Anatomy of a Murder 1959
I didn't know much about this movie, but it has a 100% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, so I wound up getting a digital copy. It has a lot of things going for it. First, it stars Jimmy Stewart as a defense lawyer for a man accused of murder. It also has a score by Duke Ellington (and a cameo), so it has some great songs. Even though it was made in 1959, it was still done in black and white, making it seem a little older than it really is, so it is surprising to hear some frank language used to describe a rape that leads to the murder in question. Lee Remick, as the victim of the rape and wife of the murderer, looks fantastic and uses sex appeal to control all of the men around her. Also a young George C. Scott appears as a very sharp prosecuting attorney. The movie is long at 2 hours and 40 minutes, but takes time to set up the characters, evidence, and lets the trial play out. Like a real court trial, it gets a little tedious at times, but is also very interesting, as it should be since it based on a true story. While the movie features both lawyers objecting to questioning by their opponents, I still feel like some liberties were taken for dramatic effect. There were moments when hearsay was allowed without objection or witnesses were asked to speculate without objection. There are a lot of surprise witnesses and evidence that wouldn't be allowed or would force delays in the trial. It still had to be considered very realistic for its time. The judge is portrayed by real life attorney Joseph Welch, who 5 years before this film found some fame asking Senator Joseph McCarthy "Have you no sense of decency, sir?" Welch, not being a career actor, delivers his lines too stiffly, but you get used to that and the judge is still a great character. There aren't a lot of twists and turns and the detective work isn't that exciting, but this movie seems like a good portrayal of a trial lawyer and is full of interesting characters and extras.
Written: 22 Mar 2024
Owned on: Digital