Anatomy of a Murder

Well filmed, beautifully acted, and painstakingly directed, this film deserves the highest praise.

James Stewart brings his customary stammering, quirky charm to a role that could have easily become overwhelmingly serious. Lee Remick is seen establishing her early image as the somehow fragile, undeniably seductive pawn (see also "A Face in The Crowd"), while Gazzara wavers intensely somewhere between heartless murderer and protective husband. The supporting cast is strong, creating a human backdrop for the senior players, keeping the story in the real world, effectively preventing this from becoming an exercise in legal theory.

This film is noteworthy for a myriad of reasons, but most specifically because it addresses the still controversial issue of acquaintance rape, and presents us with a victim of questionable morals. At the same time our murder victim is seen as a monster, then a friend and father. There really are no heroes here, no noble defenders, no pristine heroines, no completely innocent bystanders...both sides take their turns pointing fingers, each claiming that the other only got what they deserved.

We are forced to re-evaluate our thoughts on what constitutes justifiable homicide--the unwritten law that Manion speaks of in the film versus the law as written that Biegler must now interpret. This manipulation of intended meaning sets a somewhat tragic precedent evident in the legal system we work within today.

This film is highly entertaining, and excellent for discussion. Watch it with some of your more philosophical friends.

The legendary James Stewart has worked for several of Hollywood's most legendary directors including Frank Capra and Alfred Hitchcock but his films for them can not reach the level of this 1959 Columbia Pictures release that he did for Otto Preminger. Stewart gives his all time greatest performance in a gem of a courtroom drama that is often overlooked. Released on the heels of several other courtroom drama classics such as "Twelve Angry Men" and "Witness For The Prosecution", "Anatomy Of A Murder" tells the story of a small town Michigan lawyer (Stewart) who takes on the case of an army officer who is standing trial for murdering a man who he believes had raped his wife. A little risque and controversial for its time but still a classic and time has served it well. A triumph for all of the talent involved.

... since part of the allure is the mystery as to whether or not a true murder has been committed in the first place. There is a killing - but is it murder? That is what this courtroom drama is trying to determine.

Paul Biegler (James Stewart) is a country lawyer in Michigan who was once the local DA but must have lost reelection at some point. He seems to consider himself pseudo-retired, as he stays in just enough contract work to finance his true love - fishing. But then a lieutenant in the army (Ben Gazzara as Fred Manion) kills the man who raped his wife (Lee Remick as Laura Manion), is charged with murder, and Biegler has a big case on his hands.

Manion is a bit shifty - At first claiming he has the "unwritten law" on his side. But then when Biegler tells him there really is no such thing, Manion adjusts his story such that temporary insanity could be a plausible defense.

The truth is, it never is clear which was true - Did Manion truly temporarily lose it when he saw his wife brutalized by a rapist, or did Laura Manion get cold busted by her husband stepping out with another man with the result being that Lt. Manion lost his temper and killed the other man? Gazzara plays his part as arrogant and Remick plays her part as flirty, each shooting the other looks at various points that indicate they are keeping at least part of the truth to themselves. What keeps it interesting are the characters, the emphasis on the legal process, and the question I just posed that hangs over the entire proceedings. Although everyone is good, the judge is an absolute understated scream. You can tell he doesn't like having this high profile case in his courtroom, that like Biegler he'd rather be fishing, but he has a job to do and he'll do it fairly. Joseph Welch played the part of the judge, and the fact that he was actually an attorney gives the performance the needed authenticity.

James Stewart was supposed to star in "North By Northwest" in 1959, but Hitchcock was angry at him because Vertigo had been a commercial failure, calling Stewart too old. He then dumped Stewart for Cary Grant so that Stewart was available to do this film. In the end, everything worked out. All three films are now recognized classics, and I can't see anybody but Stewart with his folksy charm playing the lead in this film.

Lawyer Paul Biegler takes the case of Lt. Manion who killed a man after he discovered he had raped his wife, Laura. Biegler realises that the cards are not all in his favour and begins to ensure that the facts are spun in his favour as much as possible during the trial.

This film caused a stir back when it was released – supposedly over the dialogue that contained words not used before in a motion picture. However it was more likely that the furore was over the cynical view of the legal profession that the film has. The story is good, but if you're looking for a John Grisham type film with shouting and ridiculous twists in the final reel then you're in the wrong place. What we have here is a clever, interesting story that moves slowly – focusing on Biegler rather than twists and turns in the actual plot.

Biegler is sort of clean cut, but he seems like a real lawyer – he twists facts and prompts lies in order to improve his case. The various tricks and theatrical shenanigans during the trail are also well observed. The characters are all interesting with only the judge seeming like a dull stereotype.

James Stewart is excellent and helps make the shifty lawyer more likeable and relatable. Remick is excellent as the flirtatious Laura while Gazzara is cool as the accused. George C Scott doesn't have much to do, but does well anyway.

Overall a very enjoyable courtroom thriller – it lacks the fireworks of modern legal dramas but has a nice cynical edge to it that shows it isn't as in awe of the law as Grisham is.

If you haven't yet seen Anatomy of a Murder, you've got to buy a copy and host a movie night as soon as you can. You're going to want to own your own copy, since this exciting courtroom drama can be enjoyed over and over again. I've lost track of how many times I've seen it, and it never gets old. I'm a huge fan of the boundary-pushing director Otto Preminger, and he once again pushed the envelope of the censors in 1959. In this movie, the words "rape" and "panties" are spoken several times - shocking at that time!

James Stewart, in his silver-haired charm, stars as a defense attorney with passions outside the courtroom. He loves fishing, he loves jazz music, and he loves the sight of a good-looking woman. When the latter appears in his office, in the form of Lee Remick, asking for his help in her husband's upcoming trial, he agrees to take the case. Lee is beautiful and sexy, and she brings out such a flirtatious spark in Jimmy. Her husband, Ben Gazarra, will be on trial for murdering the man who raped and beat her up. It seems like an easy case, right? Not exactly.

There's much more to the situation than meets the eye. As Jimmy explains to Ben on their first, memorable meeting: "There are four ways I can defend murder. . ." I love that scene. It's clever and concise without seeming glib or artificial. The chemistry between every member of the cast is so electric, you can feel the words bouncing off the actors. Jimmy and Ben spar with their eyes, George C. Scott and Jimmy love to hate each other, and George practically undresses Lee with his words. Who knew a murder trial could have so much sex appeal?

The script is intelligent, the performances are energetic, and the subject matter is modern for its time. There are so many reasons to watch it, and so many things to appreciate when you do watch it, that you'll keep coming back to it over the years as I have.