History YMMV / Rope

* ValuesDissonance: Of course, the reason for the two men to be AmbiguouslyGay is because the UsefulNotes/HaysCode would not allow for such a thing to be shown in a film.

** The nature of the two men's relationship as well. In the play the film is based on, they're clearly gay. In the film it's relegated to subtext (as mandated by the MoralGuardians at the time). The apartment has two rooms (Brandon makes mention of "the first bedroom") and none of their friends seem to find anything odd in their behaviour. There is the possibility that Philip is gay and Brandon isn't (since he mentions a past relationship with Janet — though that could be Janet as TheBeard), adding to the possibility that Philip went along with everything out of a one-way crush.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation:

*** For that matter, does Rupert actually truly believe the ideas he preaches, or is it all just an act intended for shock value? Or [[TakeAThirdOption does he believe it but only as an interesting philosophical theory and not as an actual basis of morality?]] Despite his repeated insistence that he ''does'' believe murder to be an art reserved for a few elites during the discussion on the matter at the party and the subsequent argument with Mr Kentley, he noticeably treats the discussion a lot with a lot more [[BlackComedy humour and generally has a more light-hearted attitude]] towards the idea than Brandon does, and his [[DeadpanSnarker general attitude]] towards the others during the party suggests that he's the kind of person who enjoys intentionally shocking people simply for the heck of it. [[spoiler:Even his TheReasonYouSuckSpeech where he renounces the idea is written just ambiguously enough that it could go either way.]]

* WTHCastingAgency: Creator/JamesStewart as an AmbiguouslyGay StrawNihilist? Stewart himself viewed this as one of his weakest performances.

* HarsherInHindsight: It's pretty much written into the film. Janet gives Kenneth a speech about how David became her SecondLove — and she's looking forward to marrying him. But she won't get to marry him at all because he's been killed.

* MoralEventHorizon: Brandon and Phillip cross it by murdering David Kent just to feel superior to everyone else.
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: As noted [[https://betterwithbob.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/my-100-favourite-films-in-review-number-98-rope/ here]], Rupert falls headlong into this. His discovery of [[spoiler:David's corpse]] is meant to be a wake-up call that his philosophy is horrifying. And yet the film ignores the fact that Rupert influenced Brandon for years on it — only to refuse to take any responsibility towards the end.

** Brandon gets a bit of very BlackComedy in by [[spoiler:wrapping the books for Mr. Kentley n the very rope he strangled his son with]]. It's so shocking it's bound to incite chuckles.

** Rupert’s final piece of evidence is David’s monogrammed hat. These days, the initials DK bring [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong something quite different]] to mind.

* ValuesDissonance: Of course, the reason for the two men to be AmbiguouslyGay is because the Hays Code would not allow for such a thing to be shown in a film.

* WTHCastingAgency: Creator/JamesStewart as an AmbiguouslyGay StrawNihilist? Stewart himself viewed this as one of his weakest performances.

* AwardSnub: Fans these days are shocked that John Dall was never nominated for an award for his chilling yet FauxAffablyEvil portrayal of Brandon.

** Brandon gets a bit of very BlackComedy in by [[spoiler:wrapping the books for Mr. Ketterly in the very rope he strangled his son with]]. It's so shocking it's bound to incite chuckles.