James Stewart, Lee Remick, and Ben Gazzara head the cast in “Anatomy of a Murder”

Anatomy of a Murder (1959) is an American courtroom drama directed by Otto Preminger and starring James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O’Connell, Eve Arden, and Kathryn Grant. The supporting cast includes George C. Scott, Orson Bean, and Murray Hamilton. The musical score is by Duke Ellington.

Lawyer Paul Biegler (Stewart), a former district attorney, is contacted by Laura Manion (Remick) to defend her husband, US Army Lieutenant Frederick “Manny” Manion. Manny was arrested for murdering innkeeper Bernard “Barney” Quill. Manny doesn’t deny murdering Quill, but he said he did so because he raped his wife.

Biegler, a small-town lawyer in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, uses all his knowledge of the law to defend Manny. Will his folksy lawyer strategy get Manny acquitted, or will the sophisticated prosecuting attorney, Claude Dancer (Scott), get Manny convicted of murder?

Otto Preminger (1905 -1986) was an American film director who made more than 35 feature films during a five-decade career. Born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire into a Jewish family. Preminger was drawn to acting from an early age and became the apprentice of famed stage director Max Reinhardt. In 1935, he was recruited by Twentieth Century-Fox to apprentice as a director at the studio. After a rocky start, Preminger established himself as an A-list director after Rouben Mamoulian was fired from Laura (1944). The film noir classic made major stars of Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews and is considered one of the best film noirs of all time. While under contract to Fox, Preminger directed Fallen Angel (1945), Centennial Summer (1946), Forever Amber (1947), and Daisy Kenyon (1947). After he left Fox, Preminger became a maverick, constantly clashing with members of the Production Code. He released two films without the approval of the Production Code: The Moon is Blue (1953) and The Man with the Golden Arm (1955). Both films were financial successes and helped bring an end to the Code entirely. Later successes for Preminger include Anatomy of a Murder (1959) and Exodus (1960).

James Stewart (1908 - 1997) was an American actor whose career spanned almost five decades and 80 films. Stewart often portrayed the ideal of the average American who was decent and honest. Stewart signed a seven-year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he appeared in a variety of supporting roles in B and A pictures. It wasn’t until he was loaned out to Columbia Pictures to costar in Frank Capra’s You Can’t Take It With You (1938) that his home studio began to take notice. Still, his best roles were on loan to other studios, including Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) at Columbia again and Destry Rides Again (1939) at Universal. M-G-M eventually cast him in The Philadelphia Story (1940) where he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, which cemented his reputation as a leading man and star. From there, he went on to make The Shop Around the Corner (1940) and The Mortal Storm (1940). After serving in the United States Army from 1941 - 1945, Stewart returned to Hollywood where he continued as a popular leading man. During the 1950s, Steward made two films with director Alfred Hitchcock, which are considered two of the director’s best films: Rear Window (1954) and Vertigo (1958). Vertigo was voted the greatest film ever made by Sight & Sound in 2012.

Lee Remick (1935 – 1991) was an American actress and singer. She made her film debut in A Face in the Crowd (1957) directed by Elia Kazan. She quickly established herself as a Major leading actress in films like Wild River (1960), Days of Wine and Roses (1962), which earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination, No Way to Treat a Lady (1968), The Detective (1968), The Omen (1976), and The Europeans (1979). Remick also received a Best Actress Tony nomination for her lead performance in Wait Until Dark (1966), a role that Audrey Hepburn would portray in the screen version in 1967.She received Golden Globe Awards for her television work. She won a BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for her performance in Jennie: Lady Churchill (1974).

Ben Gazzara (1930 – 2012) was an American actor, director, appearing on stage, film, and television. His big break came with his starring role as Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955 -1956). This led to a successful film career starting with Anatomy of a Murder (1959). He starred on television in Run for Your Life (1965 -1968). Gazzara was a frequent collaborator of John Cassavetes, working with him on the films Husbands (1970) and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976). Some of his movies include The Bridge at Remagen (1969), Voyage of the Damned (1976), and Saint Jack (1979).

