Anatomy of a Murder
Anatomy of a Murder
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2h 40m
Directed by Otto Preminger • 1959 • United States
Starring James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara
A virtuoso James Stewart plays a small-town Michigan lawyer who takes on a difficult case: the defense of a young army lieutenant (Ben Gazzara) accused of murdering a local tavern owner who he believes raped his wife (Lee Remick). This gripping envelope-pusher, the most popular film by Hollywood provocateur Otto Preminger, was groundbreaking for the frankness of its discussion of sex—but more than anything else, it is a striking depiction of the power of words. Featuring an outstanding supporting cast—with a young George C. Scott as a fiery prosecutor and the legendary attorney Joseph N. Welch as the judge—and an influential score by Duke Ellington, ANATOMY OF A MURDER is an American movie landmark, nominated for seven Oscars, including best picture.
Up Next in Anatomy of a Murder
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Foster Hirsch on ANATOMY OF A MURDER
This interview with writer Foster Hirsch, author of “Otto Preminger: The Man Who Would Be King,” was recorded in 2011.
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Firing Line: Otto Preminger, 1967
The following are excerpts from a 1967 episode of the television show “Firing Line,” in which ANATOMY OF A MURDER director Otto Preminger and host William F. Buckley Jr. discuss censorship and the Production Code.
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Gary Giddins on Duke Ellington
In this 2011 interview, critic Gary Giddins discusses Duke Ellington’s musical contributions to ANATOMY OF A MURDER.
