My Top 10 Films Based on Short Stories

It is well known that novels provide a wealth of literary fodder for film makers. Or as film theorist George Bluestone put it: "Film feeds off literature like sharks off a marlin." :-) I think of it more as a transformative act, taking a written work and turning it into another art form -- another form of storytelling -- creating something entirely new. However, when the inspiration for a movie is a short story, the author of the original work is likely to go unnoticed.

Adapting a screenplay from a short story must be a challenge. A shorter work has less room for explicit plot and character development, leaving a lot to be inferred and read between the lines. The writer of the screenplay often must expand the story, while keeping the original spirit of its source of inspiration.

Many well-known films, including Stanley Kubrick's  2001: A Space Odyssey, David Cronenberg's The Fly, Field of Dreams, the classic All About Eve, Ghost World, and  Octopussy are derived from short stories.

Here are my 10 favorites, among the films I've actually seen, along with some interesting behind-the-scenes tidbits. ;-)

10. Secretary (Steven Shainberg, 2002) based on "Secretary" by Mary Gaitskill

This bizarre BDSM romance was recommended to me by my friend Paige and by Trisha at Eclectic Eccentric. A timid and troubled young woman (Maggie Gyllenhaal), taking her first tentative steps toward independence after hospitalization, accepts a job as a secretary. She is able to come into her own, and break her self-mutilation habit, only after slipping into a kinky affair with her dominating boss (James Spader).

The recipe for a healthy relationship? It sure doesn't sound like it. But can this work for two people? Can they find happiness this way? Does anyone have a right to judge? This film doesn't answer these questions, but it definitely invites you to consider them with an open mind. I ended up liking this movie a lot more than I'd expected. This was largely because of the strong performances by the two leads and the intriguing chemistry between them.

9. Minority Report (Steven Spielberg, 2002) based on "The Minority Report" by Philip K. Dick

In this noirish futuristic fantasy, a criminal can be identified and apprehended before the crime is committed. This is accomplished through exploiting vulnerable individuals with precognitive abilities: the "PreCogs."

Precrime Captain John Anderton (Tom Cruise) finds his career disrupted when he is wanted for a crime he is allegedly about to commit. Hoisted on his own petard.

I am not a fan of Tom Cruise. His only performances I've really liked were in Rain Man and Magnolia. However, while it's been a long time since I've seen this movie, I remember being drawn into its unique premise and suspenseful storytelling. Most of all, I was hooked by the wealth of intriguing themes here. In addition to exploring alternate realities, it delves into myriad questions of ethics, the rights of the individual vs. the needs of society, and the nature of free will.

This movie is loosely based on a story by Philip K. Dick, who is perhaps best known for the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, strongly recommended to me by Chris, which was adapted into the film Blade Runner. Widely regarded as one of our most brilliant science fiction writers, Dick had a difficult life. He was paranoid, agoraphobic, and possibly schizophrenic, and he is believed to have had a drug problem. Perhaps that's why, in addition to alternate realities and multiple time paths, his themes include the special sensitivity of people who are considered "abnormal."

The PreCogs

8. It's a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1939) based on "The Greatest Gift", written by Philip Van Doren Stern

Like most Americans, I have a soft spot for this film. I like the strong storytelling; I even like its unapologetic, sappy sentimentality. And I love the simple notion that the simple things we do, as we go about our quotidian lives, can have far reaching effects -- I find it inspiring.

7. A Christmas Story (Bob Clark, 1983) based on "Red Ryder Nails the Hammond Kid" by Jean Shepherd

Watching this classic is an annual Christmas tradition in this house, even though we can pretty much quote the script verbatim by now. "You'll shoot your eye out!"

6. High Noon (Fred Zinnemann, 1952) based on "The Tin Star" by John W. Cunningham

Newlywed Will Kane (Gary Cooper), the longtime marshal of Hadleyville, New Mexico Territory has chosen to turn in his badge and leave his hard life behind. However the return of Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald)—a criminal he'd brought to justice—pulls him back and tests the loyalty of his pacifist Quaker bride (Grace Kelly). The situation becomes more dire as Kane scrambles to find someone in town with the courage to stand beside him in his hour of need. This classic film combines suspense with themes of love, loyalty, and courage.

Some people in Hollywood, including conservative actor John Wayne, felt this movie, with its story of being forced to stand alone in the face of an unjust attack, was an allegory for blacklisting during the McCarthy era. For this reason Wayne, who actively supported blacklisting, called High Noon "the most un-American thing I’ve ever seen in my whole life." He also said he'd never never regret having helped blacklist liberal screenwriter Carl Foreman from Hollywood.

