There were really only two directors who can claim credit for discovering the hidden depths of Jimmy Stewart. Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Mann first penetrated the depths, paving the way for Otto Preminger in Anatomy of a Murder, the greatest courtroom drama ever made which owes a lot to Hitchcock (especially Vertigo’s poster) but also with an eye ahead into the 60s and some awesome allusions to cheap B-movies, though it’s anything but.
The story is largely based on the real case of an army veteran accused of murdering his wife’s assailant. As much as Preminger hated filming on location, he got over his quirk here and blessed the film with the creepy atmosphere of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. But Preminger’s stylization is present in the beautiful camerawork. Look at how meticulously he follows his actors and then compare it to his Porgy & Bess, also released in 1959, which suffered from a lack of close-ups and movement, becoming a drag to watch despite the efforts of Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge.
There is yet another shade to Stewart in Anatomy of a Murder that draws parallels with his character, Paul Biegler, a laid back lawyer, and Sherlock Holmes. Both are good at what they do, but both are empty when they aren’t doing it and fall into decadence. Despite his credentials, Biegler thrives in the trashy world of pulp fictions, where spats between trailer park residents often escalate into domestic violence. Rape and murder are not unusual and this setting made Anatomy of a Murder the most controversial film of 1959.
Quality dialogue is essential to the success of films like Anatomy of a Murder and no one could have asked for a more superb screenplay. As in My Dinner with Andre, the dialogue is so rich that it transports you into the heat of the moment. In a sense, the film transcends its genre. The movie plays like a mystery, with details unfolding. From the start we have mixed feelings about the soldier (Ben Gazzara) accused of murdering his wife’s assailant, but Biegler is too smart to leave the soldier’s wife (Lee Remick) unscrutinized. Even questions about the murdered bartender and his secret life are brought to surface.
As a lawyer, Biegler achieves greatness with simplicity. He breaks down the law to the letter so that even his client can understand. Lt. Manion (Gazzara) is in a predicament. Supposedly his wife was beaten by a local bar tender and, in a fit of rage, he shot the man dead. He claims he got an “impulse” and lost his ability to reason. But it’s fascinating how many angles Biegler finds to approach his defense. He is a man who knows his business. Maybe he was doing more than just fishing on his free time. He is more than a lawyer. He is a sleuth.
Laura, the soldier’s floozy wife, is something of a stereotype but this is the sort of performance needed and Lee Remick does a fine job hinting at the alleged victim’s hidden sinister interior. It becomes clear that she has a lot to answer for. She changes her story and seems to like to instigate men. In her own words, Laura and the Lieutenant are in a “loveless marriage”, and clearly there is more to her story than what she likes to disclose. Her husband may well be another victim of her habit of getting men in trouble.
The best thing about Anatomy of a Murder, which is excellently directed, is that it is set up for the viewers to do their own investigation. This is a very complex film and sets a precedent for courtroom dramas that hasn’t been followed very well. It’s hard to know what to think of the people involved in the trial. As a result, we can understand Biegler’s frustration with his client.
Biegler seems docile, but he’s clever and knows how to unwind the tactics of the prosecutor (George C. Scott), with his own wily tricks. He’s funny too and gifted with sarcasm. Their cross-fire makes for a most entertaining trial and the movie moves so swimmingly thanks in large part to the dynamics of Stewart and Scott. They have surprisingly real outbursts and backlashes, wisecracks, quirks, and reactions. There is no sign of Hollywood sensationalism and both Stewart and Scott underplay their roles in the best way possible.
Both Biegler and Dancer (Scott) are smart. Dancer knows how smart Biegler is and is up for the challenge. Both men know that to be a good attorney one has to be a fox. They must know the tricks and how to use them. In this regard the most amazing thing about Stewart’s and Scott’s performances is how well they play someone putting on what is, essentially, a calculated performance. None of the actors, however, descend to mockery. Biegler isn’t over the top with his unorthodox methods. The judge isn’t such a hot tempered grump, and, judging by a visual exchange between Gazzara and Remick, there is something brewing between the husband and wife.
This is how you make a courtroom film. Anatomy of a Murder feels real and the case it covers and the facts are so layered that watching this engrossing tale unravel is the quickest way to spend a near three hours. Anatomy of a Murder is long but it isn’t too long. It’s as long as it has to be for a story this complex. Along with Judgment at Nuremberg and 12 Angry Men, Anatomy of a Murder proves that the greatest court films are the ones that know how to use their time, involving us in the proceedings and shaking us up while under its coils.