Rope

(Man Screaming)

Open it.

Don't.

- We've got to see if -

- I know.

But not just yet.

Let's stay this way for a minute.

Phillip, we don't have too much time.

It's the darkness that's got you down.

Nobody feels really safe in the dark.

Nobody who's ever a child, that is.

I'll open these, alright?

There. That's much better.

What a lovely evening.

Pity we couldn't have done it with

the curtains open in the bright sunlight.

Well...

We can't have everything, can we?

We did do it in daytime.

Alright now, Phillip?

- Yes.

- Good.

You better put those away in my

chequebook drawer behind the box.

Now...

It's a museum piece now.

We really should preserve it for posterity,

except, it's such good crystal

and I'd hate to break up the set.

Out of this,

David Kentley had his last drink.

It should have been ginger ale,

or even beer.

It was out of character for David

to drink anything as corrupt as whiskey.

Out of character

for him to be murdered, too.

Yes, wasn't it? Good Americans

usually die young on the battlefield.

Well, the Davids of this world

merely occupy space,

which is why he was

the perfect victim for the perfect murder.

'Course,

he was a Harvard undergraduate.

That might make it justifiable homicide.

He's dead and we've killed him.

But he's still here.

In less than eight hours

he'll be resting at the bottom of a lake.

Meanwhile, he's here.

- What are you doing?

- It's not locked.

All the better. It's more dangerous.

And the lock's too old. It won't work.

I wish it would.

I wish we had him out of here.

I wish it were somebody else.

It's a trifle late for that, don't you think?

Whom would you have preferred,

Kenneth?

I don't know,

I suppose anyone was as good...

or as bad as any other.

You, perhaps. You frighten me.

You always have,

from that very first day in prep school.

Part of your charm, I suppose.

I'm only kidding, Brandon.

I obviously can't take it as well as you,

so I'm turning on you a little.

- That's rather foolish, isn't it?

- Yes, very.

May I have a drink now?

By all means. This is an occasion.

It calls for champagne.

- Champagne?

- I put some in the icebox.

- When did you put it there?

- Just before David arrived.

- You knew it would work.

- Of course.

You know I never did anything

unless I did it perfectly.

I've always wished

for more artistic talent.

Well, murder can be an art too.

The power to kill can be just

as satisfying as the power to create.

Phillip, do you realise we've actually

done it, exactly as we planned?

And not a single thing has gone wrong.

It was perfect.

- Yes.

- An immaculate murder!

We've killed for the sake of danger

and for the sake of killing.

We're alive, truly and wonderfully alive.

Champagne can't equal us,

or the occasion.

I'll take it, though.

You aren't frightened any more, are you?

Neither of us can have fear.

That's the difference

between us and them.

They talk about committing

the perfect crime but don't do it.

Nobody commits a murder just for...

the experiment of committing it.

Nobody except us.

- You're not frightened still, are you?

- No.

Not even of me?

- No.

- That's good.

You just astound me, as always.

That's even better.

To David, of course.

- Brandon, how did you feel?

- When?

During it.

I don't know, really.

I don't remember

feeling very much of anything,

until his body went limp

and I knew it was over.

- And then?

- Then I felt tremendously exhilarated.

H-How did you feel?

Oh, I... I...

- You don't think the party's a mistake?

- No, it's the finishing touch to our work.

It's more.

It's the signature of the artists.

Not having it would be like, uh...

Painting the picture and not hanging it?

That's not a good choice of words.

It may end up too choice,

thanks to the party.

Oh, rot. This party will be

the most exciting ever given.

- With these people?

- Oh, they're a dull crew.

The Kentleys couldn't be duller if

they tried, but we did have to have them.

After all,

they are David's mother and father.

That doesn't make them

any easier to talk to.

Don't worry.

Janet'll be buttering them up, poor girl.

She's banked everything

on hooking David.

Somehow, I don't think

she's going to succeed.

- Do you?

- No, somehow I don't.

Well, she can switch back

to Kenneth tonight.

You must admit, it was most considerate

of me in view of recent events to...

- Phillip?

- What?

- Take the other one.

- What for?

Never mind. Come with me.

- What's this all about?

- You'll see. It's brilliant.

What the devil are you doing?

Making our work of art a masterpiece.

- Brandon, you're going too far.

- Why? What do you mean?

I just thought it'd be nice

to have supper in here...

on this.

Isn't it a good idea?

Well, at least this way

no one will try to open it.

I don't think you appreciate me, Phillip.

I'm beginning to, Brandon.

Come on, we don't have much time.

Mrs Wilson will be back soon.

Did you forget to borrow her key?

I might've known -

I didn't forget. I have her key.

- Oh, good.

- How are you going to explain this?

- I'm not.

- We've got to have some excuse.

- We can't leave our guest alone.

- We must have an excuse for the others.

Let me think.

Really, you get much too upset

much too easily, Phillip.

We have a very simple excuse

right here.

What are you worrying about, Phillip?

Mr Kentley's coming

mainly to look at books.

What could be better than having them

on the dining room table

where the poor old man

can easily get at them.

Considerate, aren't we? (Phone Ringing)

Hello? Oh, of course.

- You start on the books -

- Who is it?

Mrs Wilson.

Brandon?

Brandon!

What the devil?

Don't you have any more sense than to...

What is it?

- Well, go on, yank it out.

- I can't.

If Mrs Wilson were here,

she'd yank it out for you.

A stupid display like that in front of

others will be as good as a confession.

Take these and get ahold of yourself.

If you'd let me keep the light on,

I would have seen it.

Alright! You're perfect.

We have to be, Phillip.

We agreed there was only one crime we

could commit, that of making a mistake.

- Being weak is a mistake.

- Because it's being human?

Because it's being ordinary.

I won't let either of us do -

(Door Buzzer)

You owe me $2.40 for taxis,

including the tip.

If it weren't for the traffic,

I'd have been here a half hour ago.

It's just as well.

We didn't expect you back until now.

I went to five stores

for the special pt we like.

But the prices! I couldn't see any

reason for throwing away good money.

So, I went downtown to that little

delicatessen where Mr Cadell goes.

But I tell ya, the next time

we give a party, I'm only going to -

Good evening, Mrs Wilson.

What, may I ask,

is happening to my table?

We're just moving the things in here.

Well...

I personally

thought my table was quite lovely.

Oh, it was quite lovely.

But Mr Kentley is coming to look

at these old books I had in the chest.

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