I always knew there was something I didn't like about "The Duke." ;-)

5. Duel (Steven Spielberg, 1971) based on "Duel" by Richard Matheson

In this film by a director who was little known at the time -- Steven Spielberg -- a commuter is pursued and terrorized by the driver of a massive tractor-trailer.

Being a fan of character driven films, rich in dialogue, I didn't expect to like this movie as much as I did. It is very spare -- we know little about the characters and few words are spoken. We don't understand the villain's motives. What we do see is a brilliantly crafted, suspenseful film, focused on the battle and on survival. I guarantee you won't be able to look away.

By the way, Richard Matheson, who penned the short story, has written various novels that were adapted into movies, including What Dreams May Come, Somewhere in Time, I Am Legend, A Stir of Echoes.

4. Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954) based on "It Had to Be Murder" by Cornell Woolrich

Photojournalist L.B. Jeffries (Cary Grant) is homebound with a broken leg, trapped in his tiny, stifling courtyard apartment. From the beginning, there is something mesmerizing about this movie, which is one of my favorite Hitchcock films. I could feel the sweltering heat, the claustrophobic sense of confinement, and the oppressive boredom. Armed with a pair of binoculars, Jeffries spends his time spying on the neighbors. When he becomes convinced he's witnessed a crime, we see the tightening vise of doubt and heightening suspense at which Hitchcock is so masterful.

In the mid-1940s, Cornell Woolrich was one of the most successful suspense writers in the U.S. However, his life was eerily reminiscent of one of Hitchcock's most famous characters -- Woolrich lived with this mother in a hotel, for 25 years, until his mother died. According to Francis Nevins, who wrote Woolrich's biography, they were "trapped in a love-hate relationship which dominated his external world." Yup. I kid you not. Thank God he didn't keep her corpse in a fruit cellar, at least as far as I know.

3. Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee, 2003) based on "Brokeback Mountain" by  Annie Proulx

Two young men, a ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy, meet in the summer of 1963. Jack (Jake Gyllenaal) and Ennis (Heath Ledger) connect in a way that reveals parts of themselves they aren't prepared to face. Their relationship -- and their fear of the consequences of "the love that dare not speak its name" -- has complicated, painful repercussions that span a lifetime.

This is a brilliant movie, but I will never watch it a second time. It is just too raw and painful for me. However their tortured relationship, with occasional moments of tenderness and joy, and the agonizing metamorphosis of Ennis's character will stick with me forever.

2. In the Bedroom (Todd Field, 2001) based on "Killings" by Andre Dubus

A couple's college-aged son dates an older woman with two small children and a volatile  ex-husband. I loved this film, especially Tom Wilkinson's unforgettable performance as Matt Fowler, but this is another movie I won't watch a second time. Its themes -- grief, regret, rage, the consequences of revenge, and lingering parental guilt -- are too raw and brutal and too close to my heart.

After seeing this movie, I read the collection of short stories after which the film was named -- I discussed it here (warning: my review contains spoilers for the movie). The short story that inspired the movie, "The Killings," is very different from the film. It is limited to Matt Fowler's point of view and is very spare. The screenwriter expanded the story but stayed wedded to Dubus's central themes, particularly his concern with violence. The movie also reflects the story's raw, visceral, painful quality.

1. Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000) based on "Memento Mori" by Jonathan Nolan

I have a deep and abiding love for this film, reviewed here, in which a man with anterograde amnesia, which renders him unable to form new memories, seeks his wife's rapist and killer. The brilliant film-making, outstanding performances, and unusual style of storytelling were enough to make me fall in love with this movie. The clincher is that the theme of memory, and the ways it guides or deceives us, has always been infinitely fascinating to me.

This is one of those movies that doesn't follow a conventional timeline -- a concept that has fascinated me ever since I saw Pulp Fiction. Director Christopher Nolan, who adapted this film from his brother's short story, has a degree in literature. He has said his love of literature influenced his desire to experiment with chronology. "I started thinking about the narrative freedoms that authors had enjoyed for centuries and it seemed to be that film makers should enjoy those freedoms as well."  He also said that with Memento he wanted to "create an experience that doesn't feed into your head, that bleeds around the edges." I'd say he succeeded. :-)

Honorable Mentions: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Stephen Spielberg, & Stanley Kubrick, 2001) based on "Supertoys Last All Summer Long" by Brian Aldiss and The Absent Minded Professor (Disney, 1961) based on "A Situation of Gravity" by Samuel W. Taylor

Sources: Adaptations: From Short Story to Big Screen by Stephanie Harrison; Wikipedia; IMDB

What are your favorites from this list?

