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"Look at me boy! Take a good look! Cause I'm the last living thing you're ever gonna see!"
Truman Capote painstakingly wrote a non-fiction novel of the true story surrounding the brutal slaughter of a Kansas family in their home. This novel was a literature masterpiece that is still widely acclaimed to this day. The novel was titled In Cold Blood and was the source material for this film of the same name.
The true story that is told in the movie: Perry Smith (Blake) and Dick Hickox (Wilson) were convinced (by Hickox's former cell mate) that a wealthy family in Kansas possessed a safe containing $10,000. Driven by the promise of cash they drove several hundred miles to the home. On November 14, 1959, the two men broke into the Kansas farmhouse belonging to the Clutter family. Failing to find the safe, they killed all four members of the much-respected Clutters.
The film chronicles the lead-up, then the aftermath of the murder. The men are on the run as they travel first to Mexico before returning to the United States where they are eventually caught. The other half of the film tells the story of their conviction and subsequent execution. While we see Perry and Dick on the run we are also shown the other side of the story; the investigation by Kansas Bureau of Investigation (they are called this because the FBI did not approve of the script) as they work to find the identities of the men who committed such a heinous crime.
Some criticism the film received (from dumb audiences) is in relation to the film following the two men who executed a horrendous crime. Why are we supposed to care about them? It's very straightforward - the men are not shown as psychopaths or deranged killers. There is no need. In real life the men were ordinary and real. This makes the film even more chilling; that individually they are two personalities incapable of conceiving the crime. But together they form a third personality that committed the quadruple homicide.
In Cold Blood is a character film that boasts several fine performances. Robert Blake's performance is iconic and flawless. I was immediately engaged in everything he was doing. And the final shot of the movie really hit home. Blake is truly electrifying. The poignancy of his portrayal broke me down to tears. He is matched by an equally superb performance from Scott Wilson as his partner Hickox. Both men never appear to be acting; they are wholly believable and engaging. For a few times during the film I forgot I was watching a movie.
The direction and cinematography assisted in this feeling as well. Using grainy black and white photography almost makes it appear to be archive footage. The film has been tagged as a "semi-documentary" because it frankly feels like a documentary rather than a staged movie. The writer/director Richard Brooks created an unnerving atmosphere. This is definitely one of his best movies. His script was naturalistic and exceptional; even finding space for some sneaky film references (such as Blake talking about The Treasure of the Sierra Madre). Topped off beautifully with a jazzy score courtesy of Quincy Jones. The score really helps to establish the atmosphere as well.
Overall, In Cold Blood is a powerful and compelling experience that tells a truly fascinating story. Like the book, the film is a documentary-style narrative that portrays the characters exactly how they were without being over-the-top or typical Hollywood. In this day and age it's very hard to find a movie as moving and potent as this sublime production. In a nutshell: In Cold Blood cannot be missed at any cost. The story of Capote writing his novel is told in the film Capote.
9/10
