The casting of Jimmy Stewart in “Anatomy of a Murder” was a stroke of genius by Otto Preminger or whomever at Columbia dreamed up their pairing. Cast Humphrey Bogart and the tone mixed with the film’s already dark plot would’ve been too coldly grim for a courtroom drama, one more befitting a noir. Put another director in place, and Stewart’s performance turns away from the nuanced country lawyer with a sharp history and into the all too noble “aw, shucks”-ter he was always known for.
Maybe it’s Preminger’s cynicism that brings it out in him, but Stewart puts on one of the more unique performances in his career. He’s playing the sly, trickster always a few steps ahead and the smartest guy in the room, which is not usually the attitude of the humble defense lawyer in a movie such as this. Look at “The Verdict,” “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “12 Angry Men,” in which nobility shines through more than cunning. Stewart would’ve fit into one of those roles like a glove. But here he’s condescending of the witnesses on the stand, full of punchlines, playing the politics of the courtroom to his advantage, and only taking this murder case because it’ll give him a chance to get his feet wet against the current D.A., because he’s attracted to the defendant’s wife (Lee Remick) and because he’s not going to take any of his client’s (Ben Gazzara) crap.
Perhaps only Stewart would be able to nail this character, one who is acting not out of nobility but not out of sheer greed either, one who seems to be taking advantage of his situation, but also feels perfectly relatable, honest and even fatherly.
He helps to elevate “Anatomy of a Murder” to one of the best courtroom dramas ever made. It’s purely procedural, and it’s famous for its explicit discussion of rape, sex, panties and “spermatogenesis” in a Code-approved picture, but Preminger never goes for exploitation. Preminger denies us any of the explicit acts of violence used as the basis for the trial, which not only makes us suspect the truth later, but it also makes the courtroom scenes that much more effective and climactic. This is a film that only deepens in layers of intrigue as the plot goes on, and the whole thing feels just more devilish and suspenseful in the process. Continue reading “Rapid Response: Anatomy of a Murder”