In Cold Blood (1967)

In 1959, the Clutter family was murdered by two paroled convicts. Perry Smith (Robert Blake) and Dick Hicock (Scott Wilson) were former cellmates, reunited by Dick to rob the Clutters, who were wealthy ranchers living in Kansas. Afterwards, Dick and Perry foolishly passed the Clutter's checks until they were captured. John Forsythe plays the police detective leading the investigation. Paul Stewart (the butler from Citizen Kane) plays the Capote substitute who serves as Perry's death row biographer.

Richard Brooks adapted Truman Capote's nonfiction bestseller into a crime drama. In a change from the dispassionate tone of the book, Brooks made the murderers appear sympathetic, especially Perry. Perry is a gentle person throughout; he just has the bad habit of killing people whenever Dick asks him to.

In Cold Blood theorizes that Dick and Perry would never have committed the murders separately. Dick plots murder, but is unable to pull the trigger. Perry is a dreamer, and is only violent when provoked. But apparently, Dick is able to provoke him. (Perhaps because he keeps referring to him as 'baby'!) The degree to which you accept the characters of Dick and Perry is likely proportional to how highly you will regard the film.

Robert Blake's character makes frequent reference to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). Of course, Blake had a key role in that film. He's the Mexican child who sells the winning lottery ticket to Humphrey Bogart.

As producer, director and writer, Brooks had nearly complete artistic control of the project. He rejected studio attempts to make the film in color, and to cast the criminal leads with big box office draws. Dick could have been played by Paul Newman, for example.

Brooks was nearly obsessive about authenticity. The Cutters' own house was used. Extras were cast from their neighborhood. The general store where the rope was purchased was used as a location. Six of the actual jurors were cast, as was the actual hangman of Dick and Perry.

The light jazz score is by Quincy Jones.

The most famous shot of the film comes shortly before Perry's execution. He's reflecting on his wasted life. It is raining, and light coming through the window lands on his face. The rainwater seeping down the window is reflected, and it gives the impression that he is crying. This scene was referenced in the cinematography documentary Visions of Light (1992), where it was revealed that the shot was accidental. (46/100)