English Through Films: The Rope

B

Before watching

____________ a shop that sells high quality cheeses, salads, cooked meats etc
____________ dress in fancy clothes
____________ a vegetable with long pale green stems that you can eat cooked or uncooked
____________ eat a large amount of food quickly
____________ dull and making you feel sad or bored
____________ a room or hall at the entrance to a public building
____________ a good friend
____________ all the rules and details relating to a contract or agreement
____________ a sudden feeling that you would like to do or have something, especially when there is no important or good reason
____________ a piece of equipment that stops a piano string from making a sound
____________ a special cupboard into which people in the past put ice in order to keep food cold
____________ extremely worried and frightened about a situation, so that you cannot control your feelings
____________ to try to find out details about someone else's private life in an impolite way
____________ to try to find out about someone's private affairs by secretly looking in their house, examining their possessions etc
____________ to talk continuously about silly and unimportant things
____________ dispose of, terminate or take out, dispose of
____________ a large untidy pile of things
____________ having a close connection or relationship, especially one you do not approve of
____________ to praise someone in order to please them or get something from them, even though you do not mean it
____________ a plant with small white berries, which grows on trees. It is traditional to kiss people under a piece of mistletoe at Christmas.
____________ a main branch on a tree
____________ polite friendly conversation about unimportant subjects
____________ someone who sees a crime or an accident and can describe what happened
____________ to wash something by pouring a lot of water over it or into it

small talk
damper
to doll up
bough
celery
flatter
foyer
dreary
prattle
cosy
mistletoe
chum
small print
whim
swill
icebox
Delicatessen
frantic
pry
snoop
get rid of
gobble up
heap
witness

C

Before watching

____________ host at the party
____________ pianist
____________ publisher
____________ College Student
____________ columnist
____________ David's father
____________ David's aunt
____________ housekeeper
____________ victim

Mrs. Anita Atwater
Janet Walker
Phillip Morgan
Mrs. Wilson
Rupert Cadell
Kenneth Lawrence
Mr. Henry Kentley
David Kentley
Brandon Shaw

2

After watching

What does Brandon give Phillip to hide away?

BRANDON
[lights a cigarette, then smokes]

Phillip, we don't have too much time.
It's the darkness that's got you down.
Nobody really feels safe in the dark.
Nobody who's ever a child, that is.
I'll open these, alright?

[goes to the windows, then opens the shutters]

There. That's much better.
What a lovely evening.
Pity we couldn't have done it with 
the curtains open in the bright sunlight.
Well... We can't have everything. Can we?
We did do it in daytime.
Alright now, Phillip?	
PHILLIP
Yes.
BRANDON
You better put those away in my chequebook drawer behind the box.

A pair of gloves.
His cufflinks.
His chequebooks.

2

After watching

What are they celebrating?

PHILLIP
May I have a drink now?
BRANDON
By all means. This is an occasion.
It calls for champagne.
PHILLIP
Champagne?
BRANDON
I put some on the icebox.

They have actually commited a murder.
They have won a price at the races.
They are throwing a big party.

5

After watching

Who says the following lines?

We agreed there was only one crime

I went to five stores for the special pâté we like.

Of all the people on this Earth, Rupert Cadell Is the one man likely to suspect.

6

After watching

BRANDON
What would you say to some champagne?
JANET

I'd love some.
Hello, champagne.
No, thank you.

6

After watching

KENNETH
Trying to get ready for exams. I have to start cramming before everyone else.

Cramming means:

to prepare yourself for an examination by learning a lot of information quickly
to study well in advance of an examination
to prepare books, notes and summaries prior to studying for a course

6

After watching

KENNETH I hear Rupert's coming.
BRANDON He was invited, but you never know with Rupert.
KENNETH I hope he does. How is he?
JANET Who is he?
PHILLIP Rupert Cadell was our in prep school.
JANET Housemaster for you little dears?
BRANDON Four little dears. He tried valiantly to teach David too.
KENNETH Rupert's a , isn't he?
JANET Succesful? Maybe he can give me a .
PHILLIP Rupert only publishes books he likes, usually philosophy.
JANET Oh. Small print, big words, no .
PHILLIP Right.
BRANDON Rupert's extremely .
Do you know that he selects his books based on the
Assumption that people not only can read but actually can think?
Curious fellow, but I like him.
KENNETH You always did.
Golly, those bull you and Rupert used to have in school.
Brandon would sit up till all hours at the master's feet.
JANET Brandon at someone's feet?
Who is this Rupert?
KENNETH He used to tell you the things.
JANET Really? What sort of things?
BRANDON I suppose Kenneth means Rupert's impatience with social conventions.
For example, he thinks murder is a for most men, but -
PHILLIP A for the few.

7

After watching

Phillip hurts his hand with…

A knife after carving a chicken.
A glass after squeezing it.
A sheet of paper from a book.

7

After watching

Mr. Kently notes that has a great physical resemblance to .

8

After watching

Phillip was born in , so his horoscope sign is and so he is a

8

After watching

Phillip hurts his hand with…

If he and Brandon are going to get away with the murder.
If his debut concert is going to be a success.
If he will date Janet.

9

After watching

What is the reason Brandon gives Rupert Cadell for throwing out the party?

So he could show Mr. Kentley some old books.
As a farewell party to Phillip before leaving New York.
The former options are both true.

What is “The Mistletoe Bough”?

The name of one of the books Brandon shows Mr. Kentley.
The name of the last film Mrs. Atwater has seen.
The name of Brandon's favourite tale at prep school.

11

After watching

Who says the following lines?

And personally I think that a chicken is as good a reason for murder as a blonde, a mattress full of dollar bills, or any of the customary, unimaginative reasons.

I must say, I've had a perfectly, dreadful time getting tickets for that new musical, what's it called?

In any case, I'd rather not hear any more of your, forgive me, contempt, for humanity, and for the standards of a world that I believe is civilized.

Good and evil, right and wrong were invented for the ordinary average man, the inferior man, because he needs them.

Mr. Kentley, wouldn't you like to see the books now?

12

After watching

Kenneth threw Janet over:

On a Friday.
On a Saturday.
On a Sunday.

13

After watching

Rupert Cadell offers a dessert to:

Mrs. Atwater
Mrs. Wilson
Miss Walker

15

After watching

On leaving the party, Rupert Cadell puts on a hat with:

Two golden characters.
One golden character.
Two silver characters.

15

After watching

When Rupert Cadell returns to Brandon's apartment, he tells Phillip he has lost:

His hip flask.
His cigarette case.
His cigarette holder.

Rupert Cadell finds his lost item:

Behind the armchair.
Over the bar table.
Behind a stack of books.

Phillip and Brandon are headed that night for:

Connecticut.
Maine.
New Hampshire.

Brandon hides in his right pocket:

A rope.
A knife.
A gun.

16

After watching

What does Rupert Cadell take out of his pocket that makes Phillip so nervous?

A knife.
A rope.
A gun.

17

After watching

Rupert lets the world know of what Brandon and Phillip did to David Kentley...

By shouting for help.
By shooting the gun into the air.
By phoning the authorities.