22 Memorable Movie Sociopaths

Often charming and manipulative. Potentially brutal. Lacking in empathy and a sense of conscience. Crazy as shit house rats. Antisocial personalities, particularly those who are spectacularly violent, offer endless fodder for writers and film-makers.

This is undoubtedly a very broad topic, but it's a bit more challenging for me since I don't watch many films in the action, horror or crime genres. In fact, some of these are from movies I wouldn't have watched were it not for MovieBuff25's influence. ;-)

There will be glaring omissions, simply because I'm not including characters from movies I haven't seen (e.g. A Clockwork Orange, No Country for Old Men). Please add your own selections in the comments section, and I'll add them to the list.

Which are your favorite movies are characters on this list?

Here we go (in chronological order):


1. Bruno Antony (Robert Walker) Strangers on a Train (1951)

His life would be so much better if he could just get rid of Daddy. Then he could live comfortably, on his father's money, which his affectionate and looney Mom. He just needs the right guy to help him pull off the perfect crime.



2. Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) -- Psycho (1960)

I may seem like an ordinary guy who still lives with his mommy.
But wait'll you see what I've got in my basement!  

Dubbed by NPR as "a most terrifying mama's boy," this character brought the Oedipal psycho-killer into popular consciousness. Director Alfred Hitchcock took great pains to make sure the now-famous "twist" would not be revealed before his film hit theaters.


3. Hannibal Lecter (Sir Anthony Hopkins) -- Silence of the Lambs  (1991)

There's nothing like having somebody for dinner, with a side of fava beans and a little Chianti.


4. Maynard (Duane Whitaker) Pulp Fiction (1994)

Ah ... this movie is overflowing with fodder for this list. But I decided to pick just one, so here's the winner. This is one of the most inexplicably sadistic, bat shit crazy characters in the history of movies. Of course. Who else would take on Marcellus Wallace?

"Nobody kills anyone in my store except me and Zed ... (doorbell) That's Zed."

"Forget the briefcase. Bring out The Gimp!"


5. Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) -- Dead Man Walking (1995)

Sister Helen Prejean's faith leads her to work against capital punishment and to believe that every human is ultimately redeemable. I found her commitment to finding the light of God in every person, no matter what he's done, inspiring. The world needs many more people like her. And I would have loved for her to be right. But I think the bottom line in this movie, and in life, is that some people are simply evil and can't be helped.

When I saw this movie, I was working as a counselor with troubled youth. I'd met a few who I believed to have antisocial personality disorder for whom I held little hope. This is a brutal thing to say about a teenager. But sometimes you just know. It's not purely based on diagnostic criteria. You just get a "vibe." There's something missing in their eyes. And you wonder why.-- when most humans come into this world innocent and amply equipped to experience love and empathy -- does this happen?

I experienced all this watching Sean Penn's performance. He had that exact look in his eyes. I actually found the movie so disturbing I had to pause it and leave the room several times.


6. Begby (Robert Carlyle) -- Trainspotting (1996) 

You've got your cold, calculating sociopath, silently planning his next move. And then you got Begby. This guy could go from some semblance of normal to raging, bat shit crazy on the turn of a dime.

7. Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stormare) -- Fargo (1996)

This is one of the most brilliant movies of all time. The criminals in this film range from mean-spirited and stupid to coldly brutal, with Gaear Grimsrud being at the top of the scale. He's basically a hollow shell of a human being, rarely speaking and not hesitating to kill someone in cold blood, even if it's only for the sheer hell of it.

The chemistry between him and his chatty, sidekick Carl (Steve Buscemi) -- who is sleazy but less cold-blooded and has an eye for prostitutes -- is priceless. Gaear is strictly business, as in "Shut the fuck up! Or I'll throw you back in the trunk, you know?" And he sure is handy with a wood chipper.


8. Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson) -- Jackie Brown (1997) 

 I have to admit, I love it when Samuel L. Jackson goes ape shit and starts cursing.

"AK-47. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherfucker in the room, accept no substitutes."


9. Hayley Stark (Ellen Page) -- Hard Candy (2005) 

After three weeks of chatting online with a 32-year-old photographer, 14-year-old Hayley Stark meets him in a coffee shop. After some flirtation, he takes her home. This seems like the kind of scenario your mother warned you about -- being picked up online by a sexual predator.

