Compulsion (1959): cast, story & where to watch
1959 · Film · ★ 7
Released in 1959, Compulsion is a drama and crime film directed by Richard Fleischer, running about 103 minutes. “THEIRS WAS THE PERFECT CRIME they thought! They were too sure...too smart...too careful to leave a clue -- but they did! and it exploded -- The shocking story of two teenagers out for kicks..” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Two close friends kidnap and murder a young boy and are defended in court by a renowned attorney who makes an impassioned plea against capital punishment.
Who’s in it. Compulsion stars Orson Welles as Jonathan Wilk, Diane Varsi as Ruth Evans, Dean Stockwell as Judd Steiner and Bradford Dillman as Arthur A. Straus, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, Compulsion has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Compulsion page.
If you liked it. Fans of Compulsion tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Compulsion (1959)?
- In US, Compulsion is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Compulsion worth watching?
- Compulsion holds an audience score of 7.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and crime. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Compulsion?
- Compulsion stars Orson Welles, Diane Varsi, Dean Stockwell, Bradford Dillman and E.G. Marshall.
- When was Compulsion released?
- Compulsion was released in 1959, with a runtime of about 103 minutes.