Witness for the Prosecution is a courtroom drama with a trial of a man accused of a murder based on a book by Agatha Christie that I've never read. The subject matter is very interesting to me because, besides being a movie critic, I'm also a lawyer.
I can't say that the movie is flawless, as most of the actors were overacting quite a bit. Which is, by the way, very common for an old film. But one actor that really stands out in this movie is Charles Laughton who playes a master barrister. The way he talked, his gestures and facial expression reminded me of one of my college professors (an aging attorney) so much that it made me like I was in classroom again. Laughton looked very realistic, as well as the whole hearing.
Dietrich was pretty good too, I haven't seen any of her movies before, and she made a very good impression. I'm starting to think that Billy Wilder is a genius. He's made so many good movies, including Double Indemnity and Some Like It Hot, and having seen Witness for the Prosecution, I'm really looking forward to seeing more of his films.
I adore movies with a twist at the end, and I guess I have to thank Agatha Christie for this one. There are surprises throughout the whole movie though, and I'm not sure that all of them came from Agatha Christie's plot, so even if you read the original short story, it's still worth seeing.
Dietrich was pretty good too, I haven't seen any of her movies before, and she made a very good impression. I'm starting to think that Billy Wilder is a genius. He's made so many good movies, including Double Indemnity and Some Like It Hot, and having seen Witness for the Prosecution, I'm really looking forward to seeing more of his films.
I adore movies with a twist at the end, and I guess I have to thank Agatha Christie for this one. There are surprises throughout the whole movie though, and I'm not sure that all of them came from Agatha Christie's plot, so even if you read the original short story, it's still worth seeing.
Favorite quote: "I am constantly surprised that women's hats do not provoke more murders".
Interesting fact: Unsure if he could play a man with a heart condition, Charles Laughton (Sir Wilfrid) staged a heart attack in the pool one day at home. His wife, Elsa Lanchester (Miss Plimsoll), and a houseguest panicked and pulled him from the water, at which point he explained his trick. Elsa's reaction has not been recorded.
Tyrone Power was so good in this movie. He played Zorro believe it or not.
ReplyDeleteBilly is the best. His mother actually named him Billy not William after Bronco Billy. Only a few years after moving to the US from Germany he learned English well enough to be one of the top screenwriters around. The twist at the end is common to most Wilder's films. Remember the ending of Some Like It Hot?
You'll learn to love Dietrich especially if you see any of the films she did with Josef Von Sternberg.
Glad you liked it.
I think this one is a classic! I love it. It's been such a long time since I've seen it. Can you see Charles Laughton and not think of the Hunchback of Notre Dame? I can't...
ReplyDeleteI have never seen any of the Hunchback films. The only one that comes to mind is the Lon Chaney version. I can't look at Charles Laughton without wondering what movies he would have made if audiences at the time hadn't shafted his film Night Of The Hunter.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting, thanks for the info JR. I was also surprized how Wilder, as a European director, managed to make a movie with a British spirit.
ReplyDeleteHunchback? I've only seen the Disney version Pat =)