But all is not as it seems. Hayley slips a little something in the guy's drink. He wakes up tied to a chair. Hayley accuses him of being a pedophile, and the torture begins.

Oh, and she's an aspiring medical student and is eager to perform a do-it-yourself castration. I challenge any male to make it through this movie without being doubled over on the floor, cringing. I'm just sayin'.


10. Gabriel Engel (André Hennicke) -- Antibodies (Antikörpe) (2005)

I look better in red.

  
Although this film has been glibly referred to as "the German Silence of the Lambs," it is very different and -- in many ways -- more complex. Child rapist and serial killer Gabriel Engel is arrested in a spectacular police strike. Hoping to close a case in his own jurisdiction, small town cop Michael Martens travels to the big city to interrogate him.

Meanwhile Michael is dealing with the brutality of his father-in-law and disturbing signs of antisocial personality disorder in his own young son. Michael is a very repressed person, his life carefully circumscribed by his work and his strict religious beliefs. His encounter with Gabriel brings Michael in touch with darker parts of his own nature. And -- in true Hannibal Lecter style -- this nut job is damn good at getting into your head.

This is a rich, complex psychological movie and an interesting character study of Michael. It made me think of the Jungian concept of "the shadow" -- we all have a dark side, and the more fiercely it's repressed the larger it looms when it does creep out.

What spoiled the movie for me was the ending ... SPOILER (highlight to read). I disliked the film's attempt at a dramatic ending, when Michael sets out to kill his own son, who he believes to have committed a rape and murder, and is stopped by proof of his son's innocence which is -- literally -- flown in at the last minute. First of all, I thought the allusion to the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac was laid on WAY too thick. Trust your audience's intelligence, and make those biblical allusions subtle, please. Second, I was sorely disappointed by what had been a complex, interesting movie ending with a deux ex machina. If anyone has seen Antibodies and has an opinion on the film or the ending, I'd love to hear it!



11. Harry Waters (Ralph Fiennes) -- In Bruges (2008) 

Ralph Fiennes was -- as always -- amazing as a psychotic, unyielding English crime boss. The Sicilians have nothing on this guy! He also happens to be a family man with a wife and three kids who probably wonder why he spends so much time away "on business."


12. Nate (Noah Taylor) -- Red, White & Blue (2010)

Part of the unholy trifecta therapists are told to watch out for, when assessing potential antisocial personality disorder in childhood, is #1 cruelty to animals & #2 setting fires. Guess what this guy did when he was a kid? He set his sister's pet bird on fire. Yup.

As an adult, he finds a niche with the U.S. military -- my guess is that he was trained in doing interrogations. A skill he puts to good use when his life goes down a darker path.

This movie totally freaked me the fuck out. Like the iconic "gimp" scene in Pulp Fiction, I found it incredibly hard to sit through. How much human brutality and evil can a wimp like me be expected to take in one sitting? And it was hard for me to see Noah Taylor in this role after he was so adorable as the tormented young musician David Helfgott in Shine (before he grew up and became Geoffrey Rush). But he is undoubtedly a magnificent actor.

One wouldn't expect a sociopath like Nate to feel genuine love. But humans are often not so clear-cut. And Nate truly does love the young woman with whom he connects -- a person who is arguably as damaged and dangerous as he is. That is an area in which indie British film-maker Simon Rumley really shines -- creating morally ambiguous characters, people we fear or loathe but can't dismiss altogether.


Reader Picks: 

Chris -- 

13. Henry (Michael Rooker) -- Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

from IMDB: Henry likes to kill people, in different ways each time. Henry shares an apartment with Otis. When Otis' sister comes to stay, we see both sides of Henry; the "guy-next-door" and the serial killer. Low budget movie, with some graphic murder scenes. Written by Rob Hartill

Myerla --

14. Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper) -- Blue Velvet (1986)

I'm glad Myerla reminded me of this character, the highlight of what was -- hands down -- the most disturbing movie I saw during my undergraduate years in college. And nobody did ape shit crazy quite like Dennis Hopper.

Blue Velvet starts with Jeffrey, an innocent young man who makes an unpleasant discovery while walking through a cornfield. When you find a severed ear on your way home, you can be pretty sure that isn't a good sign. This is the first breadcrumb on a trail leading him into Frank Booth's dark, vicious world.

15. Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) -- Misery (1990)

When best-selling novelist Paul Sheldon crashes his car in a freak blizzard. he is critically injured. As luck would have it,  he's rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes, his "number one fan", who takes him back to her remote house in the mountains. As the title of the movie makes clear, nothing good can come of this. Kathy Bates was unforgettable in this role.

