Anatomy of a Murder, released in 1959, is one of those perfect films. Great acting, a compelling script, flawless editing, and beautiful cinematography. I've been on a real Jimmy Stewart kick lately (although I'd venture to say I'm always on a Jimmy Stewart kick) and ever since I saw The Hustler, I've been completely smitten with George C. Scott. Ben Gazzara, who plays Lieutenant Manion, really holds his own next to Stewart and Scott as well. Duke Ellington's music was a fantastic addition to an already airtight motion picture. The jazz, being lenient and easygoing by nature, is the perfect complement to the strictness of the murder trial taking place at the film's forefront.
I don't always understand why some films really impress me and others, even when they are considered masterpieces, don't have much of an effect at all. I think what put Anatomy in the first category was that it was authentic. All of the characters had weaknesses which made each one equally captivating to watch. To quote Stewart's Paul Biegler, "people aren't just good or just bad...people are many things." Those "many things" are what make people and film characters so interesting and this is especially true of Anatomy's characters. I also think the film's tone is particularly noteworthy. While the story deals with serious issues like rape and murder, there is also a strong element of humor throughout. I thought the humor was one of the finer aspects of the film because it illustrated that sometimes, even in the most sordid of circumstances, we need to laugh at the ridiculousness of human nature. Nothing is ever too serious that we can't shake our heads a bit and smile.
Epic period pictures have always carried the most Oscar clout because they are able to take advantage of every possible cinematic facility. This has made it more difficult for small, script-driven films to gain Oscar recognition especially when in competition with these larger films. In 1960, Ben-Hur was nominated for twelve Academy Awards. With seven nominations, Otto Preminger's little crime thriller gave William Wyler's sweeping blockbuster a run for its money. While Ben-Hur went on to win eleven out of twelve awards and <Anatomy went home empty-handed, it was still very evident that Preminger's film had made an impact. Though the film was shot in black and white, takes place almost entirely inside a courtroom and does not contain a single chariot race, Anatomy of a Murder demonstrated that great cinema wasn't limited to extraordinary special effects and larger-than-life heroics. Sometimes all it takes is a few great actors, an intelligent director, and one hell of a good story.
*Nominated for seven Academy Awards
