Anatomy of a Murder Movie - Assignment Example

?Movie Analysis: Anatomy of a Murder (1959) QUESTIONS TO ANSWER FOR FILM REPORTS What is the film about and does it have a theme? If so, where do we first sense that theme developing? What methods are employed to emphasize this theme? Anatomy of a Murder is a 1959 courtroom drama movie directed by Otto Preminger starring James Stewart, Lee Remick, George Scott, Eve Arden, and Ben Gazzara. The film is about a murder committed by Frederick Manion (played by Ben Gazzara), a US army lieutenant, after finding out that his wife, Laura Manion (played by Lee Remick) was raped by their acquaintance and bar owner Barney Quill. James Stewart, who played the role of a former district attorney, serves as a defense lawyer for Manion and stood at the courtroom defending his client. The film’s theme follows a courtroom drama that involves a battle of argumentative wits between and among brilliant lawyers. The audience can see the theme initially when Manion’s wife, Laura, talked to Stewart over the phone and asked him to defend her husband. It then follows that Stewart met with Laura and Frederick in the jail, and Stewart decided to accept the case. The film used an element of legal objects and subjects, such as Stewart’s law books and the introduction of Manion’s murder case. 2) What were the choices made by the main characters and what were the consequences of those choices? First of all, when Stewart accepted to represent the defendant on court, he embarked on a tedious journey of courtroom arguments in order to defend well an accused murderer. Manion’s wife also proved to be a disadvantage on the part of the defense because of her flirty and happy-go-lucky aura. Moreover, Stewart faced some dubious statements both from Frederick and Laura which make it harder to patch things together consistently. Stewart’s appearance on the courtroom also showcased his unique temperament which shifts from being reserved to a sudden emotional outburst and rage. Furthermore, the judge also made important decisions while the case is going on. There in that trial, tabooed words in the court were used, such as ‘panties,’ ‘slut,’ and ‘bitch’ (Brunson par. 1). Now, these words have been legally used in trial cases. Lastly, the judge’s decision in giving the victory to Stewart’s camp was prompted by Mary Pilant’s decision to give in to Stewart’s request to side with their camp and tell the court that she herself found the undergarment in their laundry room. Pilant’s decision to reveal her identity as Quill’s daughter in the court made a stunning and shocking effect on the prosecution. As a result of their collaboration, Manion was freed and was charged not guilty of murder. 3) What three or four sequences are most important in the film? Why? These important sequences in this movie happened during the courtroom procedure. However, the first scene that can be considered important was when Stewart visited Manion for the first time in jail which initially got Stewart his impression towards Manion. He also learned about his marriage with Laura. It then follows that Stewart was set for the murder trial because he found out a precedent for ‘irresistible impulse’ in a Michigan court decision, and he began a battle with the two prosecution lawyers. Stewart, in one of his arguments, insisted that Quill and Manion had troubles before the murder happened because the former might have a fondness for Laura, and that Manion murdered Quill out of irresistible impulse, meaning he did not deliberately kill Quill but did so because he was ‘forced to its execution by an impulse.’ The case was sealed after Mary Pilant agreed to lie in court and tell the jury that she found Laura’s underwear in their laundry room suggesting that Quill did rape Laura. 4) Did the ?lm surprise you with anything unusual in its story, style, technique, or implications? Although I have seen modern courtroom drama films, such as My Sister’s Keeper, Erin Brockovich and The Exorcism of Emily Rose, I can say that this movie surprises me through the way the courtroom scenes were presented. There was the element of melodrama, emotional outburst, trickery and deceit during the cross-examination. Although it was a bit dramatic, there was an element of reality in the way the whole plot goes and the way Stewart behaves during the courtroom interpolation. Both the story and style surprised me in a sense that trickery and other forms of drama can win a case which is not the usual case in some other trial cases in movies that reward truth and honesty. Moreover, the implication of the movie surprises me with the use of Stewart’s creativity in coming up with plausible arguments or maybe excuses. Perhaps, that really is happening in a real courtroom scene, which made me think that the story was able to depict a picture of reality about the legal system. 5) Were any particular ?lm techniques used in key scenes? How did the film techniques and music enhance the setting and themes of the ?lm? Provide speci?c details and explanations. I would like to think that based on what I saw, the director used accuracy in depicting the real events that were written in the book where the movie was based. This accuracy as a technique made the audience perceive reality in this courtroom drama which is something that is not common in today’s trial movies. For instance, the judge interfered when Stewart displayed some emotional outbursts or when there were exaggerated acts coming from both parties. Moreover, the director might have anticipated the audience’s reaction towards the movie’s finale wherein the court seemed to be incapable of sensing deceit and dishonesty among the people involved in the case. This reality appeal makes the movie so realistic, yet disappointing to those who love justice to be served. Finally, the musical scoring was remarkable because it uses jazz. One of the movie theme music adds sexiness on the part of Laura. That particular music served as background music when Laura and Stewart had their confrontation in a bar. It was there that Laura had a company of soldiers at the same time flirted with them. 6) Who directed the film? Does the director have a particularly distinct style? Would you recognize his work in other ?lms? What does the director's style reveal about him? Anatomy of a Murder was directed by Austrian actor, director, and producer Otto Preminger. Preminger is largely credited for introduction of courtroom trials and “versatile and trendsetting films” such as The Moon is Blue and Laura (Folkart par. 2). His style, according to most movie critics, was a deviation from “wartime puritanism to postwar adventurism” (Folkart par. 5). Since he had earned a law degree, Otto Preminger was regarded as a reliable creator of courtroom trial dramas as evident by his phenomenal hit films Anatomy and Laura. He was also popular for introducing some taboo words during his era in cinema, such as ‘panties,’ ‘rape,’ and ‘virgin’ (Folkart par. 7). In other words, Preminger is never afraid to break the conventions and creates something that is worthy of critical reception. Preminger’s works were actually a mix of drama, thriller, and comedy, but all of his works say something about social issues that were never tackled or were overlooked by most. His style reveals that he is never afraid of experimenting in order to give moviegoers the best movie to watch out for. Works Cited Brunson, Matt. “Anatomy of a Murder, Scarlet Street Among New Home Entertainment Titles.” Creative Loafing Charlotte. SouthComm, Inc. 28 Feb. 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . Folkart, Burt A. “Hollywood Star Walk: Otto Preminger.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 1986. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. . Read More