Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Director:

Otto Preminger

Writers:

Wendell Mayes (screenplay)
John D. Voelker (based on the novel by)

Release Date:

September 1959 (Austria)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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?

Plot Keywords:

Attorney | Murder | Rape | Temporary Insanity | District Attorney

Awards:

Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

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
Ned Wever	...	Dr. Raschid
Jimmy Conlin	...	Clarence Madigan
Royal Beal	...	Sheriff Battisfore
Joseph Kearns	...	Lloyd Burke
Don Ross	...	Duane 'Duke' Miller
Lloyd Le Vasseur	...	Court Clerk
James Waters	...	Army Sergeant 1st Class
Joseph N. Welch	...	Judge Weaver
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Duke Ellington	...	Pie Eye (uncredited)
Irv Kupcinet	...	Distinguished Gentleman (uncredited)
Mrs. Joseph Welch	...	Juror (uncredited)

Directed by
Otto Preminger

Writing credits
Wendell Mayes		(screenplay)
John D. Voelker		(based on the novel by) (as Robert Traver)

Produced by
Otto Preminger	....	producer

Original Music by
Duke Ellington

Cinematography by
Sam Leavitt		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Louis R. Loeffler

Production Design by
Boris Leven

Makeup Department
Del Armstrong	....	makeup
Harry Ray	....	makeup
Myrl Stoltz	....	hairdresser
Madine Danks	....	hairdresser (uncredited)
Norman Pringle	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Henry Weinberger	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Silver	....	assistant director
Hal W. Polaire	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Ray Taylor Jr.	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Howard Bristol	....	set dresser
Saul Bass	....	poster designer (uncredited)
Wallace Carr	....	assistant set dresser (uncredited)
Irving W. Sindler	....	props (uncredited)
Ken Walton	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jack Solomon	....	sound
Bill Flannery	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Harry Foy	....	recordist (uncredited)
Don Hall	....	sound effects (uncredited)
Al Yaylian	....	cable (uncredited)

Special Effects by
George Harris	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James Almond	....	lighting technician
Leo McCreary	....	key grip
Irving Rosenberg	....	camera operator
Bert Chaliacombe	....	best boy (uncredited)
Gjon Mili	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Al St. Hilaire	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Bob Uhl	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Hope Bryce	....	costume coordinator
Vou Lee Giokaris	....	wardrobe
Michael J. Harte	....	wardrobe (as Michael Harte)
Paula Giokaris	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Norman Martien	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
John Loeffler	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Michael Vittes	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Richard Carruth	....	music editor
Duke Ellington	....	musician: piano (uncredited)
Johnny Hodges	....	musician (uncredited)
Billy Strayhorn	....	musician: piano (uncredited)
Clark Terry	....	musician (uncredited)
Britt Woodman	....	musician (uncredited)

Other crew
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Kathleen Fagan	....	script supervisor
William T. Hurtz	....	director: animated titles
Otto Preminger	....	presenter
Max Slater	....	assistant to the producer
Robert E. Blair	....	dog trainer (uncredited)
Dave Golding	....	publicist (uncredited)
Jim Merrick	....	publicist (uncredited)
Nat Rudich	....	publicist (uncredited)
John D. Voelker	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Carlyle Productions (An Otto Preminger Film)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1959) (USA) (theatrical) (distributed by) (as Columbia Pictures Corporation)
• Columbia Film-Verleih (1959) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia International Films (1959) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1970) (USA) (TV)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• International DVD Group (2010) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2003) (Argentina) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

160 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

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 (f) | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | USA:TV-PG | Spain:13 | Australia:PG (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

2nd Floor, Marquette County Courthouse - 234 W. Baraga Avenue, Marquette, Michigan, USA

Company:

Carlyle Productions

Trivia:

James Stewart's father was so offended by the film, which he deemed "a dirty picture", that he took out an ad in his local newspaper telling people not to see it.

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of Paul's hat changes on the antler rack while he was in talking to Laura.

Quotes:

Paul Biegler:All right, the cat's out of the bag; it's fair game for me to chase it!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Jack Benny Program: Jack Directs Film (#14.6)" (1963)

Intense, Dramatic, Well Crafted Suspense...

Well filmed, beautifully acted, and painstakingly directed, this film deserves the highest praise.

James Stewart brings his customary stammering, quirky charm to a role that could have easily become overwhelmingly serious. Lee Remick is seen establishing her early image as the somehow fragile, undeniably seductive pawn (see also "A Face in The Crowd"), while Gazzara wavers intensely somewhere between heartless murderer and protective husband. The supporting cast is strong, creating a human backdrop for the senior players, keeping the story in the real world, effectively preventing this from becoming an exercise in legal theory.

This film is noteworthy for a myriad of reasons, but most specifically because it addresses the still controversial issue of acquaintance rape, and presents us with a victim of questionable morals. At the same time our murder victim is seen as a monster, then a friend and father. There really are no heroes here, no noble defenders, no pristine heroines, no completely innocent bystanders...both sides take their turns pointing fingers, each claiming that the other only got what they deserved.

We are forced to re-evaluate our thoughts on what constitutes justifiable homicide--the unwritten law that Manion speaks of in the film versus the law as written that Biegler must now interpret. This manipulation of intended meaning sets a somewhat tragic precedent evident in the legal system we work within today.

This film is highly entertaining, and excellent for discussion. Watch it with some of your more philosophical friends.