Alfred Hitchcock’s first Hollywood film made without David O. Selznick’s meddling wasn’t as commercially successful as Hitchcock had hoped. Rope barely broke even. Sir Alfred was even more upset at the reaction of the critics at the time. Critics found it too gimmicky; too dull. They didn’t seem to agree with Hitchcock’s choice of revealing the killers at the beginning of the film.
Hitch chose to forget the film, using his ownership of it to hide it for many years. As his films gained more attention and acclaim, reviewers began to reassess Rope. While it had been derided as a gimmick when the film had been first released, viewers began to appreciate Hitchcock’s risky filmmaking choices.
As the years went on, Rope gained a greater appreciation from critics and audiences. Hitchcock’s opinion of the picture was greatly improved as well. He eventually grew to embrace the film along with his other projects. The picture might still be one of his lesser known films, but it has finally gained the appreciation it always deserved.
