Review of Witness for the Prosecution (1957) by Peter F — 10 Aug 2014

One of the best courtroom dramas, based on a fantastic story by Agathie Christie. Full of fantastic performances by the cast, plot twists that can only be found in a Christie novel, and the kind of dialogue-based direction that Billy Wilder became famous for. There are some solid moments of comedy, moments of great dramatic tension, and moments that give us keen insights into the characters. Wilder really understands how to tell a dramatic story that keeps the story moving along, while we learn so much about the characters throughout. The character development is so strong that you can't help but care about what happens.

The highlight of the film though is most notably shown in the courtroom. Wilder allows his actors to have the time to chew the scenery in the best kinds of ways. All of the cast give themselves fully to the characters and to the script, and so every moment is dripping with drama and tension. The standout moments in the film must be given to Marlene Dietrich who out performs every actor in the film. Everyone is on top of their game, but Dietrich puts them all to shame.

The twists keep coming, and you can see the effect of them on every courtroom drama/thriller for years to come. Wilder is able to make you fall in love with these characters so much that similar to Sir Wilfred, you can't see the twists up ahead.