If youre looking for courtroom drama, you dont have to look far, with thousands of hours of Court TV, Law & Order reruns and plain-old courtroom news on your television.
But if youre looking for a truly great courtroom drama, one thats complex, funny, smart and surprising, you need to watch Anatomy of a Murder. Released way back in 1959 and featuring a one-of-a-kind cast, its no kidding the greatest courtroom drama ever made.
Based on a book by a Michigan Supreme Court judge (writing under a pseudonym), Anatomy of a Murder follows a small-town Michigan lawyer (James Stewart) as he defends a young lieutenant (Ben Gazzara) on murder charges. Where things get complicated is when Stewart examines the motive: Gazzara claimed he killed the local bar owner for raping his wife. But as Stewart gets to know the wife (Lee Remick), he begins to wonder if there was a rape or if, down deep, even Gazzara believes there was a rape.
Pretty adult stuff for 1959, and Anatomy of a Murder doesnt stop there. Theres much discussion over the word panties being used in the courtroom (again, scandalous stuff for 1959), but on a deeper level, Anatomy of a Murder hints that what really happened doesnt matter what matters is what the jury thinks happened. It might not be justice, but its the law.
Masterfully directed by Otto Preminger (a guy who loved pushing the envelope, content-wise), Anatomy of a Murder is full of elements that make it a classic film. The cast also includes a young George C. Scott as the big-city prosecutor, Eve Arden as Stewarts world-weary assistant, Orson Bean and Howard McNear (Floyd the barber from Andy Griffith) as expert witnesses and lawyer Joseph Welch, the man who brought down Sen. Joe McCarthy, as the judge. Whats more, not only does jazz legend Duke Ellington supply the music, he also has a cameo as Pie Eye, who for some reason is playing piano in a tiny Michigan tavern. That Michigan atmosphere, incidentally, is one of the movies biggest stars. Preminger filmed the movie in the Upper Peninsula, and it gives the film a feeling like no other Hollywood picture. Heck, even the opening credits iconic images created by legendary Saul Bass are memorable. Its just a great, great movie.
Thankfully, Criterions new edition does it justice. Besides a remastered print of the film, it includes footage from the set; segments on Ellington, Bass and Preminger; the trailer and more.
The Town
Someone at Warner Home Video must really love Ben Affleck.
I mean, The Town is a fine film, with solid direction and acting from Affleck and a strong supporting cast. But its not a classic though you wouldnt know that from the packaging of The Town Ultimate Collectors Edition. The boxed set includes multiple versions of the movie on Blu-ray and DVD, a feature-length documentary, a map of the Charlestown area of Boston, a folder full of files about the films characters, a hardcover book of photos from the set, a letter from Affleck and, believe it not, temporary tattoos exactly like the one Jeremy Renners character sports in the movie (and that you only see on-screen for a split second).
Quite a package for a movie thats pretty good but not great. I liked a lot of The Town, including the well-staged robberies and the simmering tension between the various thieves. But I thought it was another example of a movie let down by its ending, one that does right by its star but not by its main character. I dont want to spoil anything if you havent seen it because it is worth watching but the final scenes make no sense. The idea that the FBI would just quit surveilling the one person with a connection to their fugitive, then ignore the expensive and public! gift made in the name of that fugitives mom is ridiculous.
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Movie Man: 'Anatomy of a Murder' is top courtroom drama
Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith
