Customer Reviews

Anatomy of a Murder (Criterion) (Blu-Ray)

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Otto Preminger is probably one of the least understood and under appreciated directors from the 1940's -1960's, but truth be known he was responsible for some of the most interesting, popular and well made movies from this era: Anatomy of a Murder, Carmen Jones, The Man with the Golden Arm, Laura, Advise and Consent. He was one of the few directors that could handle serious subject matter with style and grace without becoming preachy and maudlin.
"Anatomy of a Murder" is one of his best: perfect, spot-on casting, eloquent screenplay, truthful performances, and gorgeous black and white photography. Jimmy Stewart, who seemed to be able to realistically portray anyone from any era and social status, plays a small town lawyer hired to defend a soldier, Ben Gazarra for murdering a man accused of raping his wife, Lee Remick. Gazzara and Remick are first rate but it is a non-actor, real judge Joseph N. Welch who almost steals the movie away from all three principals, which only proves that Preminger was a smart cookie...a smart cookie, indeed.

This 1959 courtroom drama starring the incomparable Jimmy Stewart is one of my favorite Stewart films. Jimmy's portrayal of a defense attorney is spot-on perfect here, in my view.

There's a great supporting cast in force here as well, including Geoge C. Scott, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O'Connell, Eve Arden (hilarious, as always, in the role of Stewart's secretary), Murray Hamilton, Orson Bean, and the always-fetching Lee Remick (whose alluring quality is undeniable in this motion picture).

Keep an eye open for Howard McNear (Floyd the Barber in "The Andy Griffith Show") as a witness. It's quite humorous--and maybe even a tad bit unsettling even--to hear Floyd Lawson on the witness stand, speaking of sexual matters. Mayberry-ites would gasp in shock & horror I imagine. LOL.

Clocking in at a very lengthy 160 minutes, the film never drags. It moves at a snappy-enough pace to keep our interest the whole way, with a nice combination of scenes both inside and outside the courtroom.

There's an outstanding Duke Ellington score to propel the action, and as a bonus on the DVD edition, there's a perfectly-fantastic Photo Gallery section of stills from the film, underscored by Ellington's music from the movie. This is the best and classiest "Photo Gallery" extra you're likely to encounter on any DVD product as of this date.

Picture quality on the DVD looks just fine here. Aspect ratio is 1.33:1 (Full Frame), which I know irks the "Widescreen Only" crowd. However, from all the info I can gather, the 1.33 ratio IS indeed the Original Aspect Ratio for this film. So, it's OK by me, if this is the case.

If "Anatomy Of A Murder" is not currently in your DVD collection, you should probably be taken to court by lawyer Stewart for overlooking this fine motion picture experience. Get it now -- before Jimmy comes after you with a subpoena. :)

One of the best courtroom mysteries ever. James Stewart is the perfect actor for any mystery movie. Whether he's acting for Alfred Hitchcock or in this case Otto Preminger.

Based on the famous Traver novel, ANATOMY OF A MURDER is an extremely complex film that defeats easy definition. In some respects it is a social document of the era in which it was made; primarily, however, it is a detailed portrait of the law at work and the machinizations and motivations of the individuals involved in a seemingly straight-forward case--and in the process it raises certain ethical issues re attorney behavior and the lengths to which an attorney might go to win a case.

Paul Biegler (James Stewart) is a small-town lawyer who has recently lost a re-election for the position of District Attorney and who is down on his luck--when a headline-making case involving assault, alleged rape, and murder drops into his lap. As the case evolves, there is no question about the identity of the killer. But a smart lawyer might be able to get him off just the same and redeem his own career in the process, and with the aid of an old friend (Arthur O'Connell) and his formidable secretary (Eve Arden), Biegler sets out to do precisely that. Opposing him in the courtroom is Claude Dancer (George C. Scott), a high powered prosecutor who is equally determined to get a conviction... and who is no more adverse to coaching a witness than Biegler himself. The two square off in a constantly shifting battle for the jury, a battle that often consists of underhanded tactics on both sides.

The performances are impressive, with James Stewart ideally cast as the attorney for the defense, Ben Gazzara as his unsavory client, and a truly brilliant Lee Remick as the sexy and disreputable wife who screams rape where just possibly none occurred; O'Connell, Arden, and Scott also offer superior performances. The script is sharp, cool, and meticulous, the direction and cinematography both effective and completely unobtrusive, and the famous jazz score adds quite a bit to the film as a whole. Although we can't help rooting for Stewart, as the film progresses it seems more and more likely that Remick is lying through her teeth and Gazzara is as guilty as sin--but the film balances its elements in such a way as to achieve a disturbing ambiguity that continues right through to the end. If you expect a courtroom thriller with sudden revelations and twists you'll likely be disappointed in ANATOMY OF A MURDER, but if you want a thought-provoking take on the law you'd be hard pressed to find one better. Recommended.

