The Trial (1962) Le procès (original title)

Director:

Orson Welles

Writers:

Franz Kafka (novel)
Orson Welles (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

30 March 1963 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

An unassuming office worker is arrested and stands trial, but he is never made aware of his charges.

Plot Keywords:

Paranoia | Enigma | Criminal | Bureaucrat | Imagery

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Anthony Perkins	...	Josef K.
Jeanne Moreau	...	Marika Burstner
Romy Schneider	...	Leni
Elsa Martinelli	...	Hilda
Suzanne Flon	...	Miss Pittl
Orson Welles	...	Albert Hastler (The Advocate)
Akim Tamiroff	...	Bloch
Madeleine Robinson	...	Mrs. Grubach
Arnoldo Foà	...	Inspector A
Fernand Ledoux	...	Chief Clerk of the Law Court
Michael Lonsdale	...	Priest
Max Buchsbaum	...	Examining Magistrate
Max Haufler	...	Uncle Max
Maurice Teynac	...	Deputy Manager
Wolfgang Reichmann	...	Courtroom Guard
Thomas Holtzmann	...	Bert the law student
Billy Kearns	...	First Assistant Inspector
Jess Hahn	...	Second Assistant Inspector
Naydra Shore	...	Irmie, Joseph K.'s cousin
Carl Studer	...	Man in Leather
Jean-Claude Rémoleux	...	Policeman
Raoul Delfosse	...	Policeman
William Chappell	...	Titorelli
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Guy Grosso	...	K's colleague (uncredited)
Paola Mori	...	Court archivist (uncredited)

Directed by
Orson Welles

Writing credits
Franz Kafka		(novel)
Orson Welles		(screenplay)
Pierre Cholot		(French dialogue adaptation) uncredited

Produced by
Michael Salkind	....	executive producer
Alexander Salkind	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Jean Ledrut

Cinematography by
Edmond Richard

Film Editing by
Yvonne Martin
Frederick Muller		(as Fritz H. Muller)
Orson Welles		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Jean Mandaroux

Costume Design by
Helen Thibault		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Louis Dor	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert Florat	....	production manager
Emile Blondé	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Philippe Dubail	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Jacques Pignier	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marc Maurette	....	assistant director
Sophie Becker	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Paul Seban	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Jean Bourlier	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Jacques Brizzio	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Madame Brunet	....	dresser (uncredited)
Jean Charpentier	....	upholsterer (uncredited)
Francine Coureau	....	upholsterer (uncredited)
Jacques D'Ovidio	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
André Labussière	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Claudie Thary	....	dresser (uncredited)
Pierre Tyberghein	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jacques Lebreton	....	sound mixer
Guy Villette	....	sound
Julien Coutelier	....	sound (uncredited)
Urbain Loiseau	....	assistant sound (uncredited)
Guy Maillet	....	assistant sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Denise Baby	....	special effects editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Adolphe Charlet	....	camera operator
Roger Corbeau	....	still photographer
Max Dulac	....	assistant camera
Robert Fraisse	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Andrea Gargano	....	final colorist (uncredited)
Gérard Pollicand	....	associate editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Jean Ledrut	....	music arranger

Other crew
Alexander Alexeieff	....	prologue scenes
Paul Laffargue	....	assistant to director of production
Yves Laplanche	....	promoter
Claire Parker	....	prologue scenes
Jacques Pignier	....	administrator
Alexander Salkind	....	presenter
Jacques Brua	....	accountant (uncredited)
Sonia Bunodiere	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Pierre Bénichou	....	press attache (uncredited)
Paul Bürks	....	voice dubbing (uncredited)
Henry Dutrannoy	....	production administrator (uncredited)
Marie-José Kling	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Florence Malraux	....	press attache (uncredited)
Guy Maugin	....	location manager (uncredited)
André Nicard	....	publicist (uncredited)
Gisèle Pellet-Collet	....	production secretary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paris-Europa Productions
• Hisa-Film (co-production)
• Finanziaria Cinematografica Italiana (FICIT) (co-production)

Distributors

• UFA-Cormacico (1962) (France) (theatrical)
• Astor Pictures Corporation (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• Suomi-Filmi (1963) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV) (1984) (Finland) (TV)
• TV3 (1989) (Finland) (TV)
• Roan Group, The (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Roan Group, The (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Hollywood Classics (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Milestone Film & Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• New Yorker Video (1998) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen) (for Milestone Film & Video)
• Take 2 Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• VCI Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Lorber (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Delta Expedition (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• FOCUSfilm Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• FOCUSfilm Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Madman Entertainment (2002) (Australia) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Passport International Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• YLE Teema (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• DNC Home Entertainment (2007) (Italy) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (USA) (all media)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Arthaus Filmverleih (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Astor
• Connoisseur Video (????) (UK) (VHS)
• Studiocanal Vidéo (????) (France) (DVD)
• Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC)

Other Companies

• Chappell  music editing
• LAX Lab.  optical effects
• Marlene Weisman Abadi  vhs design (1998 New Yorker release)
• Milestone Film & Video  VHS package design (1998 New Yorker release)
• Philips  soundtrack
• Screen Time Images  audio restoration
• Screen Time Images  film restoration
• Studios de Boulogne  studios

Also Known As:

"Le procès" - France (original title)

Runtime:

118 min | USA:107 min (TV version : 1984)

Country:

France | West Germany | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Optiphone) (source format)

Certification:

Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:16 (bw) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-12 (re-rating: 1981) | Finland:K-16 (original rating: 1963) | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | New Zealand:PG | Netherlands:18

Filming Locations:

Zagreb Fair, 15 Dubrovnik Avenue, Zagreb, Croatia

Company:

Paris-Europa Productions

Trivia:

Orson Welles reportedly dubbed a few lines of 'Anthony Perkins'' dialog. Perkins later said he could never figure out which lines they were.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Josef K. follows Hilda being carried out of the large trial room/hall by the law student, he hastily grabs and throws on his suit jacket. In the succeeding scenes, the jacket's buttons which are buttoned changes.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator:Before the law, there stands a guard. A man comes from the country, begging admittance to the law. But the guard cannot admit him. May he hope to enter at a later time? That is possible, said the guard. The man tries to peer through the entrance. He'd been taught that the law was to be accessible to every man...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Romy (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Adagio in G

Beautiful.

After reading some of the other user comments for this movie, I feel a bit out of my league. Unlike the other reviewers, I do not belong to Mensa, and I am not going to even TRY to show how this movie represents "social regimentation" or whatever.

Instead, I am simply going to say what I like best about it: the atmosphere. This is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. Welles did a superb job of capturing an uneasy, nightmarish feeling. The camera angles and perspectives are perfect.

"The Trial" basically consists of scene after scene of surreal settings. We get to see endless rows of people working on typewriters, the inside of a crate while hundreds of eyes peer through the cracks, a labyrinth of tall bookshelves stacked with old law books, and tons of other dark surrealism that is amazing to look at.

As far as plot goes, Anthony Perkins is trapped in a corrupt judicial system, accused of an unspecified crime. He does a great job of making his character a paranoid wreck, and you can't help but feel paranoid yourself while watching the movie. Sometimes there is a spacious atmosphere, and other times it is extremely claustrophobic. And it is all perfectly done in black and white.

I highly recommend watching this, if only to look at the awesome sets. You will think you are in a nightmare yourself.