Compulsion (1959)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Richard Murphy (screenplay)
Meyer Levin (novel)

Release Date:

May 1959 (West Germany)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama | History | Thriller

Tagline:

Sometimes murder is just a way to pass the time.

Plot:

Two wealthy law-school students go on trial for murder in this version of the Leopold-Loeb case.

Plot Keywords:

Student | Trial | Murder | Defense Attorney | College Student

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

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)
Terry Becker	...	Angry Reporter (uncredited)
Russ Bender	...	Edgar Llewellyn - Attorney (uncredited)
Peter Brocco	...	Albert, Steiner's Chauffeur (uncredited)
Alan Carney	...	Globe Newspaper Editior (uncredited)
Harry Carter	...	Detective Davis (uncredited)
Wendell Holmes	...	Jonas Kessler (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Juror (uncredited)
Henry Kulky	...	Tough Waiter (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Gerry Lock	...	Emma (uncredited)
Jack Lomas	...	Medical Examiner (uncredited)
Dayton Lummis	...	Dr. Allwyn - Psychiatrist (uncredited)
Hank Mann	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Frank McClure	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery	...	Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Voltaire Perkins	...	Judge Matthews (uncredited)
Jack Raine	...	Professor McKinnon (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Reporter on Telephone (uncredited)
Simon Scott	...	Detective Brown (uncredited)
Nina Shipman	...	Girlfriend (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Tom Wilson	...	Juror (uncredited)
Wilson Wood	...	Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Fleischer

Writing credits
Richard Murphy		(screenplay)
Meyer Levin		(novel)

Produced by
Richard D. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
Lionel Newman

Cinematography by
William C. Mellor

Film Editing by
William Reynolds

Art Direction by
Mark-Lee Kirk
Lyle R. Wheeler

Set Decoration by
Eli Benneche
Walter M. Scott

Costume Design by
Adele Palmer

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Helen Turpin	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ben Kadish	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Eugene Grossman	....	sound
Harry M. Leonard	....	sound

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire	....	executive wardrobe designer (as Charles LeMaire)

Editorial Department
Orven Schanzer	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Earle Hagen	....	orchestrator
Bernard Mayers	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Darryl F. Zanuck Productions

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1969) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• Fox Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

103 min | 99 min (FMC Library Print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound 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:15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles High School - 4650 W. Olympia Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Darryl F. Zanuck Productions

Trivia:

The closing arguments monologue was the longest in film history.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Judd Steiner: To the perfect crime!
Arthur Straus: Crime. Oh, my wealthy fraternity brothers. 67 dollars, and a second-hand typewriter.

Movie Connections:

Version of De strop (1968) (TV)

The Strange Case Of Dean Stockwell

Watching this 1959 Richard Fleischer confirmed something I've always known. Dean Stockwell is a superb actor and an extraordinary presence on the screen. So, I think it's strange that he's not regarded as one of the greatest actors that ever lived. He started as a kid. He was Gregory Peck's son, twice. He was in musicals with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. He was directed by Elia Kazan. He made allegorical movies like "The Boy With Green Hair" directed by black listed Joseph Losey. He was Edmond in "Long Day's Journey Into Night" sharing the screen with Katharine Hepburn, Ralph Richardson and Jason Robards. No to mention his work in "Sons and Lovers" or the movies with Wim Wenders and David Lynch. 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 Welles and Bradford Dillman. But, looking at it now he is the one that comes out as the one who passed in triumph the test of time. His performance is so rich so perfectly modulated that you go straight into the human center of his sick, appalling character. "Compulsion" deserves to be rediscovered and Dean Stockwell's performance should be the main reason.