The Wrong Man 1956
This movie was a real departure for Alfred Hitchcock in that it is based on a true story, filming on location for many of the scenes. The movie is about a guy (played by Henry Fonda) who is accused of some armed robberies by eye witnesses. The police use that cofirmation plus similar handwriting to indict him and bring him to trial. The movie is kind of a police procedural from the perspective of the person being arrested. As a family man barely making ends meet, he can ill afford to miss work, pay bail, hire a lawyer and so on. He is basically ruined and there is a heavy toll on his wife as well. Even though there isn't necessarily any kind of racism going on, the plot seems very modern as a person is wrongfully accused and mired in the justice system. It is an interesting movie and tragic in some ways, but it does play out a little slowly and maybe overly dramatically a lot of times. Fonda is always great to watch. Vera Miles, as his wife, struggles with a tough role. The movie uses location shots in the actual Queens neighborhood, plus actual jails and other locations. Because it is based on true life, there is not big twist or exciting finish, and instead the movie kind of fizzles out at the end.
Written: 11 Dec 2024