TCM Pick O’ The Day: Wednesday, February 18th
by John Nolte
Noon PST – Anatomy Of A Murder (1959) – A small-town lawyer gets the case of a lifetime when a military man avenges an attack on his wife. Cast: James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O’Connell Dir: Otto Preminger BW-161 mins, TV-PG
Mature, very well-acted, classic courtroom drama, painstakingly directed by Otto Preminger and just as watchable a second time because knowing the outcome of a great film, even one that climaxes with a verdict, takes nothing away from well-crafted characters, top-notch dialogue, and individual scenes that become living things all on their own.
The real standout is George C. Scott, who’s much less an actor here and much more of a reactor as his prosecuting attorney tries to figure out how to handle Jimmy Stewart’s aw-shucks chess moves with his own. Scott’s cross examinations are especially good; a mixture of intensity, manipulation, and oily, calculating, intelligent charm.
Preminger’s genius is in making the audience a member of the jury and co-conspirator in wanting to see Lt. Manion (Ben Gazzara) set free for killing the man who raped his wife (a captivating Lee Remick). Stewart’s “temporary insanity” defense is never all that convincing, but we sure want to be convinced.
Be sure to tune in just past the two hour mark when Big Hollywood’s own Orson Bean arrives as Army Psychiatrist Dr. Matthew Smith. His memorable scene with Arthur O’Connell upon arriving at the train station exemplifies the charming character moments that makes “Anatomy” so timeless. So good is the scene that in 1981, Sidney Lumet would “borrow” from it for “The Verdict” when Jack Warden is similarly surprised and worried to discover an important witness (also a doctor) doesn’t exactly look like everyone had hoped.
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29 Comments
SPOILERISH:
The ending of this one really bugged me. But I do have to say the film was very well-made.
I didn't realize Orson Bean was in it! I'll have to look for him.
Man, I love this movie. Stewart's best performance, I think, and I consider him our greatest screen actor so yes, there's a lot of competition for that title.
Can I post a recommendation? I don't know if it's on TCM, but it's one of my all-time favorites. "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid." I love the haunting melody heard out at sea. Beautiful motion picture.
Based on the book by Travers, an avid trout fisherman from Michigan. In the movie, Stewart is fiddling with a trout fly in the courtroom. Travers also wrote, Trout Madness," which should be read by all trout fishermen.
SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
What do you mean the ending really bugged you? The whole point of the movie was that things aren't as predictable as they seem. James Stewart honestly believed he was defending an innocent man and then discovers, to his horror, he's unleashed a psychotic bully on the rest of society. Gazzara's wife wasn't raped; instead, he beat her into committing perjury rather than having it known publicly that he was willingly cuckolded by her.
The 1950s was a time when many filmmakers, tired of the standard restrictions of the old Production Code, went out of their way to subvert it. The studios allowed this because they were competing with the new threat of television and the Code be damned. (At the time, TV had stricter censorship than movies.) So, no, this type of deliberately twisting the old cliches wasn't just something that came along in the days of Political Correctness; it was, of all things, a by-product of Capitalism. TV couldn't do really adult subjects, therefore the movies gladly tackled them in an effort to attract audiences.
Oh, I'm not saying it wasn't a fitting or a well-done ending. But I was just a kid the first time I saw it, and got pretty caught up in the story and in Jimmy Stewart's attempts to win his case, and I just had a very visceral reaction to the ending. (More or less the same reaction I had at the ending of "Primal Fear.") If I watched the whole thing again now, I could probably appreciate it more.
In all fairness, I have to admit that when I first saw "Anatomy of a Murder" when I was an adolescent, the ending went straight over my head. I had no idea what it meant. It wasn't until subsequent viewings that light dawned.
"Preminger’s genius is in making the audience a member of the jury and co-conspirator in wanting to see Lt. Manion (Ben Gazzara) set free for killing the man who raped his wife (a captivating Lee Remick). Stewart’s “temporary insanity” defense is never all that convincing, but we sure want to be convinced."
Mr. Nolte, the film is very ambiguous about whether or not a rape took place. In fact, someone who examines the wife attests in court that there is no physical evidence of a rape. It could very well be possible that the wife was sleazy herself. Since this is such a crucial element of the plot, I must ask: Did you really watch this film, Mr. Nolte?
No seriously, I'm stunned that John Nolte missed the most important element of the film. No, we did not want to be convinced of Manion's "temporary insanity:" plea since he could very well have murdered another man he discovered touching his WILLING wife. The film utterly implies that Manion and his wife are scumbags.
Vertigo and Mr Smith Goes To Washington were Stewart's best, IMVHO. Something about this movie bugged me, too, tho I can't recall what it was now. Probably the ending as endings are notorious. I believe Saul Bass did the titles for this film, which made the graphics at least cool.
Great cast. Besides, I'll watch anything with James Stewart.
http://the100mostannoyingthings.blogspot.com/
Probably one of the best movie soundtracks ever–Duke Ellington wan't just one of the best jazz composers ever, he was one of the finest American composers of all time. This soundtrack is the definition of smokin' hot jazz.
Speaking only for myself, I wasn't sure about the rape regardless of the testimony that there was no "evidence" of it happening. Prosecutorial misconduct to protect locals from outsiders does happen. This was remote Michigan in the 50s. But I did feel sucker punched at the end.
This movie showed me that not only was Lee Remick quite possibly the sexiest woman ever to grace the silver screen, but a Great (with a capital G) actress as well.
This movie is well worth watching any time it's on, even if you only have time for the courtroom scenes. Put this on your "must see before assuming room temperature" list.
Lucy, I think that Nolte was trying to avoid spoiling the ending…
LL: I'm not talking about the end of the film, I'm talking about throughout. I don't want to give up the end, but talk about the experience of watching the film — which, of course, given the element you're talking about has an even bigger impact at the end.
LL: I'm not talking about the end of the film, I'm talking about throughout. I don't want to give up the end, but the experience of watching the film.
But the ambiguity is plain throughout the whole movie. I'm not talking about the ending (which I don't remember.) It is a great film though, I'll agree on that point.
This was definitely a good movie, and Lee Remick is great but the BEST movie with an absolutely twisted ending is "Witness for the Prosecution" ~ without a doubt one of the best films ever made! I will watch Anatomy again and relish the last scene.
Ah, there's Orson Bean! My word, he looks SO young! I wouldn't recognize him except for the voice and the smile.
And I love the way Jimmy says "winda" for "window." That's the sign of a Pennsylvania native.
Both my parents still say it.
I just watched the last half of that on TCM. I'd forgotten the very end. Really fitting. Or as the Brits might say, Rath-uh.
One of my all time favorite filmes. Stewart is masterful, the whole cast snaps.
Totally. There have been several versions of that awesome courtroom drama – but the ONLY one worth watching is the Charles Laughton – Tyrone Power – Marlene Dietrich version. I love watching that film with someone who's never seen it before. At the end, I always seat myself so I can see their face when the astounding twist comes. Awesome.
It was based on a true case. Filmed in the location where the murder happen. I grew up in the area. As has been pointed out it was based on a book by Robert Travers which was a pen name for a lawyer in the area who then became a Judge who was familiar with the case. Murder is extemely rare in this area.
Except for the main stars, all the others were locals for authenticity.
Anatomy of a Murder. "Robert Travers" is a pseudonym for Michigan attorney, prosecutor, and Judge John D. Voelker. His best-selling novel is based on an actual murder case in which Voelker had served as the defense attorney.
I was young when it happened but the "talk" was she had been involved in a relationship with the man her husband killed. The rape issue was in fact at question from those in the very small community who knew her. It occurred in a town of only a few hundred (at most) people.
To add some trivia –the movie was very authentic to the actual trial. He was acquitted.
The website below has a transcript of the actual trial, also photographs of the actual persons and trial.
It is also interesting that many publishers rejected his novel, no one wanted to publish it.
testimony of Lt. Coleman Peterson, (Frederic Manion)
Peterson's wife Charlotte ( Laura Manion)
testimony of Adrian Wentzel, manager of the Lumberjack Tavern in Big Bay, bartender (Alphonse Paquette in the novel.)
testimony of Army psychiatrist Thomas Petty, who becomes Army psychiatrist Matthew Smith in the book. This testimony revolves around a hypothetical question that was the essential element of the defense strategy.
http://www.nmu.edu/voelker/court_transcripts.htm
There's a photo on this page of the REAL husband-wife on the right and a larger one of just her at the bottom of the photo link on the left.
There's a photo on this page of the REAL husband-wife on the right and a larger one of just her at the bottom of the photo link on the left.
You have got to be kidding me, that does not look anything like Lee Remick. I will stick with fantasy.
Anybody know what happened to the real husband and wife?
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