Anatomy of a Murder

A film review by Christopher Null - Copyright © 2004 Filmcritic.com

This very adult and daring (for 1959) courtroom thriller gives us a truly tricky case: James Stewart defends a man (Ben Gazzara) who murdered the guy who raped his wife (Lee Remick). He's pleading insanity. She has a history of not wearing panties. For close to three hours, Stewart makes his case in meticulous legal detail, with George C. Scott on the other side of the courtroom. All the principals are fantastic, with the possible exception of Remick, who just doesn't fit the part nearly well enough. Duke Ellington's score is a classic.

Rating

4.0 out of 5 Stars

  • Director: Otto Preminger
  • Producer: Otto Preminger
  • Screenwriter: Wendell Mayes
  • Stars: James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O'Connell, Eve Arden, Kathryn Grant, George C. Scott, Orson Bean
  • MPAA Rating: NR

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