Compulsion (1959) (original) (raw)
Plugin not supported.
where to watch
Original title
Compulsion
Year
1959
Running time
103 min.
Country
United States
Director
Screenwriter
Cast
Music
Cinematography
Producer
Genre
Thriller. Mystery. Drama | Crime. Courtroom Drama / Lawyers. 1920s. Based on a true story
Synopsis
It's Chicago and the year is 1924. Two young men are driving recklessly at night, and almost hit a drunken pedestrian. They are wealthy law students, the flamboyant Artie Straus (Bradford Dillman) constantly goading the intensely introverted Judd Steiner (Dean Stockwell) to still more outrageous escapades. Smugly feeling safe in their own superiority, the pair commit murder--just to show they can. So starts this gripping fictionalized version of the Leopold-Loeb case which shocked Americans and provoked Clarence Darrow, here fictionalized as Jonathan Wilk (Orson Welles), to make an impassioned plea that even these cold killers should not be hung.
Rankings Position
Awards
1959: Cannes Film Festival: Best Actor (Welles, Stockwell, Dillman)
1959: BAFTA Awards: Nominated to Best Film
1959: Directors Guild of America (DGA): Nominated for Best Director
1959: Writers Guild of America (WGA): Nominated for Best Drama Screenplay
Critics' reviews
Movie Soulmates' ratings
Register so you can access movie recommendations tailored to your movie taste.
Friends' ratings
Register so you can check out ratings by your friends, family members, and like-minded members of the FA community.
Is the synopsis/plot summary missing? Do you want to report a spoiler, error or omission? Please send us a message.
If you are not a registered user please send us an email to [email protected]
All copyrighted material (movie posters, DVD covers, stills, trailers) and trademarks belong to their respective producers and/or distributors.
For US ratings information please visit: www.mpaa.org www.filmratings.com www.parentalguide.org