Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
Director: Billy Wilder
With a whodunnit story rich with fascinating characters for what Agatha Christie is famed for, a cast of talented actors (Marlene Dietrich, Tyron Powers, Charles Laughton and John Williams) and the wit of the English, one cannot expect anything less than pure artistry from this court drama movie. It reminds us of a time when acting and dialogue superseded cinematographic wizardry in the success of a film.
The bossy but loveable Barrister, Sir Wilfrid Robarts, is just out of the hospital after a heart attack. He is accompanied around like a mother hen by his nurse (his real-life wife, Elsa Lancaster). They whip quite a chemistry on screen, their arguments are quite fun to watch. She, as a domineering by the book nurse and he, the delinquent and non-complying patient.
A Mr Vole, an ex-Army man, now trying hard to make ends meet, walks into his office, for assistance as he may be charged with murder. A wealthy widow has been murdered, and he was last seen with her. He is soon arrested.
The case becomes more complicated as he inherits a substantial earning from her will. Mr Vole's wife appears at the office. As mysterious as the situation develops, so does she. As a performing artist, she met him in Germany during the war and vouches as an alibi for her husband. Her services are refused by Sir Alfred as it would not hold water in court.
When the case starts, an interesting one that is, with all the wordplay and subtle puns, Mrs Vole appears for the prosecution instead. She then gives an entirely different description of her union with the accused. Vole is acquitted, but the twist is in how the ending turns out.
Director: Billy Wilder
With a whodunnit story rich with fascinating characters for what Agatha Christie is famed for, a cast of talented actors (Marlene Dietrich, Tyron Powers, Charles Laughton and John Williams) and the wit of the English, one cannot expect anything less than pure artistry from this court drama movie. It reminds us of a time when acting and dialogue superseded cinematographic wizardry in the success of a film.
The bossy but loveable Barrister, Sir Wilfrid Robarts, is just out of the hospital after a heart attack. He is accompanied around like a mother hen by his nurse (his real-life wife, Elsa Lancaster). They whip quite a chemistry on screen, their arguments are quite fun to watch. She, as a domineering by the book nurse and he, the delinquent and non-complying patient.
A Mr Vole, an ex-Army man, now trying hard to make ends meet, walks into his office, for assistance as he may be charged with murder. A wealthy widow has been murdered, and he was last seen with her. He is soon arrested.The case becomes more complicated as he inherits a substantial earning from her will. Mr Vole's wife appears at the office. As mysterious as the situation develops, so does she. As a performing artist, she met him in Germany during the war and vouches as an alibi for her husband. Her services are refused by Sir Alfred as it would not hold water in court.
When the case starts, an interesting one that is, with all the wordplay and subtle puns, Mrs Vole appears for the prosecution instead. She then gives an entirely different description of her union with the accused. Vole is acquitted, but the twist is in how the ending turns out.
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