In Cold Blood is a film based on Truman Capote's book of the same name. Richard Brooks prepared the adaptation and directed the film. Some scenes were filmed on the locations of the original events, in Garden City and Holcomb, Kansas including the Clutter residence, the site of the murders. The film stars Robert Blake as Perry Smith, Scott Wilson as Richard "Dick" Hickock, and John Forsythe as Alvin Dewey. Although the film is in parts faithful to the book, Brooks created a fictional character, "The Reporter" (played by Paul Stewart). This was also the first commercially released film in the US to use the word 'shit'. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards: Director, Original Score, Cinematography and Adapted Screenplay.

Plot

Perry Smith and "Dick" Hickock concoct a plan to invade the home of the Clutter family, as Mr. Clutter supposedly keeps a large supply of cash on-hand in a safe. While the two criminals felt that their plan for the robbery was sound, it quickly unravels, resulting in the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Clutter, as well as two of their teenage children. The bodies of the Clutter family are discovered the next day, and a police investigation is immediately launched.

As the investigation builds, the two wanted men continue to elude law enforcement but are eventually arrested. The police interrogate the two men and confront them with evidence, such as a bloody footprint matching the boots worn by one of the men, but are slowed by Smith's refusal to provide answers. The police claim that another mistake made by the men is that they left a witness. Finally, Hickock confesses and states that he does not want to be executed for the crime.

Smith and Hickock are found guilty of the crime and sentenced to be hanged. A representation of their final moments and execution is shown at the conclusion of the film.

Cast

• Robert Blake as Perry Smith
• Scott Wilson as Dick Hickock
• John Forsythe as Alvin Dewey
• Paul Stewart as Reporter
• Gerald S. O'Loughlin as Harold Nye
• Jeff Corey as Dick's father
• John Gallaudet as Roy Church
• James Flavin as Clarence Duntz
• Charles McGraw as Perry's father
• Jim Lantz as Officer Rohleder
• Will Geer as Prosecuting attorney

TV movie remake

A 1996 miniseries was also made based on the book. In that adaptation, Anthony Edwards portrayed Dick Hickock, Eric Roberts played Perry Smith, and Sam Neill played Kansas Bureau of Investigation detective Alvin Dewey.

See also

• In Cold Blood (novel)
• Capote a film about Capote's researching and writing of In Cold Blood.

External links