Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

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In a murder trial, the defendant says he suffered temporary insanity after the victim raped his wife. What is the truth, and will he win his case? (imdb)

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Directed By: Otto Preminger

Written By: Wendell Mayes, John D. Voelker

Starring: James Stewart, John Qualen, Ben Gazzara, George C. Scott, Eve Arden, Arthur O'Connell, Lee Remick, Murray Hamilton, Orson Bean, Ken Lynch, Howard McNear, Kathryn Grant

Genres: Drama, Mystery

Country: USA

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Anatomy of a Murder belongs to 79 collections

1. 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (collaborative: moderated by kozan26 - 239 stars)

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All Ratings | With Reviews

Order by:

TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
5	Pickpocket	8 _82nd
Gets progressively better throughout then the ending is wrapped up a bit too nicely. It would've been more interesting and more shocking if the verdict was different. Stewart and Scott are both awesome, really fun watching them go back and forth. Nice Duke Ellington score too. Minor complaint - everytime Stewart plays the piano, you can clearly see he isn't actually playing. Ever heard of panning up?
4	JohnnyZombie	97 _98th
Some may feel that its like an episode of Law & Order. This movie has influenced such court procedural type movies and shows; however, it easily outshines most if not all. It remains perfectly ambiguous; by not taking an obvious stance it takes the stance that no one is good or evil. Everyone is just human, with all the good and evil that comes with it. And no court system can ever perfectly prosecute or defend that.
4	Nathan S	4 _74th
A real potboiler if there ever was one. There is a strange conflict between words and actions, and the film is constantly subverting your expectations, peeling back layer after layer. Admirably there is no clear line drawn between good and evil, and it's not as if we're just waiting for inevitable justice or redemption. We actively participate. It really ratchets things up in the second half, when the trial begins. The cast is generally fantastic, and Preminger is at home pushing the envelope.
4	Luna6ix	84 _86th
a damn fine court movie, george c. scott and jimmy stewart are both at the top of their game on this one. it's a bit on the lenghty side, but it really goes by quickly. the banter between the prosecution, defense, and the judge is extremely satisfying. my biggest complaint is the that the end is wrapped up too nicely.
4	afx237vi	85 _90th
Anatomy of a Murder, Dissection of the Justice System. A courtroom drama that places the viewer squarely in the jury box and allows them to decide which version of the truth they believe the most. Great performances from Stewart and George C. Scott (and Muffy the dog), crisp B&W cinematography and a cool jazz score. Good stuff.
3	DavidKahane	92 _86th
Now better known for the renowned Saul Bass poster that promoted it, Preminger's film is a prime example of smart filmmaking filled with just enough backstory and surprising notes of ambiguity throughout. The film never spells out the truth behind the crime of the title. The mechanics and manipulations of the legal battle are what Preminger builds his drama around and the film plays out as one of the more convincing depictions of jurisprudence in the pantheon of Hollywood cinema.
3	Filligan	90 _78th
I enjoy the hell out of these older courtroom trial films that just can't be made anymore. They're classy and mysterious with deep, dynamic characters and they rely on drama - the power of speech - to engage audiences. They also exhibit a tour-de-force performance or two, and Stewart is no disappointment in that department. It's a battle of wits and words between two attorneys, and that alone is so much more compelling than most of the current explosionfests of today.
3	KasperL	90 _97th
Best courtroom drama of all time. Captivating and entertaining in equal measure. And quite funny. The whole cast is on fire, particularly the leads, and everything is superb, really. Except for the ending.
3	Barthalen	81 _84th
I'm not a huge fan of courtroom dramas, but all the different elements help elevate it to something better: the great performances, the ambiguous nature of the case, the blurred line between good and evil, the cool soundtrack, the great (and at times pretty damn funny) dialogue. Despite its running time I was constantly engaged.
2	Moribunny	68 _70th
A highly engaging, though not entirely realistic courtroom drama. Gazzara and Scott pwn, but Stewart seems a bit out of place in his role. Also, it trivializes rape. For example, when the audience chuckles at the mention of "panties", the judge says there is nothing funny about one man's murder and another's incarceration, ignoring the rape of the woman to whom the actual panties belonged. The very brutal rape seems to be systematically downplayed throughout the film, as if it's no big deal.
2	frederic_g54	8 _78th
