Anatomy of a Murder
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Movie Reviews of Anatomy of a Murder
Movie Review: Preminger's Daring Courtroom Drama
Summary: 5 Stars
It would seem that 1959's ANATOMY OF A MURDER was the first film to break the Hollywood "production code" in terms of using sexual terminology on screen. Watching the movie makes one begin to understand how Hitchcock's PSYCHO happened a year later. Otto Preminger (whose movie about drug abuse, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM, had challenged the code in 1955) in ANATOMY OF A MURDER tells the story of lately unsuccessful bachelor lawyer Paul Biegler, who takes up the task of defending young Army Lieutenant Manion, who murdered his wife's rapist. As Biegler, who though easygoing (he loves jazz) is no fool, James Stewart gives an intense performance. The hard-boiled reporter of CALL NORTHSIDE 777 is there in his characterization, as is the Jefferson Smith (of MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON)-type idealist. As Laura Manion, Lee Remick is perfect, providing just the right amount of ambiguity (did this "voluptuous" woman subtly lead her rapist on? Is her marriage really so happy?) to make her character as fascinating as is Stewart's. Likewise, Ben Gazzara's Manion is hardly a sympathetic convict: he may have been justified in his crime, but he may also be a wife-beater. Riveting performances are given by George C. Scott as the prosecuting attorney, Claude Dancer, and Murray Hamilton as a witness for the prosecution. Just as his surname suggests, the big-city lawyer "dances" around the issues, rarely posing direct questions - yet he is so suave, dignified, and (at first) deferential in his manner that one scarcely notices how devious he is; his strength lies in this. Hamilton stands out as the murder victim's friend, who tries to save his memory but who withers in the face of Biegler's merciless questions. And this realist film contains two performances by non-actors: McCarthy era attorney Joseph N. Welch is delightfully natural as the judge; Duke Ellington, who wrote the movie's score, has a cameo as Biegler's jazz musician pal. Some may find Ellington's jazz score wrong for a small-town courtroom drama, but I think it appropriate on two counts. First, it is motivated by the protagonist's love of jazz, and second, it fits the sophisticated nature of the film's subject matter. To sum up: both as a daring `50's movie and as a standard-setter in edge-of-your-seat courtroom drama, ANATOMY OF A MURDER is essential viewing.
Movie Review: Preminger's most famous film, and one that holds up extremely well today...
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been watching the entire Otto Preminger catalog lately, and I got around to seeing what is arguably his most famous film. Seeing it again makes me realise that it's a masterpiece of tension, performances, dialogue, and cinematography.
There is so much to like about this film. Nothing here in the trial or the characterisations is present in black and white (there's even a dialogue by Stewart to a potential witness about how people aren't black and white). It is full blown ambiguity, resulting in a far more grown up and mature film than most current courtroom dramas are. It is also refreshingly un-PC, unlike modern courtroom dramas. I like to constrast this film with overblown, incredibly melodramatic shows like The Practice, which I used to watch simply because it was unintentionally hilarious, because everyone was so over the top (and this was before it changed into Boston Legal with William Shatner, the ultimate ham sandwich of an actor). Preminger's film is one of his masterworks, a great study of the legal system, a fascinating case of two intelligent, well equipped lawyers having a go for a somewhat sleazy client, and a very dramatic and stunning film.
Stewart is masterful here, playing the usual Jimmy Stewart character but with a more cynical side which suits him very well. Ben Gazarra is great as a bullying, prone to violence soldier, and Remick is outstanding as his hoochie, borderline slutty wife. Scott as a district attorney is mesmerizing in one of his first roles. Even the supporting performances are outstanding, with Murray Hamilton excellent as a bartender, Eve Arden as Stewart's secretary, and Joseph Welch, who is the judge of the case. Despite the fact that you will probably figure out how the jury will rule, the film is still rivetting. The confrontation between Remick and Scott is incredibly tense (enhanced by Preminger's long take style), and the final cross examination by Scott and a surprise witness is totally devastating.
Otto Preminger is very underrrated in cinema circles today, and I hope that opinion changes soon. This is one of his best films, and one of the best courtroom dramas ever made. It still holds up, despite scores of imitations and the explicitness of today's courtroom dramas.
Movie Review: Welcome to the Law, appearing nightly in Amiguity, Shaded while Illuminated
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great, great, classic American film, in the truest Hollywood sense, a stand up film that holds up generations later. Combining excellence from all aspects of the production, it's relevence as a story-both in sheer fundamental formalism and subjective psychological, legal realism-emphasizes it's essential artistry.
