Anatomy of a Murder Movie Information

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Movie Information

Overall Rank: 386

Average Rating: 3.2/4

# of Ratings: 111

Theatrical Release Date: 07/01/1959

Blu-ray/DVD Release Date: 02/21/2012

Language: English

Genre: Mystery, Drama

MPAA Rating: PG

Director: Otto Preminger

Actors: James Stewart, Ben Gazzara, Lee Remick, George C. Scott, Orson Bean, Eve Arden

Plot: During a murder trial, a man claims that he was insane while he watched his wife being raped and killed. Will the jury buy his story....

Indyfreak - wrote on 11/22/2017

James Stewart and George C. Scott play dueling lawyers in this engrossing courtroom drama. Lee Remick nearly steals the show as the provocative wife whose alleged rape drove her jealous husband (Gazzara) to commit murder and thus sets the plot in motion. Preminger's direction makes the nearly 3 hour movie never boring and the cast does a great job.

Unknown - wrote on 05/18/2012

If you like courtroom dramas, you need not look any further. It's an impeccably written and acted show of legal process that has characters looking for self-interest, rather than the truth. That truth is never shown and there is no defined line of morality. Some is left up to the viewer to piece together, which makes for a more involving watch. I found this film to be wholly satisfying.

mitchellyoung - wrote on 09/18/2010

I found some of the drama in this to be a little silly and overdone, but the procedural aspect of it and the courtroom drama is very effective. Some of Jimmy Stewart's best acting work.

Daniel Corleone
Movie God

Anatomy of a Murder review

Daniel Corleone - wrote on 10/10/2012

It all boils down to impeccable research and teamwork, which also includes "irresistible impulse." Lawyer Paul Biegler (James Stewart), Parnell McCarthy (Arthur O'Connell) and secretary Maida Rutledge (Eve Arden) team-up to assist a client in a murder case. Splendid cast, catchy score, eloquent screenplay and pace was fluid and detailed. Best lines: Paul Biegler - "The prosecution would like to separate the motive from the act. Well, that's like trying to take the core from an apple without breaking the skin." "As a lawyer, I've had to learn that people aren't just good or just bad. People are many things. " Maida - "You can't fire me until you pay me. " and Supporting cast were superb as well. One of the best courtroom related pictures, Anatomy of a Murder was engaging and even …

Yojimbo
Movie God

"Anatomy Of A Murder" by Yojimbo

Yojimbo - wrote on 04/10/2012

Ex district attorney James Stewart is brought in to defend a decorated soldier who murdered the man who raped his wife. Otto Preminger once more tests the boundaries of what the American censors deemed "acceptable" in this groundbreaking courtroom drama. Stewart is as reliable as ever as the crusading attorney, and easily the best scenes are when he and George C. Scott do battle during the trial. Unfortunately some of the supporting cast do not quite measure up; Lee Remick's immature performance is more of a flirtatious Lolita than the victim of a traumatic attack, and Joseph N Welch, a lawyer and outspoken critic of McCarthy may have been a very worthy choice to play the judge, but I couldn't help thinking how much better Spencer Tracy, the originally intended choice, would've been. …

Ichabod Crane
Movie God

Great trial film

Ichabod Crane - wrote on 04/03/2009

A great trial film with a great performance by Jimmy Stewart. I liked it because it does not tell you what happens and you know exactly how much the Stewart knows. The trail is interesting because it shows that showmanship has a lot to do with the success of a case. It shows that very effectively and I liked that there was not some big reveal really but everything was done just right.

Oscar Nomination Best Actor James Stewart 5- Stewart is great as he just about always is as the defense attorney. He plays every scene perfectly as the court room controlling lawyer. He is completely believable in every scene and sells the pretty poor defense brilliantly that really requires a great actor to sell. He is one of the best attorney portrayals in this and one of the few where they are not …