Anatomy of a Murder

Name: Anatomy of a Murder
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime
Released: July 1, 1959
Duration: 160 min
Rating: 95
Cast: Arthur O'Connell, Ben Gazzara, Eve Arden, George C. Scott, James Stewart

1959

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 15 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 33 Ratings

See All

8.1

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8.1	Your Score
8.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 33 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Anatomy Of A Murder (Trailer 1)

Now Playing: Anatomy Of A Murder (Trailer 1)

Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: July 1, 1959 | TV-PG

Starring: Arthur O'Connell, Ben Gazzara, Eve Arden, George C. Scott, James Stewart, Kathryn Grant, Lee Remick, Murray Hamilton, Orson Bean, Russ Brown

Summary: 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?

Director: Otto Preminger

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime

Rating: TV-PG

Runtime: 160 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Scott Tobias

Anatomy Of A Murder respects the audience enough to turn us into the jury, and trusts that we, too, can consider the facts like adults. Read full review

100

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Courtroom histrionics given sizzle and sex by Otto Preminger and Duke Ellington's jazz. Read full review

100

Bosley Crowther

It is the best courtroom melodrama this old judge has ever seen. Read full review

Chris Nashawaty

It’s a daring, cynical gem. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Preminger purposely creates situations that flicker with uncertainty, that may be evaluated in different ways. Motives are mixed and dubious, and, therefore, sustain interest. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Never a dull moment, which, considering the film's length is saying something. [04 Jan 1987, p.6E]

Staff (Not Credited)

Though its title may promise a clinical procedural, Anatomy of a Murder cloaks itself in smartly tailored ambiguity and irresolution, and never altogether strips off. Read full review

SEE ALL 15 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

gracjanski

Jul 27, 2021

Intelligent movie with deep characters and some good dialogues in the court. James Stewart is attracting a lot of attention of course.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

alejandro970

Oct 9, 2021

Innocent until proven otherwise, isn't it? One of the precursor films of the courtroom drama, in which not all parties are satisfied, with absorbing performances; especially that of James Steward. The three or so hours can be a bit exhausting, but after all, the effort is worth it.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

amheretojudge

Jun 4, 2019

Stewart loses the case and we as the viewers lost in the case, Preminger trails the taste of success far before the climax hits.

Anatomy Of A Murder Preminger has done his homework. He is not a pro, just as James Stewart claims himself to be, but a smart cookie like him in the room, couldStewart loses the case and we as the viewers lost in the case, Preminger trails the taste of success far before the climax hits.

Anatomy Of A Murder

Preminger has done his homework. He is not a pro, just as James Stewart claims himself to be, but a smart cookie like him in the room, could manipulate even the experts of the expensive city lawyers. Armed with such a hefty content embedded by the infamous lawyer-turned-novelist John D. Voelker, this is one of those rare events, where the execution by the director, Otto Preminger, still has managed to surpass the kinetic energy of the film. The entire courtroom seems to be chasing for something it doesn't care for and even after it might get it, Preminger, the trickster, isn't going to reveal the secrets, for his target was never to win the game, but play it, fairly.

Watch him swoosh in camera with a smoothness that is derived more from the flamboyant choreography that stages these characters like chess pieces. And these moments remains to be my favourite. When the lawyers switch in their position or come across a new revelation or cast another perspective in their case, the way they gaze each other as they cross or block or overpower each other.

This dance is so charming and elegant, that for a brief period, I got lost into their chemistry, forgetting what this fuss was all about. Another major asset is the levity in their narration. The characters never tries hard to lighten the mood, it is just that their nature impacts the humor as a by product- hey, that is the best kind of comedy you can get in a drama like such. James Stewart has a lot in common with the audience. Struggling and shooting in dark aiming to score the points, his confidence in these dodgy testimonies is both absurd and dutiful, he calls it Anatomy Of A Murder, we, the courtroom, the case.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Broyax

Mar 25, 2021

Eh ben dis donc, voici le film de procès à procédures très procédurières, interrogatoires et contre-interrogatoires, témoignages et contre-témoignages, objections et oppositions, harangues et diatribes, subornations et insinuations et j’en passe et des meilleures !

C’est assurément un «Eh ben dis donc, voici le film de procès à procédures très procédurières, interrogatoires et contre-interrogatoires, témoignages et contre-témoignages, objections et oppositions, harangues et diatribes, subornations et insinuations et j’en passe et des meilleures !

C’est assurément un « must » en la matière et sans doute l’archétype rêvé pour tous les films procéduraux qui ont suivi mais également toutes les séries policières passées, présentes, connues ou inconnues et à venir… la « bible » du procès à l’américaine en somme et on sent qu’ils aiment ça, les bougres ! c’est leur dada, leur péché mignon…

Et on regarde ça un tiers stupéfait, un tiers abruti, un tiers fasciné… quasiment en apnée, en suspension, suspendu au verdict final, pourtant vite expédié… mais il était grand temps, Votre Honneur : 2h40 de procès, c’est à devenir chèvre ! en vérité, plutôt deux heures environ, car le début trop lent voit le falot James Stewart recueillir le maximum de renseignements auprès des intéressés… avant de plonger dans l’arène !

Un James Stewart d’ailleurs beaucoup moins falot que d’habitude, bien plus hargneux et vindicatif, bien moins cave que de coutume… on note face à lui le quasiment jeunot George C. Scott dans le rôle de l’un des deux procureurs et déjà un prédateur implacable ! on remarque Ben Gazzara bien jeunot lui aussi (ses cheveux peuvent en témoigner, Votre Honneur) et on apprécie également la très jolie Lee Remick, la victime dans cette affaire et l’occasion pour ce film si bavard de proposer une ébauche de préoccupations féministes bienvenues (quoique maladroite) à cette époque de machos… où l’on ne sait pas si l’on doit parler de slip ou de culotte (sic !).

Comme susmentionné, le temps d’exposition est lent et déjà, bien des coupes auraient pu être pratiquées… mais ce n’est rien face aux longueurs de ces procédures langagières et de ces numéros de cirque de la défense et de l’accusation, de ces témoins récalcitrants et de ces combats de coqs…

Le sujet traité reste très intéressant mais tant de lourdeurs rendent cette affaire un peu trop indigeste malgré heureusement quelques instants bienvenus de légèreté… J’ai donc rendu mon verdict, Votre Honneur : ce sera 50/50, kif-kif bourricot.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 4 REVIEWS