20th Century Fox
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Compulsion
THEIRS WAS THE PERFECT CRIME they thought! They were too sure...too smart...too careful to leave a clue -- but they did! and it exploded -- The shocking story of two teenagers out for kicks...looking for thrills...and finding them!
Two close friends' plan to execute a flawless crime is crushed when one of them inadvertently leaves his glasses at the crime scene.
- Original title
- Compulsion
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- $1,345,000
- Revenue
- $1,800,000
John Chard
Aug 10, 2015 · via TMDB
Lets go watch them slaughter the sheep! Compulsion is directed by Richard Fleischer and adapted to screenplay by Richard Murphy from the novel written by Meyer Levin. It stars Dean Stockwell, Bradford Dillman, Orson Welles and Diane Varsi. Music is by Lionel Newman and cinematography by William C. Mellor. Based upon the real life Leopold and Loeb murder trial of the 1920s, Compulsion finds Artie Strauss (Dillman) and Judd Steiner (Stockwell) as two well to do young men attempting to commit the perfect crime - murder! But it wasn't so perfect after all and they soon find themselves on trial for their own lives. Enter famed attorney Jonathan Wilk (Welles), who fights to keep them from the death penalty. Healthily rated in some quarters, it's a film that actually does divide opinions, which when all is considered is unsurprising given the capital punishment core of the story. The story builds superbly, brilliantly photographed and paced by cinematographer and director, and performed with imposing skills by Dillman and Stockwell. Then the crux of the film arrives in the form of Welles, who late in the play has the unenviable job of turning the piece into a soapbox anti capital punishment advertisement. It's also a performance from Welles that has drawn major pros and cons in critical circles. Whatever your thoughts on capital punishment, Welles makes a telling acting mark. The sound mix could have been fine tuned, as Welles is prone to mumble during his speeches, but it remains gripping on court room drama terms, even if there's a little deflation - a feeling of anti-climax - after the build up had been so good. Not really capturing the notoriety of the real case, it's nonetheless a compelling piece and well worth seeking out. 7/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Dean Stockwell
Judd Steiner
Bradford Dillman
Arthur A. Straus
Orson Welles
Jonathan Wilk
E.G. Marshall
District Attorney Harold Horn
Diane Varsi
Ruth Evans
Martin Milner
Sid Brooks
Richard Anderson
Max Steiner
Robert F. Simon
Police Lt. Johnson
Robert Burton
Charles Straus
Wilton Graff
Mr. Steiner
Louise Lorimer
Mrs. Straus aka 'Mumsy'
Gavin MacLeod
Padua - Horn's Assistant
Edward Binns
Tom Daly
Colin Kenny
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
William C. Mellor
Director of Photography
Richard Fleischer
Director
Richard D. Zanuck
Producer
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Apr 1, 1959