Distinguishes itself from most courtroom dramas by being so goddamn fun, striking the right balance between intrigue and entertainment without trivializing the potentially unethical dilemmas involved in representing a murder defendant. Stewart is as passionate and engaging as he's ever been while a then still up 'n coming Scott matches his performance to a T. A damn fine film.
2	Icarus	93 _94th
Preminger keeps his camera remarkably controlled and varied throughout the proceedings, mixing in tracking shots both forward and backward, the occasional high-angled look, and allowing several scenes to play out in single shots. He lets the actors act with each other and takes great pains to note the space between them. While the subject matter is heavy, he doesn't refrain from a few brilliant comic moments, and underlines the tragedy of any justice system run by human beings.
2	Vertiggo	95 _93rd
Fantastic. A storm of well constructed dialogues. One of the best court movies ever made with really good actings, but the ending could easily have been better.
2	Noblet	80 _70th
A fine courtroom drama with a great cast, enjoyable dialogue, and a nice sense of ambiguity. I don't think it's as well crafted as say Witness for the Prosecution or 12 Angry Men, but it's still a really good film all in all. Also, the soundtrack is fantastic.
1	SlrSoapbox	80 _75th
One part film noir, one part Hitchcock, and one part To Kill A Mockingbird. One of the best courtroom dramas I've ever seen. That said, I still can't quite wrap my head around Jimmy Stewart talking frankly about panties and ejaculation.
1	sebby	80 _91st
For a nearly 3-hour long courtroom drama, it flies by. Stewart steals the show, but Scott nearly matches him blow-for-blow. If you want a twist, you'll be disappointed, but I personally prefer the questions of moral ambiguity the film offers up.
1	darkman	88 _97th
Great performances. One of the best court movies ever made.
1	nandorizzi	85 _88th
One of the best films of the courts. Despite being a little long, the dialogues are very well interpreted and dynamic. Besides that, the pair of main actors are quite fun.
1	mohan	90 _51st
Good acting, dialogue, music - but a bit long - worth a lazy Sunday afternoon I guess .. and I generally don't like the movies that leave the ending open to interpretation - for e.g I liked the way they ended a very similar movie Primal Fear (1996) (featuring Edward norton's great performance)
1	BillyShears	95 _96th
Oh baby, Stewart cuts into that apple.
1	purgatos	86 _84th
Great characters and acting, loved the way it avoided making the defendant likeable to make it harder to cheer for Stewart in court. Very enjoyable dynamic between all the characters.
1	JohnSandwich	90 _95th
Excellent courtroom film with great performances.
1	wetwillies	95 _93rd
Probably the best courtroom drama I've seen. When George C Scott arrives, cool as ever, things really heat up and Stewart holds the room down the way he did 20 years earlier in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Watching them go back and forth against each other is simply phenomenal.
1	FrederikA	90 _96th
Where most court room movies opt for a clean cut guilty/innocent drama, this digs deeper, and examines the judicial process with all its uncertainties, bias' and emotional manipulations. And it does so brilliantly.
1	billkerwin	90 _83rd
There is something just a little self-consciously sleazy about this movie, but it is still an absorbing and disturbing tale about a sensational murder trial. Features a great Duke Ellington score, and a cameo appearance by the great man himself.
1	Janicex	100 _91st
The best courtroom movie ever done. A rare kind of movie that is very long, but you can't leave the screen.
1	Bunken	90 _96th
I like a good court room drama, and this is definately one of the best! The great thing is that we havent seen the actual incident and we are therefore put in the jurys tough position of judging wether who's right and who's wrong. Like them we get almost all our information directly from the witness stand except when Stewart is out nosing around. Stewart is solid as always and the 160 minutes fly by as you await the verdict...
1	ratedargh	90 _85th
This is pretty terrific. It moves at such a wonderful pace, with great characters and performances that it hardly feels like a three hour movie. I'm a bit of a sucker for a good courtroom drama so I'm not surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did. The Duke Ellington soundtrack is excellent and gives it a more lively feeling, as well.
1	Trooth	78 _78th
For some reason, the 50s were a really good era for courtroom movies. Jimmy Stewart stars in this one, so you know it's got at least one good thing going for it. The story's carried out in a way that you aren't really sure who to root for, so in a way it's not entirely clear if the conclusion is "right"
1	mattorama12	89 _97th
Equal parts funny, intriguing, and thrilling. The back and forth between Stewart and Scott is just some of the most fun you can have watching a movie.
1	rickicker	93 _84th
Jimmy Stewart and George C Scott as dueling lawyers? Bliss.

Average Percentile 73.52% from 1749 Ratings