Zanuck productions first viewingnetflix rental this is a superb trea. Compulsion, a psychological courtroom drama, is one retelling of the 1924 leopold and loeb killings. The movie is gritty for the time, struggling with teenage sex, rape, and child murder, not. Compulsion is a 1959 american crime drama film directed by richard fleischer and based on the 1956 novel of the same name by meyer levin. Marshall, martin milner, richard anderson, robert f. In 1924 chicago, artie strauss and judd steiner are friends and fellow law students who both come from wealthy backgrounds. Actors stockwell and dillman bring the homicidal duos sick, gayinflected relationship to creepy life in the movies first half.
Compulsion 1959 movie simple english wikipedia, the. Compulsion 1959 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. I thought it was the best movie in representing the leopold and loebb case. The second, richard fleischers compulsion, 1959, is a factbased account that focuses on the trial. Compulsion is a compelling, stylish thriller, loosely based on the famous 1924 murder trial of thrillkillers loeb and leopold, two homosexual students who murdered a young boy to demonstrate. Valentines day, which resulted in the machinegun deaths of seven members of bugs morans north side gang. After the book of compulsion came a hit play and then in 1959 a hit movie, monopolising on the renewed publicity from the release of one of the murderers on parole after 33 years in prison. There is a slightly shocking scene where judd rather sheepishly tries to molest or rape sids innocent girlfriend, ruth diane varsi, but instead of violation, she takes pity on him. Compulsion 1959 sociopathic students artie straus bradford dillman and judd steiner dean stockwell murder a boy in a philosophical exercise to commit the flawless crime. Compulsion may feel slightly tied down by the then fading sexual constrictions on film.
Released 1959, compulsion stars orson welles, dean stockwell, bradford dillman, diane varsi the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 43 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic. Both boys consider themselves above conventional structures of morality. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Link to case the success of the book led quickly to a broadway play and acquisition of screen rights in 1957 by darryl f. Orson welles compulsion 1959 based on the leopold and loeb murder trial. Compulsion 1959 in director richard fleischers courtroom drama loosely based on the famous 1924 murder trial of leopold and loeb, in which there was a 1015 minute eloquent, closing argument considered the longest true monologue in film history against the death penalty. Trailer for this film based on the best selling novel. It stars orson welles, dean stockwell, diane varsi, e. Compulsion 1959 trivia 22 add new although the story was a thinlydisguised recreation of the nathan leopold and richard loeb murder case, the legal department of 20th century fox was still concerned about a possible lawsuit from the stillliving leopold.
Unfortunately he doesnt appear until the third act of the film. Financial analysis of compulsion 1959 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. They are wealthy law students, the flamboyant artie straus bradford dillman. Based on meyer levins novel, two precocious graduate students persuade themselves they are so intelligent that they can commit violent crimes to prove their superiority. Orson welles, diane varsi, dean stockwell, bradford dillman. This stirring summation speech was taken from the transcript of the real death penalty trial of leopold and loab, two young law students who killed young paulie kessler in 1924. Compulsion is a fictionalization of the 1924 murder of robert franks by nathan. The film is based on the 1956 novel of the same name by meyer levin, which in turn was a fictionalized account of the leopold and loeb murder trial. Exercising their feelings of superiority, the two students decide to kill a young boy. Compulsion 1959 the 1924 murder trial of nathan leopold and richard loeb, two chicago teens convicted of kidnapping and killing a 14yearold boy from one of chicagos most prominent families, shocked the nation. Vote in the ultimate summer movie showdown round 4.
But while both films feel at times dramatically hollow, compulsion is graced by arguably the most charasmatic and yes grandstanding film actor of 20th century orson welles. Orson welles, diane varsi, dean stockwell, bradford dillman, e. Of the three, only swoon keeps the original names intact, and depicts the gay relationship between the killers. Compulsion 1959 tt0052700 two close friends, arrogantly and without remorse, kidnap and murder a young boy. They are caught and put to trial where their largerthan. Two wealthy lawschool students go on trial for murder in this version of the leopoldloeb case. Orson welles dominates the film as clarence darrow, the great liberal. In 1959, leopold filed suit against the producers of the movie compulsion. Compulsion 1959 is a biography, crime movie starring orson welles and diane varsi. Two close friends, arrogantly and without remorse, kidnap. Compulsion is a suspenseful courtroom drama, even though most viewers.
Zanuck although the principal roles are played by dean stockwell and bradford dillman, top billing went to orson welles. Compulsion is a compelling, stylish thriller, loosely based on the famous 1924 murder trial of thrillkillers loeb and leopold, two homosexual students who murdered a young boy to demonstrate their intellectual superiority. A great effort was made not to mention leopold or loeb in the movie, press releases. Richard fleischers compulsion is, like hitchcocks rope, about the notorious leopold and loeb case. Compulsion 1959 early in the twentieth century, there was a crime that shocked the nation. Retelling the famous leopold and loeb murder case, who murdered a boy just to prove they could, the film is set in two separate acts. Compulsion was one of the most important american films of the late 50s. It was not a case of mass murder, like that ordered by al capone on st.
Two young men are driving recklessly at night, and almost hit a drunken pedestrian. Compulsion is a 1959 american crime drama film directed by richard fleischer. Compulsion directed by richard fleischer written by richard murphy based on the novel by meyer levin 1959usa darryl f. The film is based on the 1956 novel of the same name by. This was pretty interesting, thanks to bradford dillman who was excellent as one of the murderers, and to orson welles, as defense attorney jonathan wilk. If it all sounds familiar then thats because it ishitchcocks rope covered pretty much the same territory.
Compulsion 1959 on watch movies all language subtitles. I was glad they did not show the murder, it would have lost the interest involving the investigation. Compulsion 1959 reenacting the story of leopold and loeb. Here, in compulsion his performance is worthy of an oscar and in fact he go the accolades at the cannes film festival sharing the acting honors with orson. Artie straus bradford dillman is a sadistic, motherdominated bully. Artie straus is the sadistic leader of the duo, and judd steiner is straus introverted counterpart. Full actor full cast wikipedia plot full actor and plot full actor, cast and wikipedia plot compulsion 1959 in 1924 chicago, artie strauss and judd steiner are friends and fellow law students who both come from wealthy backgrounds. Based loosely on the famous leopold and loeb case, the movie still packs quite an impact because of. With orson welles, dean stockwell, diane varsi, bradford dillman.
Tautly directed by richard fleischer, the film is an outstanding. Judd steiner dean stockwell is a submissive, introverted sissy. As one of several fictionalized accounts of the infamous 1924 kidnapping and murder of bobby franks by nathan leopold and richard loeband itself an adaptation of meyer levins 1956 novel of the same namerichard fleischers compulsion 1959 offers an early blueprint for the modern, fullbodied true crime drama later surpassed by more striking films like in cold blood. Marshall, bradford dillman, martin milner, edward binns and was distributed by 20th century fox other websites.
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