"YOU! YOU DIRTY BIRD, HOW COULD YOU!"

16. Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher) -- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

A nurse entrusted with the responsibility of ministering to patients with severe mental illnesses, Nurse Ratched is unwaveringly calm, unbendingly dictatorial, and completely devoid of compassion. Her attack on Billy Bibbit, after he makes a brief foray into independence, was excruciating to watch. And no one will ever forget the brutal revenge exacted against resident troublemaker R.P. McMurphy.

Margaret --

17. Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) -- American Psycho (2000)

From IMDB: A wealthy New York investment banking executive hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he escalates deeper into his illogical, gratuitous fantasies.

Tippi --

18. Mavis Gary -- Young Adult (2001)

Tippi mentioned this character for reasons she discussed, below, in the comments.

From IMDB: Mavis Gary, once the high school 'It Girl', now an alcoholic divorcée who writes a soon to be canceled young adult fiction series, makes the decision to return to her childhood home in Minnesota. There she embarks on a plan to win back her former sweetheart, Buddy. The fact that Buddy is now married with a baby doesn't dissuade her. Along the way, she forms a bond with Matt Freehauf, another former classmate, who has been left disabled by a beating he took from a bunch of jocks.

3Guys1Movie --


19. Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) -- No Country for Old Men (2007)

From IMDB: In rural Texas, welder and hunter Llewelyn Moss discovers the remains of several drug runners who have all killed each other in an exchange gone violently wrong. Rather than report the discovery to the police, Moss decides to simply take the two million dollars present for himself. This puts the psychopathic killer, Anton Chigurh, on his trail as he dispassionately murders nearly every rival, bystander and even employer in his pursuit of his quarry and the money. As Moss desperately attempts to keep one step ahead, the blood from this hunt begins to flow behind him with relentlessly growing intensity as Chigurh closes in. Meanwhile, the laconic Sherrif Ed Tom Bell blithely oversees the investigation even as he struggles to face the sheer enormity of the crimes he is attempting to thwart.

Franz --

20. Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) -- The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

from IMDB: The 1950s. Manhattan lavatory attendant, Tom Ripley, borrows a Princeton jacket to play piano at a garden party. When the wealthy father of a recent Princeton grad chats Tom up, Tom pretends to know the son and is soon offered $1,000 to go to Italy to convince Dickie Greenleaf to return home. In Italy, Tom attaches himself to Dickie and to Marge, Dickie's cultured fiancée, pretending to love jazz and harboring homoerotic hopes as he soaks in luxury. Besides lying, Tom's talents include impressions and forgery, so when the handsome and confident Dickie tires of Tom, dismissing him as a bore, Tom goes to extreme lengths to make Greenleaf's privileges his own.

Paige --

21. The Joker (Heath Ledger) -- The Dark Knight (2008)

From IMDB -- When Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent launch an assault on the mob, they let the clown out of the box, the Joker, bent on turning Gotham on itself and bringing any heroes down to his level. 

 "I believe whatever doesn’t kill you, simply makes you…stranger."

22. Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell) -- A Clockwork Orange (1971)

From IMDB -- In future Britain, charismatic delinquent Alex DeLarge is jailed and volunteers for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government in an effort to solve society's crime problem... but not all goes to plan.

The Birds

Warning: This review contains a few spoilers. 

Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), a feisty, flirtatious young socialite, catches the eye of defense attorney Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) and tracks him down at his weekend home in Bodega Bay, California. She meets one of Mitch's previous love interests, Annie Hayworth (Suzanne Pleshette), and learns that Mitch is a bit of a heart-breaker and tied to his possessive mother.

Undeterred, Melanie spends time with Mitch, enjoying their flirtation and bonding with this 11-year-old sister Cathy.

Various signs reveal that something is amiss. Melanie is attacked by a seagull. Mitch's mother Lydia (Jessica Tandy) notices that her chickens are acting strange. We catch ominous glimpses of birds clustered together, still and silent, as if waiting for something. Then for reasons that are never explained, birds of various species flock together and attack humans. It happens in waves, with lulls between the attacks. During these reprieves, birds gather together, silent and menacing, as if waiting for their next assault.

This was my first time watching this classic horror film. Perhaps because we're more jaded in this generation, for the most part, we found the bird attacks more humorous than frightening.

