IMDb >
Compulsion (1959)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsCompulsion (1959) More at IMDbPro »
Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
May 1959 (West Germany) moreTagline:
Sometimes murder is just a way to pass the time. morePlot:
Two wealthy law-school students go on trial for murder in this version of the Leopold-Loeb case. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 4 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Mandy Patinkin to Star in Compulsion at Yale Rep, Directed by Oskar Eustis in 2010 (From BroadwayWorld.com. 7 October 2009, 10:19 AM, PDT)
Movie Reviews: Murder By Numbers
(From Studio Briefing - Film News. 19 April 2002)
User Comments:
Leopold-Loeb Re-Telling Has Interesting Characters more (37 total)Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Orson Welles | ... | Jonathan Wilk | |
| Diane Varsi | ... | Ruth Evans | |
| Dean Stockwell | ... | Judd Steiner | |
| Bradford Dillman | ... | Arthur A. Straus | |
| E.G. Marshall | ... | District Attorney Harold Horn | |
| Martin Milner | ... | Sid Brooks | |
| Richard Anderson | ... | Max Steiner | |
| Robert F. Simon | ... | Police Lt. Johnson (as Robert Simon) | |
| Edward Binns | ... | Tom Daly | |
| Robert Burton | ... | Charles Straus | |
| Wilton Graff | ... | Mr. Steiner | |
| Louise Lorimer | ... | Mrs. Straus aka 'Mumsy' | |
| Gavin MacLeod | ... | Padua - Horn's Assistant | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Ina Balin | ... | Mike's girlfriend (scenes deleted) | |
| Edmund Cobb | ... | Policeman (scenes deleted) | |
| Frank Conroy | ... | (scenes deleted) | |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
103 min | 99 min (FMC Library Print)Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 moreSound Mix:
4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (35 mm optical prints) (Westrex Recording System)Certification:
USA:Approved (certificate #19194) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15Filming Locations:
Los Angeles High School - 4650 W. Olympia Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USAFun Stuff
Trivia:
The closing arguments monologue was the longest in film history. moreQuotes:
[first lines]Judd Steiner: To the perfect crime!
Arthur Straus: Crime. Oh, my wealthy fraternity brothers. 67 dollars, and a second-hand typewriter.
more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (37 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Compulsion (1959) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Call Northside 777 | The Black Widow | Fracture | The Laramie Project | They Won't Forget |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Biography section | IMDb USA section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |

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." Wells could be such an imposing presence on screen! Interesting, too, that his character was an atheist but in the end admitted he may have been wrong about that.
E.G. Marshall also was fun to watch as the prosecutor, "Dist. Att. Harold Horn," but, of course, the screen writers had him silent in the end only showing Welles state his liberal impassioned anti-death penalty speech at the end.
Dillman and Dean Stockwell were the wise-guys, young arrogant punks who thought they were smarter than anyone else. Dillman held up under pressure but Stockwell was an annoying wimpy wuss who cracked. Diani Varsi playing the lukewarm love interest, adds very little to the film.
Overall, this re-telling of the famous Leopold-Loeb case of the 1920s was worth the watch and recommended. If this kind of story fascinates you, I recommend a similar film: "Rope" (1949).