Witness For the Prosecution | 
 enlarge | Director: Billy Wilder
Actors: Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester, John Williams (ii)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
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Rating:  84 reviews
Sales Rank: 932
Format: Anamorphic, Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 116
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.5
MPN: D1002744D
ISBN: 0792851668
UPC: 027616869425
EAN: 9780792851660
ASIN: B00005PJ6Z
Theatrical Release Date: 1957
Release Date: December 11, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Condition: Brand new Factory Sealed DVDs ***100% GUARANTEED!!!***
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Amazon.com essential video
Billy Wilder cowrote and directed this brilliant 1957 mystery based on Agatha Christie's celebrated play about an aging London barrister (Charles Laughton) who's preparing to retire when he takes the defense in the most vexing murder case of his distinguished career. In his final completed film (he died of a heart attack less than a year later), Tyrone Power plays the prime suspect in the murder of a wealthy widow, and Marlene Dietrich plays the wife of the accused, whose testimony--and true identity--holds the key to solving the case. A classic of courtroom suspense, Witness for the Prosecution is one of those movies with enough double-crossing twists to keep the viewer guessing right up to the very end, when yet another surprise is deftly revealed. This being a Billy Wilder film, the dialogue is first-rate and the acting superb, with both Laughton and his offscreen wife Elsa Lanchester (playing the barrister's pesty nurse) winning Academy Awards for their performances. Although later films would concoct even more complicated courtroom scenarios, this remains one of the best films of its kind and a model for all those films that followed its lead. --Jeff Shannon
Description
Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton star in this brilliantly made courtroom drama (The Film Daily) that left audiences reeling from its surprise twists and shocking climax. Directed by Billy Wilder, scripted by Wilder and Harry Kurnitz and based on Agatha Christie's hit London play, this splendid, six-time Oscar-nominated* classic crackles with emotional electricity (The New York Times) and continues to keep movie lovers riveted until the final, mesmerizing frame. When a wealthy widow is found murdered, her married suitor, Leonard Vole (Power), is accused of the crime. Vole's only hope for acquittal is the testimony of his wife (Dietrich) but his airtightalibi shatters when she reveals some shocking secrets of her own! *1957: Best Picture, Actor (Laughton), Supporting Actress (Elsa Lanchester), Director, Sound, Film Editing
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| Customer Reviews: Read 79 more reviews...
Smartly Played Star Turns and Agatha Christie's Plot Twists Elevate Wilder's Witty Courtroom Drama September 2, 2008
A labyrinth of deception is expected in an Agatha Christie mystery, and those unfamiliar with Billy Wilder's 1957 adaptation of the venerable writer's classic courtroom drama are in for a treat. Even if you already know how it all ends, there are still joys to be had from the star-studded cast and the master filmmaker's craftsmanship. Along with fellow screenwriters Larry Marcus and Harry Kurnitz, Wilder has imbued Christie's absorbing story with enough of his trademark humor to make the compelling film a genuine entertainment in the old Hollywood tradition. The plot centers on master barrister Sir Wilfrid Robarts, who decides to take as a client Leonard Vole, an unemployed kitchen-gadget inventor who is charged with murder. Robarts is in ill health and must tolerate the constant pestering of Miss Plimsoll, a nurse assigned to make sure Robarts slows down and takes his medications. Through a trick he employs by having sunlight reflect on his monocle, Robarts believes Vole to be innocent of the charge of killing wealthy, lonely matron Mrs. French. Naturally, there is a lot of circumstantial evidence that points to Vole being the killer.
Enter Vole's cold German wife Christine, a former wartime chanteuse several years older than her husband and now his only alibi the night of the murder. The first surprising twist in the story occurs when Christine ends up playing the title role and kick-starts a series of revelations that lead to its somewhat unexpected conclusion. As Robarts, Charles Laughton has the best movie role of the latter phase of his lengthy career, displaying the character's sharp wit and cunning deductive skills with aplomb. His real-life wife Elsa Lanchester plays Miss Plimsoll with her familiar dotty manner and sing-song dithering. In his last completed role, Tyrone Power capitalizes on his seemingly effortless charm to play Vole but unfortunately tends to overact during key moments. Marlene Dietrich is ideally cast as the morally ambiguous Christine, showing off her legs in a wartime flashback and playing quite against character in the train station scene. You may be amused by a voiceover during the end credits that asks viewers not to reveal the surprise ending. A long trailer featuring Laughton is the only extra that comes with the 2001 DVD.
Make that 83 people who love it July 8, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Though Thomas Wolfe advised against it, sometime heading home is a good thing. And what creates home more than those films you saw during your formative years? My first Marx Brothers, my first time with Bogart, my first gigantic plot twist all clank around in my brain even now. Sometimes, as with The Ipcress File, a return visit is massively disappointing. Sometimes though, a trip back is more exciting than imagined. Such a trip is Witness for the Prosecution, a film I loved when I first saw it, probably on TV way back when, and a film that looks even better today, especially in this lovely print.
How could anyone dislike this film? While others here praise Power and Dietrich, I find their performances somewhat stilted and artificial. The plot conclusion muddies those waters, but they do not carry this tale. I'm happy to be in the minority, as they cannot sink this battleship. While Billy Wilder makes a wonderful captain, steering and choosing and selecting with a deftness not often seen, it is Charles Laughton, in what is certainly one of the finest performances on screen, who elevates this tale from the mere plot-driven supriseroo (like Ten Little Indians) to the realm of classics. He is extraordinary, moving from condescending, arrogant, sneering, scowling, and cranky, to overwhelmed with his own ignorance and staggered by how badly he is mistaken. Breathtaking in the smallest mannerisms and slightest vocal inflections. Elsa Lanchester, who often played the dithering wacko, is the perfect blend of subservience and skill. The supporting cast is all excellent. Familiar faces from a hundred films walk in, do a great job, and depart. But watching the aging Laughton, a man who no one could have seen as a box office draw, triumph, is a treat. A fine film with a fine transfer to display its greatness.
WITNESS FOR THE 'PROSECUTION' June 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm not going to spoil the plot since this Agatha Christie-based movie directed by Billy Wilder takes so many twists and turns, especially at the end. The AWARDS speak for themselves as to the quality of this film. Charles Laughton portrays the huge hunk of a man, barrister Sir Wilfrid, who, as the film opens, is returning home from an extended stay in the hospital for a near fatal heart attack. He is accompanied by his eccentric nurse whose sole job is to keep him away from everything he craves-cigars, brandy, women and high stress criminal cases. Of course, he immediately becomes intrigued with the case of Leonard Vole (Power) who is accused of killing a wealthy widow. His curiosity gets the best of him when he meets Christine Helm/Vole (Dietrich), Leonard's wife and only alibi, and so he decides to take Leonard's case. The rest of this fast-paced film concentrates on the courtroom drama with it famous surprises and great acting and is spiced with some very funny scenes and lines. Definitely one of the all time great courtroom films-put this at the top of the list. [...].
Mesmerizing! April 19, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
DVD - MGM Entertainment - perfect print and audio. Thanks MGM! What a wonderful film! It's good, very good. Charles Laughton is a joy to watch and paired with Elsa Lanchester (his real-life wife) as his nurse is fun, fun, fun! Marlene Dietrich is in fine form. In fact, there's a darn good chance she'll take your breath away! This film is especially fun to watch for the very first time - from tip to tail, not missing a heartbeat. It's quite a ride!
Witness for the Prosecution January 28, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is one of the best movies ever made it keeps you glued to your chair and so many red herrings are thrown in to keep you guessing. The acting by the whole cast is superb and I never tire of watching it and always see soemthing new in it.
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