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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
John D. Voelker (novel)
Wendell Mayes (screenplay)
Release Date:
1 July 1959 (USA) more
Plot:
In a murder trial, the defendant says he suffered temporary insanity after the victim raped his wife. What is the truth, and will he win his case? full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 11 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Topics/Questions/Exercises Of The Week—13 November 2009
(From The Auteurs. 13 November 2009, 8:45 AM, PST)
New poster for The Mechanic
(From TotalFilm. 28 September 2009, 5:03 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
First-Class Courtroom Drama more (140 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| James Stewart | ... | Paul Biegler | |
| Lee Remick | ... | Laura Manion | |
| Ben Gazzara | ... | Lt. Frederick Manion | |
| Arthur O'Connell | ... | Parnell Emmett McCarthy | |
| Eve Arden | ... | Maida Rutledge | |
| Kathryn Grant | ... | Mary Pilant | |
| George C. Scott | ... | Asst. State Atty. Gen. Claude Dancer | |
| Orson Bean | ... | Dr. Matthew Smith | |
| Russ Brown | ... | George Lemon | |
| Murray Hamilton | ... | Alphonse Paquette | |
| Brooks West | ... | Dist. Atty. Mitch Lodwick | |
| Ken Lynch | ... | Det. Sgt. James Durgo | |
| John Qualen | ... | Deputy Sheriff Sulo | |
| Howard McNear | ... | Dr. Dompierre | |
| Alexander Campbell | ... | Dr. W. Gregory Harcourt |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
160 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
Australia:M | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1959) | Sweden:15 | UK:12A (re-rating) (2005) | UK:12 (video re-rating) 2001) | UK:15 (video rating) (1988) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:Unrated | West Germany:16 | Iceland:12
Filming Locations:
2nd Floor, Marquette County Courthouse - 234 W. Baraga Avenue, Marquette, Michigan, USA more
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The Lee Remick part was turned down by Jayne Mansfield. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Several times in the movie one of the characters makes a humorous comment and you hear the courtroom audience burst out laughing; however, when the camera immediately turns to the audience, they are shown completely still and without emotion. more
Quotes:
Judge Weaver: One judge is quite like another. The only differences may be in the state of their digestions or their proclivities for sleeping on the bench. For myself, I can digest pig iron. And while I might appear to doze occasionally, you will find that I am easily awakened, particularly if shaken gently by a good lawyer with a nice point of law. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Crimen ferpecto (2004) more
FAQ
A Note Regarding SpoilersHow much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Is this movie based on a novel?
more
more (140 total)
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As a courtroom drama, "Anatomy of a Murder" would be hard to surpass. It is a first-class production with an interesting and unpredictable story plus a strong cast. It works admirably, both as a story and as a portrayal of the workings of the law. It avoids the labored dramatics and contrived resolutions in which so many movies of the genre indulge, and it also declines to shy away from pointing out the more ill-conceived features of the legal system.
From his first scene, James Stewart pulls the viewer right into the world of lawyer Paul Biegler. It takes little time before you come to know him and to get a pretty good idea of what his life is like. His scenes with Arthur O'Connell work well in rounding out the picture. The two are neither heroic nor brilliant, but simply sympathetic and believable.
Into Biegler's world then come the characters played by Ben Gazzara and Lee Remick, a married couple with more than their share of faults. By making them less than ideal clients, the movie takes a chance on losing the audience's sympathy, but it adds credibility and complexity to the story. Both roles are played well - again, it seems as if you know a lot more about them than is specifically stated.
When George C. Scott enters the picture, he adds yet another dimension. His character arrives at just the right time to complicate the plot, and his legal skirmishing with Stewart makes some dry material come to life in an interesting way. Eve Arden also has some good moments, and her character is used in just the right amount to add some amusement without causing a distraction from the main story. It's also interesting to see Joseph Welch as the judge, and his portrayal works well enough.
Otto Preminger holds everything together nicely, with the right amount of detail and a pace that keeps the story moving steadily. The result is a very nice contrast to the many run-of-the mill legal/courtroom movies that present such an idealized view of the justice system. It maintains a careful balance, making clear the flaws and unpleasant realities of the system, yet never taking cheap shots either. And it's also an interesting and involved story, one of the most carefully-crafted of its kind.