Wonderful film, strong performances by an interesting cast. Joe Welch does steal the film, but one correction. In his review Heath McEwan says that Welch "defended Josephy McCarthy during the 1954 anti communist witch hunts." Of course this is wrong: Welch defended the Army in the Army-McCarthy hearings and is often credited -- in his defense of his associate Fred Fisher -- for starting the process by which McCarthy was exposed and brought down. Welch was a honorable man who deserves to have this set right. At any rate, a very good film.

When I watch this movie, I must confess that I am being distracted by the music. The late, great musicologist Martin Williams one remarked that it's a bad score, as it takes away one's attention from the story. Fortunately, the music score is available in (almost) its entirety. Composed and arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, you can listen to it on Columbia/Legacy CK 65569, [....] I think the music will still be listened to in 50 years, when the story, the movie will be forgotten. But ... you can see the Duke in the movie, and listen to him while Jimmy Stewart 'plays' the piano ... That's why "d give 4 stars to this DVD.

Loek Hopstaken

Never heard of it? You are among the truly unfortunate masses. A gripping trial comedy/drama, so good that it made a hip young cynic like myself pause for a second and third breath. Beautifully filmed in black and white, it might be one of my main arguments for b&w Vs. color, along with Casablanca and Touch of Evil. (And yes, I would say it belongs grouped with the immortal Bogey). The performances are astonishing, especially that of James Stewart, who's understated, world wearried goggles fit like they are custom fitted. Finally we come to the soundtrack by Duke Ellington. There is nothing anyone can say to convince me there is anything cooler than that.
Most supprising fact: THE BOOK IS EVEN BETTER!

Anatomy of a Murder tells the story of an unusual murder trial in Michigan's upper penninsula. It's a terrific movie - well acted, well directed, and with a wonderful score by Duke Ellington.

It's also based on a true case, which was related in a book by the trial's judge. I once discussed the case with a man from the town where it occurred. He summed it up as follows: "Barney never took anything that wasn't offered to him." If you've seen the movie, you'll understand what he meant.

A couple of years ago, there was a poll conducted among legal professionals (lawyers, judges, etc.) on what they felt was the best and most accurate courtroom picture ever made. "Anatomy of a Murder" was the unanimous choice. Those seeking to enter the legal profession will certainly enjoy this film, but so will those who have a love for classic Hollywood films. Otto Preminger was one of the best directors working in the Hollywood when the studio system began to collapse, and this is probably his best film.
Tightly constructed with a superb cast and crisp writing, this is mainstream entertainment of the highest order.

Never one to let censorship interfer with reality, Preminger often tackled controversial subjects without sanitizing it. His groundbreaking films no longer seem controversial today, but because he never flinches from his subject matter, his films tend to date better than most of the period.

People have complained that this DVD is pan and scan. While it is full frame, it's not actually pan and scan. The film was originally photographed in a way that captured a full frame image, but was intended to be shown in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with the aid of a matte. As such, the film was composed for this aspect ratio. What they did for this DVD is transfer the entire image, exposing parts of the frame that was never meant to be shown. As a result, you have massive headroom in some shots, much more than originally intended, and the added open space ruins the tight compositions that were intended for each shot.

Of course, there are people out there who could care less and just want to fill their TV screens. However, if you really want to see the film in an appropriate setting, seek out the import version of this DVD at amazon.co.uk, which has been matted to the appropriate 1.85:1 aspect ratio.

Best trial-movie ever made--perfect of its kind. Set the standard for the thousands of pale imitators (including TV shows like *Law and Order*) that have followed it. What remains fascinating about this 1959 movie, what keeps it from being dated, is its utter ambivalence towards ALL the characters, perhaps especially the ostensible "heroes": we have James Stewart as a small-town lawyer who'd just as soon listen to his jazz records as continue his law career . . . we have Arthur O'Connell as his drunken mentor who gets in car crashes . . . we have Eve Arden whose one (and apparently only) concern is the status of her next paycheck. And then there's Ben Gazarra and Lee Remick as one of the most unlikeable married couples ever put on screen. (A good title for this movie could've been: "When Bad Things Happen to Bad People".) Perhaps the only person one roots for is the judge, played by real-life judge Joseph Welch who stood up to Joe McCarthy in the Army Hearings fracas. Incidentally, I don't think rape has ever been so dispassionately presented in movies or TV as here. Nary a tear is shed. Odd. Finally, we can also enjoy James Stewart in one of his very best performances (this was his favorite film, along with *It's a Wonderful Life*). As for the DVD, Columbia did nothing particularly special, but they didn't screw it up, either. Ellington's jazz score has been remastered to very nice effect. Picture is crisp (standard ratio). Highest recommendation.