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Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Rate: 10
Viewed: 1/08, 1/22

AnaM
1/08: During the first hour, Anatomy of a Murder felt watchable but had the makings of an overrated film.

As soon as the court case started, I became hooked until the end. Hence, it's a gripping courtroom thriller with lots of witty humor throughout. James Stewart, once again, gives the best performance, showing why he was one of the greatest actors in Hollywood history.

At the same time, there are excellent performances by everybody else, and they all make the difference in pushing the film to be rated '10'. However, I'm not impressed with Lee Remick's performance as the rape victim because the dots never connect with her. Maybe that's the point.

Although I'm dismayed by the outcome and don't agree with it, my feelings shouldn't matter. One puzzling aspect about the case is if the soldier committed murder, shouldn't he be tried by the military? When I heard the defendant and his wife's story, it seemed improbable for him to get away with the murder based on the defense that his lawyer had constructed. Then, a remarkable thing happened which is putting me on the fence after listening to everything. That's when the jury got lost and was forced to make a decision amid the mess of fiction and fact.

By the time the verdict is read, all I can think of is how brilliantly the dirtiest, most shameless courtroom tricks were applied. So, what's the message? It's a good question, and that's the beauty of Anatomy of a Murder. Meanwhile, the dogfights between James Stewart's and George C. Scott's characters are a can't-miss; the judge is hopelessly lenient. That's why everybody got away with it.

If anything, the only glaring flaw is the lack of a cross examination with Manion after treating him as a hostile witness who obviously has a history of temper tantrums. If the prosecution had exploited it, the defendant's case might have fallen apart.

All in all, Anatomy of a Murder is a one-of-a-kind courtroom picture.

1/22: The three best courtroom drama pictures are 12 Angry Men, Witness for the Prosecution, and Anatomy of a Murder.

All share three traits: brilliant writing, brilliant acting, and brilliant direction. James Stewart gives one of the best performances of his career and is always riveting during the trial, especially when he raises objections. It's smart of Otto Preminger to bring in an up-and-coming heavyweight actor by the name of George C. Scott an hour into the film.

Arthur O'Connell rounds out the final of three Oscar acting nominations. More players should've gotten it, too: Lee Remick, Joseph N. Welch, Eve Arden, Ben Gazzara, and Murray Hamilton. It goes without saying Anatomy of a Murder is an extremely well-acted movie. Duke Ellington even makes an appearance, playing the piano.

By the way, while serving as the chief counsel for the U.S. Army during the Army–McCarthy hearings, Joseph N. Welch was famous for asking Joseph McCarthy: "At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" This is the only film he ever did. Welch could've done more but died not long after.

Anatomy of a Murder is based on a real life case and does a great job of making use of cross-examination and re-direct. It's ahead of time when it comes to the explicit language such as "bitch," "panties," "contraceptive," "climax," and "spermatogenesis." Unfortunately, there are several instances of witness coaching which is illegal. Prospective witnesses shouldn't be in court at the risk of being tainted.

As for the case in regard to the murder of Barney Quill, I have to say Lieutenant Frederick Manion was guilty. It became a circus with lots of smoke and mirrors through Paul Biegler's antics. There's still one fact that hasn't changed: Manion killed Barney in cold blood and knew what he was doing. The way his wife acts, she's a certified slut. I won't be surprised if history repeats. In real life, the initial vote was 8-4 for murder until the tide turned in favor of acquittal.

All in all, Anatomy of a Murder may be three hours long, but it's extremely fast-paced and well-acted.