esrosedotblog

PREMINGER

Revised 7 PM: added Saul Bass site in para 3.

Today's movie; Anatomy of a Murder (1959); NYT1000Best; we know who dunnit; we don't know if James Stewart can get him off. This is long long long. I was brought up on 90 minute films so........I will allow two hours; but this is 160 minutes and I stayed.

Otto Preminger had an up and down career and was notable more for the topics that he tackled than the quality of the films although sometimes he hit the bullseye with both arrows. That is the case here. Bullseyes! This one is about rape, wife battering, and insanity defenses. For its time, it was very daring. And it is still riveting; although its adherence to legal niceties is pretty thin.

Preminger did a first class job all the way; spare no expense and managed everything including the marketing of his pictures. He sought strong publicity. His use of Saul Bass graphics was extensive and Bass was a 'name' in his time. See Saul Bass on the Web. It is a great "tribute site"; I guess like a tribute band; she uses all kinds of Saul Bass devices to show off Saul Bass' work.

A neat trick here, is that the judge is none other than Joseph N.Welch; the attorney who nailed Joe McCarthy in those Senate Army/McCarthy Hearings in 1954. When I was a senior in high school we took a trip to Washington D.C. and when I had free time, I went and stood outside the place the hearings were held. I saw Welch and many other principals leave. It was pretty thrilling stuff for an 18 year old hick kid.

So it was all a kick and I heartily recommend the movie whether you know who Joseph N. Welch is or not. The film has great turns by Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, George C. Scott, Arthur OConnell and Eve Arden, god bless her. I give it a 4 out of a Netflix5.