REVIEW: ANATOMY OF A MURDER

Do you ever watch pre-1960's films and think, "It wasn't REALLY like that though, was it?" I mean people in old films never swear, are rarely cynical or sarcastic and they certainly do NOT have sex. This would seem contrary to the fact that you and I are sitting here right now, which would suggest that, at some point, grandpa & grandma must have got it on and had post-war black-and-white "You've Never Had It So Good" 1950's RUDENESS.

I'm sorry if I've upset you. I take it all back. Your grandparents never had sex. All of our parents were found under gooseberry bushes la la la.

My point is this. Due to censorship and society at the time, most old films are not quite the genuine voices of their era. You have to colour it in a little in your mind and there's few 1950's films that seem as nasty and cynical and real as the modern world. 

But there are a few. "Anatomy of a Murder" is a good example. It's a courtroom drama that concerns the trial of a soldier after he kills the man who he alleges raped his wife. James Stewart plays the defending attorney - and he does that "I'm just a poor country lawyer" Clarence Darrow bit, up against George C Scott as the big-city prosecutor. It's a joy seeing them spar against each other.

It's a cynical film though. It's pretty obvious that Stewart's client is guilty, but Stewart's strategy is to find some legal reason that will allow the sympathetic jury to acquit despite the facts. George C Scott is equally slippery, trying desperately to keep the rape out of the trial and railroad Stewart's client by withholding evidence. It sounds nasty, but is in fact a lot of fun - like a high-stakes game of table-tennis but with the death penalty*.

A young and lovely Lee Remick plays the soldier's wife who may or may not have been raped and she's terrific - all swagger and pout. The film has little or nothing to do with justice - it's just about the system and how it works. As a result it feels surprisingly modern, apart from the cars and the clothes and the language. There's also an amusingly old-fashioned bit where the judge and the attorneys struggle to find a way to avoid using the word "panties" in the trial as it might offend the jury - 

JUDGE: Can you think of any other word you could use? 
STEWART: "Undergarments" is too vague.
SCOTT: When I was stationed in France they had a word - but it's even more suggestive.
JUDGE: Hmmm. Most French words are.

So for a glimpse into another time that feels authentic, "Anatomy of a Murder" is well worth a look. It features Duke Ellington on the soundtrack (he also makes an appearance as a piano player). Plus anything with Jimmy Stewart in is always wonderful. Even "Airport 77".

* Which would certainly make it more exciting. "Ping Pong Beyond Thunderdome", if you will.