 

Anatomy of a Murder trivia

• The film pushed the boundaries of the Production Code by using words like “bitch,” “contraception,” and “rape,” words not heard in American films before.
• James Stewart’s father found the film offensive and took out an ad in his local paper advising people not to see it.
• Much of the movie was filmed on location in Marquette County, Michigan.
• Lana Turner turned down the role of Laura, leaving the door open for Remick, Preminger’s first choice.
• James Stewart received his last Oscar-nominated performance. It was George C. Scott’s first Academy Award nomination.
• The film was banned in Chicago upon its initial release.

 

Ben Gazzara and James Stewart

Click HERE to watch the movie on the Internet Movie Archive.

Click HERE to join the discussion on June 9, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

 

Lee Remick, Eve Arden, and James Stewart

Discussion questions

1. This film was shocking for its frankness when dealing with a subject like rape and murder. Did you find anything about the film shocking or surprising?
2. Three actors from the film were nominated for Academy Awards: James Stewart, Best Actor; Arthur O’Connell, Best Supporting Actor; and George C. Scott, also for Best Supporting Actor. Did you think their performances were worthy of the nominations?
3. What did you think of the jazz score by Duke Ellington? Do you think it worked with the movie?
4. What did you make of the Lee Remick character? Do you think she was telling the truth about her relationship with Barney?
5. Did the Michigan location add to the film’s authenticity?
6. Would you recommend this film to a friend?

Judy Holliday and Paul Douglas drive away in “The Solid Gold Cadillac”

The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956) is an American comedy directed by Richard Quine and starring Judy Holliday and Paul Douglas. The supporting cast includes Fred Clark, John Williams, Ray Collins, Neva Patterson, and Arthur O’Connell.

Laura Patridge (Holliday) attends the board meeting for International Projects, a billion-dollar corporation. John T. Blessington (Williams) announces that he is replacing Edward L. McKeever (Douglas) who founded the company and served as president and chairman of the board. McKeever is resigning to serve as Secretary of Defense in Washington, D.C. Laura is a stockholder with just ten shares who frustrates the arrogant and dishonest executives by asking them questions during the meeting which is her right as a stockholder.

To get Laura out of their hair, Blessington hires her for the position of director of shareholder relations. The job has no real duties, but to make sure Laura stays in check, Blessington assigns her a private secretary named Amelia (Patterson) to keep an eye on things. With nothing to do, Laura writes letter to the stockholders. She and Amelia become friends and Laura helps her in her romance with the office manager (O’Connell).

The board of International Projects is distraught because they’ve received no government contracts. McKeever is a straight-shooter and refuses to give preference to his former company. In a move to help them get business, Blessington sends Laura to Washington, outfitted in a new wardrobe to try and convince McKeever to throw some business their way. 

When Laura tells McKeever what’s been happening at International Projects, he decides to return to his old position, but there’s only one catch. He has no controlling stock in the company which leaves him powerless to act.  

Will Laura and McKeever come up with a plan to take the company back and run it honestly and honorably?

 

Richard Quine (1920 – 1989) was an American director, actor, and singer. As a child, he had roles in several films throughout the 1930s including Cavalcade (1933), Dames (1934), and Dog of Flanders (1935). Quine transitioned to adult roles but his career as an actor began to wane after World War II. He decided to switch to directing and producing and became a very successful director during the 1960s and 1970s. Some of his films as director include Bell, Book and Candle (1958), The World of Suzie Wong (1960), Paris When it Sizzles (1964), How to Murder Your Wife (1965), and The Prisoner of Zenda (1979).

Judy Holliday (1921 – 1965) was an American actress, comedian, and singer. She started out in show business playing nightclubs before making her way to Broadway. Her role as Billie Dawn in Born Yesterday in 1946 made her an “overnight” sensation. When she recreated the role for the film version, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress of the Year. Other films include The Marrying Kind  (1952), It Should Happen to You (1954), Phffft (1954), The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956), Full of Life (1956), and Bells Are Ringing (1960), recreating her Tony Award-winning performance. Holliday died of breast cancer in 1965 at the age of 43. 

