Witness For the Prosecution dvd movie.|
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List Price: $14.98 Our Price: $10.99 You Save: $3.99 Features • Anamorphic • Black & White • Closed-captioned • Dubbed • Subtitled • Widescreen • NTSC In Theaters : 1957 DVD Release : 11 December, 2001 |
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Witness For the Prosecution description Billy Wilder cowrote and directed this brilliant 1957 mystery based on Agatha Christie's celebrated play about an aging London barrister (Charles Laughton) who's preparing to retire when he takes the defense in the most vexing murder case of his distinguished career. In his final completed film (he died of a heart attack less than a year later), Tyrone Power plays the prime suspect in the murder of a wealthy widow, and Marlene Dietrich plays the wife of the accused, whose testimony--and true identity--holds the key to solving the case. A classic of courtroom suspense, Witness for the Prosecution is one of those movies with enough double-crossing twists to keep the viewer guessing right up to the very end, when yet another surprise is deftly revealed. This being a Billy Wilder film, the dialogue is first-rate and the acting superb, with both Laughton and his offscreen wife Elsa Lanchester (playing the barrister's pesty nurse) winning Academy Awards for their performances. Although later films would concoct even more complicated courtroom scenarios, this remains one of the best films of its kind and a model for all those films that followed its lead. --Jeff Shannon |
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| ♥♥♥♥♥ | Prepare for a Kidney Punch! |
| Yeah...I said a kidney punch. The VHS version [and I suppose the DVD as well]contains the warning spoken in theaters to please not reveal the surprise ending...so I won't. Suffice it to say it'll be awhile before you compose yourself enough to turn off your DVD player. This movie is a masterpiece of suspense. Charles Laughton is fabulous as the grumpy old barrister who just can't abide his doctor's order to never set foot in a courtroom again [I know the feeling first hand and he is brilliant at it]. And I just LOVE that line "Please Mayhew...not while I'm smoking!"[I've used it ever since].Marlene Dietrich plays the scheming German wife [this movie was made close enough to the War and all the drivel spoken in those days about "the German National Character"]to perfection [the flashback sequence even tells you why she needs to be a schemer). Tyrone Power gives a stunning performance [that's all I'll say about him] and Una O'Connor is positively delightful as, in the Laughton character's words, the "worthy and devoted housekeeper".
Beyond that, the courtroom stuff isn't half bad. The Judge's rulings make sense, up to and including his order on the motion to reopen the case. And last but not least...are you a trial lawyer? Like me, do you have problems avoiding a stroke when the jury is coming back in with a verdict?? Well...whoever wrote the score for that scene really knew his stuff...my heart starts hammering as if it were my case. In short...this movie is all around worthwhile if you're looking for stimulating entertainment in the mystery genre! Five Stars. |
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