What really worked for me was the heightening sense of unease, blossoming into growing fear. The interplay of light and darkness, looming shadows, and panoramic shots of a beautiful, eerily silent landscape at dusk. The smooth, soundless way birds gathered, waiting. The growing unease and fear of townspeople, who react in diverse and often inexplicable ways. One bar patron drunkenly avers that this signals the end of the world. A serious amateur ornithologist explains why -- scientifically -- none of this can be happening. A young mother panics and hysterically lashes out at a scapegoat. Seemingly innocuous moments of silence also build fear. These quiet moment in films, when there is little action and important feelings and events are left unsaid, often feel the most real and powerful.

This masterful building of suspense, along with gorgeous cinematography and the interesting, continually shifting dynamics among characters make this an unforgettable movie.

One iconic scene -- the climactic moment when Melanie is attacked by birds in the attic -- punctured my suspension of disbelief a bit. Yes, the scene was beautifully done. But I couldn't get past the fact that after everything that had happened, including several deaths, after the house had been boarded up to protect its inhabitants, Melanie hears some flapping in the attic ... AND SHE GOES UP THERE. Alone. It's like one of those "Grade B" horror flicks where the nubile young blond is traipsing down into the creepy basement. The viewer is screaming at the television: "Don't go down there! DON'T! Stay ... the fuck ... OUT of the BASEMENT!" But she soldiers on.

Nevertheless, this is a beautifully crafted movie which reflects all the reasons Alfred Hitchcock was a master of his art. I also loved the ambiguity -- we're never told why the birds attack. A modern thriller would have attributed it to some sort of scientific experiment gone wrong, killing the sense of mystery and shapeless dread. I also liked the inconclusive ending, with Melanie and the Daniels family moving forward into a dim, mysterious, and uncertain future. Part of Hitchcock's genius seems to be that he knew what not to reveal and when to draw a scene with a light hand. This film's status as a classic is definitely well earned.

Rating: (4/5)

Cherished Favorite	Excellent Film	Good Movie	Meh	Definitely Not For Me

Strangers on a Train by Alfred Hitchcock

This psychological thriller begins with a seemingly chance meeting, between two men, on a train. Guy Haines is a professional tennis player with aspirations of pursuing a career in politics. Bruno Anthony is a ne'er-do-well with an Oedipus complex from a wealthy, privileged family. Bruno approaches Guy, drawn by his status as a pro athlete. "I certainly admire people who do things," Bruno enthuses.

In the midst of a steady stream of chatter, Bruno reveals that he has a problem he wants to get rid of: his father. Apparently the patriarch has tired of Bruno living off the family fortune without contributing to society. Bruno wants him dead. Furthermore, he's read about Guy in the gossip columns and knows he wants a divorce from his difficult wife, Miriam, so he can marry the woman he loves. Bruno has an interesting theory about how to pull off the perfect murder. If two men were to commit each other's murders, Guy killing Bruno's father and Bruno killing Guy's wife, no one would suspect the perpetrators. After all, neither of them had a motive to go after his victim.

Guy is repulsed by the idea. Yet there are several moments, which highlight why this is such a great psychological movie, when the viewer suspects he'll give into temptation.

The two men part. Guy seems to dismiss Bruno as a relatively harmless lunatic, and they go their separate ways. Nevertheless, Bruno is intent on putting his plan into motion. The result is a series of events that close in around Guy, threatening to destroy his future and his relationship with the woman he loves.

I can't believe I waited this long to see this movie -- it may be my favorite of the Hitchcock films I've seen so far. It is cleverly plotted and well paced, with strong acting and several satisfyingly insane characters. My sidekick, MovieBuff25, was rather partial to Bruno as a sociopathic mama's boy. And the cinematography is wonderful. In keeping with classic film noir style, most of the scenes are dimly lit, and there's an interesting interplay between light and darkness throughout the movie. An example is an unforgettable scene when Bruno follows some unsuspecting victims through a tunnel at an amusement park. We see only their shadows on the dimly lit wall of the tunnel, and Bruno's shadow seems to gradually gain on theirs, eventually swallowing it up.

There are too many other memorable shots to count. For example, I loved the moment when a murder is committed, after the victim's glasses have fallen to the ground, and we see the heinous crime dimly reflected in the lenses of the glasses. We barely glimpse the crime, yet that image is more memorable for me than most of the bloody, graphic acts of violence I've seen onscreen.

The suspense continues to intensify, climaxing in an intense scene on a runaway carousel. The continuing game of "cat and mouse," as well as the complex interplay between the characters, kept me guessing until the end.