Witness for the Prosecution (1957) directed by Billy Wilder
I've been randomly watching reruns of Law & Order lately and they never fail to entertain me though once you've seen one episode you've pretty much seen them all since they all follow the same formula. If you're at all familiar with how this formula works Witness for the Prosecution should come to no surprise to you, but that doesn't make it any less compelling.
Charles Laughton (Mutiny on the Bounty) plays Sir Wilfred Robarts, a defense lawyer who takes on a murder case. The defendant is Leonard Vole, accused of murdering an elderly woman for her money. Naturally he insists he didn't do it. His only alibi is his wife who seems to have motivations of her own but agrees to testify on her husband's behalf. Then it comes as a surprise when she winds up being the star witness for the prosecution!
We've all seen movies like this before but Witness for the Prosecution does it particularly well. It is well acted with Laughton as the star though watching him reminds me that I should start going to the gym as his body has not aged well (see Orson Welles in Touch of Evil and Marlon Brando in his later years). I know I've been pretty vague but I don't really want to reveal too much of the film. Just know that it is well acted and smartly written with unexpected twists and a decidedly satisfying climax. One of the better courtroom dramas.
Grade: A-
I've been randomly watching reruns of Law & Order lately and they never fail to entertain me though once you've seen one episode you've pretty much seen them all since they all follow the same formula. If you're at all familiar with how this formula works Witness for the Prosecution should come to no surprise to you, but that doesn't make it any less compelling.
Charles Laughton (Mutiny on the Bounty) plays Sir Wilfred Robarts, a defense lawyer who takes on a murder case. The defendant is Leonard Vole, accused of murdering an elderly woman for her money. Naturally he insists he didn't do it. His only alibi is his wife who seems to have motivations of her own but agrees to testify on her husband's behalf. Then it comes as a surprise when she winds up being the star witness for the prosecution!
We've all seen movies like this before but Witness for the Prosecution does it particularly well. It is well acted with Laughton as the star though watching him reminds me that I should start going to the gym as his body has not aged well (see Orson Welles in Touch of Evil and Marlon Brando in his later years). I know I've been pretty vague but I don't really want to reveal too much of the film. Just know that it is well acted and smartly written with unexpected twists and a decidedly satisfying climax. One of the better courtroom dramas.
Grade: A-
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