Judd Steiner (played by Dean Stockwell) is a protagonist in Compulsion.
Submissive graduate law student who follows dominant friend Artie's criminal commands. To prove their Nietzschean "superman" superiority, Judd proposes murdering a boy for ransom. He drops his distinctive glasses at the crime scene and later fails to maintain a fabricated alibi. Under intense interrogation, he cracks and confirms details but insists Artie committed the actual murder. Jonathan Wilk (played by Orson Welles) appears in Compulsion.
Famed attorney who takes the defense of Steiner and Straus. He delivers a passionate closing argument against capital punishment, successfully saving them from the death penalty. His legal strategy results in the pair receiving life sentences instead of hanging. District Attorney Harold Horn (played by E.G. Marshall) appears in Compulsion.
Prosecutes the case by conducting intensive, hours-long interrogations of both suspects. His relentless questioning ultimately breaks their resistance, leading to their confessions and implicating each other in the murder. Ruth Evans (played by Diane Varsi) appears in Compulsion.
Girlfriend of classmate Sid Brooks. Despite Judd having almost assaulted her, she expresses sympathy toward him during the investigation and trial proceedings. Sid Brooks (played by Martin Milner) appears in Compulsion.
Classmate and newspaper worker who discovers crucial evidence near the victim's body. He realizes the eyeglasses found do not belong to the victim but match Judd's distinctive pair, making them a key link in the police investigation.
Compulsion (1959) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
Judd Steiner
(played by Dean Stockwell) — protagonist
Submissive graduate law student who follows dominant friend Artie's criminal commands. To prove their Nietzschean "superman" superiority, Judd proposes murdering a boy for ransom. He drops his distinc...
Jonathan Wilk
(played by Orson Welles) — supporting
Famed attorney who takes the defense of Steiner and Straus. He delivers a passionate closing argument against capital punishment, successfully saving them from the death penalty. His legal strategy re...
District Attorney Harold Horn
(played by E.G. Marshall) — supporting
Prosecutes the case by conducting intensive, hours-long interrogations of both suspects. His relentless questioning ultimately breaks their resistance, leading to their confessions and implicating eac...
Ruth Evans
(played by Diane Varsi) — supporting
Girlfriend of classmate Sid Brooks. Despite Judd having almost assaulted her, she expresses sympathy toward him during the investigation and trial proceedings.
Sid Brooks
(played by Martin Milner) — supporting
Classmate and newspaper worker who discovers crucial evidence near the victim's body. He realizes the eyeglasses found do not belong to the victim but match Judd's distinctive pair, making them a key...
Key Relationships
Sid Brooks → Jonathan Wilk
(Alliance Indirect Supporter)
Sid Brooks → District Attorney Harold Horn
(Professional Investigative Witness)
Jonathan Wilk → District Attorney Harold Horn
(Conflict Legal Adversary)
Sid Brooks → Ruth Evans
(Romantic Partner)
Judd Steiner → District Attorney Harold Horn
(Professional Prosecutor)
Judd Steiner → Jonathan Wilk
(Professional Defense Attorney)
Judd Steiner → Ruth Evans
(Social Sympathizer)
Judd Steiner → Sid Brooks
(Social Classmate)
Story Analysis
A psychological drama exploring the destructive consequences of Nietzschean philosophy and intellectual arrogance.
