Review of Anatomy of a Murder (1959) by Amheretojudge — 04 Jun 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 toStewart 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.