Review of Anatomy of a Murder (1959) by David B — 25 Aug 2012

When U.S Army Lieutenant Frederick "Manny" Manion (Ben Gazzara) is arrested for first degree murder when he kills local tavern owner Barney Quill as he believes he raped his Wife Laura Manion (Lee Remick). Former District Attorney Paul Biegler (James Stewart) who has lost his re-election bid. Biegler now choosing to use his spare time fishing, playing the piano and hanging out with his alcoholic friend and colleague Parnell McCarthy (Arthur O'Connell), as well as his cynical secretary Maida Rutledge (Eve Arden). Biegler is contacted by Laura Manion wanting to secure his services to defend her incarcerated husband. Biegler after much deliberation makes the decision to represent Lieutenant Manion. Biegler realising the chance of getting him off such a charge even with such a strong motivation decides irresistible impulse a version of a temporary insanity as his defence. Biegler finds himself facing District Attorney Mitch Lodwick (Brooks West), the man who ousted him from office, and Assistant State Attorney General Claude Dancer (George C. Scott) an incredibly smart and ambitious man, when the case comes to trial, holding court is Judge Weaver (Joseph N. Welch, a former U.S. Army Head Council).

Adapted by Wendell Mayes from the best-selling novel of the same name written by Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker under the pen name Robert Traver. Voelker based the novel on a 1952 murder case in which he was the defense attorney. Most likely Hollywood director Otto Premingerâ(TM)s most well known and successful film. The language used while now would seem tame was considered explicit and in one case saw Preminger go to federal court to defend it when Chicago Police Commissioner and Mayor Richard J. Daley startled by its language banned it in the city, the director won the case and the film was shown, the court found the use of the clinical language that Daley objected to, to be appropriate within the context of the film. While well received on release, the film was nominated for 7 academy awards and Stewart received the best actor award at both the New York Film Critics Circle Awards and Venice Film Festival, the filmâ(TM)s appreciation has grown even more over the years. The American Bar Association rated this as one of the 12 best trial films of all time and UCLA law professor Michael Asimow calls the picture "probably the finest pure trial movie ever made." It was also listed as Number 4 of 25 "Greatest Legal Movies" by the American Bar Association.

While this clocks in at 161 minutes rarely does it drag or lose your interest, the director uses the first half to introduce the characters and set the scene, the bulk of the second half being the court room. All the actors equip themselves brilliantly both Gazzara and Remick are fine form in the role of the young couple embroiled in the case, Scottâ(TM)s Dancer is a formidable opponent and makes for some effective scenes sparring with Stewartâ(TM)s Biegler. Stewart an actor by this time with a filmography so impressive adds yet another assured and memorable turn, adding his usual intelligent and humorous character to Bieglerâ(TM)s crusading Lawyer, not below goading his opponents and intimidating the witnesses and testing Judge Welchâ(TM)s patience. Welch former Head Council for the U.S army gives a dry reading with subtle humour along with Stewartâ(TM)s lighter hearted persona, offering a contrast to the serious clinical nature of the case.

Another impressive element of the film is Duke Ellingtonâ(TM)s terrific score, which won him a Grammy for best soundtrack, one of the first times Jazz was used predominately in a film. Bieglerâ(TM)s character himself a jazz fan duets with Ellington on the piano in a cameo appearance as Pie Eye the owner of a roadhouse that Biegler and Laura have a confrontation at featured early in the film.

Having only caught this film only once before good 25 years ago or so as teenager one night with my Dad, Despite the time gone by the film as always stuck with me but never had a chance to see it again until now. I recently purchased a region free blu ray player, one of the main reasons for this was to take advantage of the Criterion Collection, a home entertainment studio devoted to releasing classic films in HD restored using the latest of technology. Sometimes I feel some people misunderstand the blu ray format, whereas DVD was designed to present a sharper clearer image, blu ray while doing this also allows the film makers and studios to restore the picture closest to when it was originally released.

One of my friends remarked to me last year when I said was buying my Wife a copy of Some Like It Hot on blu ray for Christmas that he thought this pointless and felt that the charm of old black & white films was their old scratchy appearance and the digital medium would ruin this. Although I feel if an old film can be restored to look as impressive or more than on original release then this is a plus and the film can still maintain its character as well as have an appearance that would been only seen by those who witnessed when originally exhibited. This is my first foray into the Criterion studio and Iâ(TM)m incredibly impressed, this a new high definition transfer was created on a Spirit 4K in 4K resolution from a new 35mm fine-grain master positive struck from the original camera negative at Cinetech laboratory in Valencia, California. The picture was restored at Technicolor in Los Angeles and Reliance Media Works in Burbank, California. The film still retains its grain but the contrast is maintained throughout , colours appear rich and strong. Having the option of both a new 5.1 DTS HD audio track as well as LPCM 1.0 mono track for more purists. This is indeed an impressive presentation and a suitable treatment of undoubted classic piece of celluloid.