I am a massive fan of the courtroom/trial genre. I swear I could watch the prosecutor going against the defense attorney all day and night. It is a battle to think quickly on one’s feet while listening to and analyzing every piece of fact or innuendo. It is a competition between who is craftier, bolder, presumptive, and just plain smarter to guide the proceedings in the required direction for the desired results. Lawyers must love their work and be born with the instinct to find the truth, no matter where it may lead.
I am particularly enamored with the quick repartee when cross-examinations find their rhythm and pace. It is simply exhilarating. I will never forget the time I was called to serve as a character witness for the defense in a murder trial. The case involved a former student long after I had retired from teaching. The defense team flew me from Washington to Arizona and put me up in a nice hotel, but in the end, it was not at all what it looks like on television or in the movies.
I was not scared or intimidated. I felt in my heart that my student was innocent and accused on circumstantial evidence. I still do. I wanted to share with the jury my experiences with this remarkable young man, but no one was listening. Not one jury member would look me directly in the eye or meet my gaze. It was disheartening. As a former theatre and speech teacher and a Distinguished Toastmaster, I worked as hard as I could to keep their focus and attention. It was mind-boggling to me. They held a person’s life in their hands. Didn’t they want to get it right? Didn’t they want justice and the rule of law to get their fair shake? Where was that balancing scale leaning? It was such an eye-opener. I know I did my best, but it saddened me that what I knew to be true made no difference to the outcome.
British courtrooms are much different. I adore how polite everyone is and how their word choice gets right to the crux of the case every time. I don’t even mind the pompous, worn-out white wigs they wear. It is obviously a system rich with traditions dating back centuries. One of my all-time favorite murder trials must be Dame Agatha Christie’s WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION. The intriguing tale later premiered as a film in 1957. It continues to be considered one of the best of all time, with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic score and 95% audience score.
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION received six Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture. It failed to bring home any statues, but this did not alter their financial success. This was due to the calibre of acting, direction, and writing. When all three elements come together, the sky is the limit. It was great PR to have everyone in the movie theater sign a card promising not to divulge the surprise ending. There was also another announcement voiced over the final credits. How could anyone resist seeing this film and finding out whether justice was served, even if it was not in the usual manner? Of course, it was a popular film, enjoying a run on Broadway of over 600 performances soon after it hit the movie screens.
The illustrious Billy Wilder (THE APARTMENT, SOME LIKE IT HOT) was the director. He was said to be a tyrant in his work environment. Some of his production team have called him “Mr. Hyde and Mr. Hyde.” He did not even reveal the ending to the film until the day they shot it. Ten pages were shown, then sworn to secrecy again. Several of the leads have said in later interviews that Wilder was one of their top directors of all time to work with due to his tenacious intent to get the story right. Wilder and Christie worked together on the screenplay, adding characters and locations as needed. It all began as a short story in 1925. Christie has said Wilder was one of her favorite directors to collaborate with, and WFTP became her most cherished film version until MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS was produced in the late 70s.
The cast included four heavy hitters, including Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, and Elsa Lanchester. There were several true-to-life ( believe it or not) facts about these stars. Laughton and Lanchester were always fighting and bickering in their roles as Defense Barrister and a nurse who was continually trying to take care of him after a heart attack. In reality, both were married to each other from 1929 until Laughton died in 1962. They were a highly respected acting couple and considered royalty among their peers. WFTP’s focus centered around Laughton’s sarcastic, blunt interpretation of his character, Sir Wilfred. Yes, there were many profound moments, but the monocle and electric stair climber were hilarious. It made Wilfred more authentic and not “all work and no play.” The two, Laughton and Lanchester, were perfect together. Their timing was impeccable and great fun to watch. I bet they enjoyed practicing their lines at home.
Tyrone Power was considered too old for the part of the accused, Leonard Vole. Perhaps this was because he smoked four packs of cigarettes a day and was a heavy drinker. He didn’t look well when filming, and less than a year after completing WFTP, Power died from a heart attack. I find that ironic, and gossip Hollywood columnists had a field day with the fan frenzy. Power was said to be challenging to work with at times. He didn’t get along well with Dietrich.
Marlene Dietrich was also considered temperamental. At the time of filming, she had just had plastic surgery. In those days, they used tape to lift aging faces. It was reported that the reason her performance was a bit stiff was that, beneath her wig, several tape tabs were holding her expression in place. She would use her body instead to highlight the emotions necessary for the big finale. Her musical number was added to show off those famous, highly insured legs. Audiences expected nothing less. She did, however, adore Billy Wilder. He was one of her three all-time favorite directors. She felt he truly understood her character as the accused’s wife. It was a fascinating performance.
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION was all about making those scales balance. If justice cannot be achieved in a trial, fate sometimes intervenes. It was brilliant and thoroughly entertaining. The plot was complicated and hid many secrets that would change the trajectory of each character’s story. The words “I didn’t see that coming” will be on the tip of your tongue while every piece of the puzzle clicks into place.
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION is an example of a classic courtroom genre. It will stay with audiences long after those final, revealing seconds. It will create more questions than answers. Sometimes the universe, with all its positive energy, really can tip the scales of what is considered fair play. I bet she’s working overtime lately.
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION is streaming on TCM.
