulars involved with the production being dead before this film was made in 2001, it's a very good making of featurette. In fact, it's better, in my opinion, than the feature about which it talks! Now I need to mention that I am far less a fan of "Rope" than most folks and I listed quite a few mistakes with the film in my review of it. So, despite being made by the great Alfred Hitchcock, I really think it's overrated. BUT, this small film about the movie was excellent.
The film features three of those who helped make the film--Hume Cronyn (who adapted the screenplay) and Arthur Laurents (the writer) and Farley Granger (who starred as one of the two killers in "Rope"). Most of the time, however, it's Laurents who talks during the film--and he looks amazingly good for a man his age--as did Granger.
The film is packed full of background material that bring the actual movie to life. I enjoyed Laurents' discussion of the obvious gay subtext of "Rope" and how that was handled. I also agreed with a few of the criticisms it had of the film--and any negative criticism of the feature is rare in a making of film--very rare. For example, Laurents feels that Hitchcock should NOT have shown the murder, as it took away from the level of suspense in the film--and I heartily agree. Also, he felt that James Stewart was wrong for the role--mostly because he was a 'boy scout' playing the morally ambiguous and presumably gay professor--a strange fit, indeed! Overall, there is a lot more information--including a few clips with Hitchcock's daughter, Patricia, (who played supporting roles in a few of his films).
The film features three of those who helped make the film--Hume Cronyn (who adapted the screenplay) and Arthur Laurents (the writer) and Farley Granger (who starred as one of the two killers in "Rope"). Most of the time, however, it's Laurents who talks during the film--and he looks amazingly good for a man his age--as did Granger.
The film is packed full of background material that bring the actual movie to life. I enjoyed Laurents' discussion of the obvious gay subtext of "Rope" and how that was handled. I also agreed with a few of the criticisms it had of the film--and any negative criticism of the feature is rare in a making of film--very rare. For example, Laurents feels that Hitchcock should NOT have shown the murder, as it took away from the level of suspense in the film--and I heartily agree. Also, he felt that James Stewart was wrong for the role--mostly because he was a 'boy scout' playing the morally ambiguous and presumably gay professor--a strange fit, indeed! Overall, there is a lot more information--including a few clips with Hitchcock's daughter, Patricia, (who played supporting roles in a few of his films).