The appeal of a show like Law & Order lies in it's unification of the formula and the particular circumstances of that week, impelling our complex society as a mirror unto itself, and a film like Anatomy of a Murder succeeds in this and by drawing itself in shades of gray under cloudy skies against the rigors of law.
James Stewart, Lee Remick, George C. Scott and Joseph N. Welch are great here. Great performances that propell the murder trial of an Army Lieutenant who killed a bar owner who the Lieutenant's wife (Remick) says raped and beat her. That's all I feel is necessary to say about the plot. See this for it's technical and envigorating fleshing out of the tale, executed beautifully.
I knew in the first eight minutes that this was a classic, (the legendary Saul Bass' title sequence almost guaranteed it.) Whether the performances, the cinematography, the amazing score by Duke Ellington (who makes a cameo as a band leader, Pie Eye), the crisp courtroom dialogue, in particular between Stewart and Scott, or Remick's ambiguous tramp/femme fatale....
A note of note: Joseph N. Welch, who is terrific as the out-of-town judge, was the lawyer for the Army during the Army-McCarthy hearings of 1954, particularly famous for rebuking Senator McCarthy; "Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"
Five years after that, what with the maniacal onus of Otto Preminger, a film like this illuminated the significance of law, as the site where the infintely complicated lives of individuals are wrung through the system we've established to buffer ourselves as we progress into the abyss.
Movie Review: One Of Jimmy's Best! And Lee Remick Cinches The Deal!
Summary: 5 Stars
This 1959 courtroom drama starring the incomparable Jimmy Stewart is one of my favorite Stewart films. Jimmy's portrayal of a defense attorney is spot-on perfect here, in my view.There's a great supporting cast in force here as well, including Geoge C. Scott, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O'Connell, Eve Arden (hilarious, as always, in the role of Stewart's secretary), Murray Hamilton, Orson Bean, and the always-fetching Lee Remick (whose alluring quality is undeniable in this motion picture).
Keep an eye open for Howard McNear (Floyd the Barber in "The Andy Griffith Show") as a witness. It's quite humorous--and maybe even a tad bit unsettling even--to hear Floyd Lawson on the witness stand, speaking of sexual matters. Mayberry-ites would gasp in shock & horror I imagine. LOL.
Clocking in at a very lengthy 160 minutes, the film never drags. It moves at a snappy-enough pace to keep our interest the whole way, with a nice combination of scenes both inside and outside the courtroom.
There's an outstanding Duke Ellington score to propel the action, and as a bonus on the DVD edition, there's a perfectly-fantastic Photo Gallery section of stills from the film, underscored by Ellington's music from the movie. This is the best and classiest "Photo Gallery" extra you're likely to encounter on any DVD product as of this date.
Picture quality on the DVD looks just fine here. Aspect ratio is 1.33:1 (Full Frame), which I know irks the "Widescreen Only" crowd. However, from all the info I can gather, the 1.33 ratio IS indeed the Original Aspect Ratio for this film. So, it's OK by me, if this is the case.
If "Anatomy Of A Murder" is not currently in your DVD collection, you should probably be taken to court by lawyer Stewart for overlooking this fine motion picture experience. Get it now -- before Jimmy comes after you with a subpoena. :)
Movie Review: Classic movie - not actually pan and scan...
Summary: 5 Stars
A couple of years ago, there was a poll conducted among legal professionals (lawyers, judges, etc.) on what they felt was the best and most accurate courtroom picture ever made. "Anatomy of a Murder" was the unanimous choice. Those seeking to enter the legal profession will certainly enjoy this film, but so will those who have a love for classic Hollywood films. Otto Preminger was one of the best directors working in the Hollywood when the studio system began to collapse, and this is probably his best film.Tightly constructed with a superb cast and crisp writing, this is mainstream entertainment of the highest order.
Never one to let censorship interfer with reality, Preminger often tackled controversial subjects without sanitizing it. His groundbreaking films no longer seem controversial today, but because he never flinches from his subject matter, his films tend to date better than most of the period.
People have complained that this DVD is pan and scan. While it is full frame, it's not actually pan and scan. The film was originally photographed in a way that captured a full frame image, but was intended to be shown in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with the aid of a matte. As such, the film was composed for this aspect ratio. What they did for this DVD is transfer the entire image, exposing parts of the frame that was never meant to be shown. As a result, you have massive headroom in some shots, much more than originally intended, and the added open space ruins the tight compositions that were intended for each shot.
Of course, there are people out there who could care less and just want to fill their TV screens. However, if you really want to see the film in an appropriate setting, seek out the import version of this DVD at amazon.co.uk, which has been matted to the appropriate 1.85:1 aspect ratio.