Paul Douglas (1907 – 1959) was an American actor. Douglas starred on Broadways as in film. He is mostly known for his comedic performances in films like It Happens Every Spring (1949), Angels in the Outfield (1951), and Never Wave at a WAC (1953). Other Douglas films include A Letter to Three Wives (1949), The Big Lift (1950), Love That Brute (1951), and Clash by Night (1952). Douglas was set to play the role of Mr. Sheldrake in The Apartment (1960) but died of a heart attack right before production was to start. He was replaced by Fred MacMurray.

 

Paul Douglas and Judy Holliday

The Solid Gold Cadillac trivia

• The final scene was filmed in color to show of the “solid gold” Cadillac.
• Holliday and Douglas starred together in Born Yesterday on Broadway.
• Producer Hal Wallis tried to purchase the film rights as a vehicle for Shirley Booth.
• The $225 sheer black nightgown would cost about $2500 today.

 

Click HERE to watch the film on YouTube.

 

 

Click HERE to join the discussion on March 11, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation via email with a link to the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

1. Do you think the film had a serious message underneath the comedy?
2. Was this role similar to Holliday’s role in Born Yesterday?
3. Did Holliday and Douglas have good screen chemistry?
4. Would you have liked to have been on the board of International Projects?
5. Does the film remind you of any other films you’ve seen?
6. Did you have a favorite scene or piece of dialogue?

 

William Holden romances Kim Novak in “Picnic”

Picnic (1955) is an American drama film directed by Joshua Logan and starring William Holden, Kim Novak, and Rosalind Russell. The film is based on the Broadway play of the same name by William Inge. The movie features Susan Strasberg, Cliff Robertson, Betty Field, Arthur O’Connell, and Reta Shaw.

Hal Carter (Holden) arrives by freight train in a small Kansas town on Labor Day morning to visit a fraternity friend, Alan Benson (Robertson). While staying with Helen Potts (Verna Felton), he meets Alan’s girlfriend Madge Owens (Novak), Madge’s younger sister Millie, and their mother Flo (Field). Alan promises Hal a job at his family’s grain elevator operations.

Things don't go well at the Labor Day picnic for Hal. An intoxicated Rosemary Sydney (Russell) forces herself on Hal and creates a scene that makes him look bad in front of Alan and the picnic crowd. Hal flees the party and is followed by Madge. Will Madge trade rich boy Alan for an uncertain life with Hal?

Joshua Logan (1908 – 1988) was an American theater and film director, playwright, and screenwriter. He was also an actor. He shared a Pulitzer Prize for co-writing the musical South Pacific. During his college years, he was involved with the University Players (an intercollegiate summer stock company) with James Stewart, Henry Fonda, and Margaret Sullavan. During the late-1930s, Logan went to Hollywood where he wrote some of the dialogue for The Garden of Allah (1936), History is Made at Night (1937), and Suez (1938). Logan’s film directing career included Picnic (1955) and Fanny (1961), both were film adaptations of Broadway plays that he directed for the theater. He also directed Bus Stop (1956), Sayonara (1957), Tall Story (1960), Camelot (1967), and Paint Your Wagon (1969).

William Holden (1918 - 1981) was an American actor and major movie star. He was one of the most bankable stars of the 1950s. Holden starred in some of the most popular and beloved films, including Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, Picnic (1955), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), and Stalag 17, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Holden became a star with his first role in Golden Boy (1939). He had lead roles in other popular films like Our Town (1940), and I Wanted Wings (1941). World War II interrupted his career. Holden was a first lieutenant in the United States Army Air Force. After the war, he made some popular but forgettable films. It wasn’t after he collaborated with director Wilder on Sunset Boulevard that Holden’s popularity and stature in Hollywood grew to superstar status.

Kim Novak (1933 - ) is an American film and television actress. She retired in 1991. Novak was one of the last “studio-created” stars during a time when the studio system was in decline. Born Marilyn Pauline Novak in Chicago, her name was changed to Kim after she signed a long-term contract with Columbia Pictures in 1954. By the next year, Novak was a major star working opposite the likes of Frank Sinatra and William Holden. Some of her significant films include Picnic (1955), The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), The Eddy Duchin Story (1956), Pal Joey (1957), and Bell, Book and Candle (1958). Perhaps her most celebrated film is her dual role in Vertigo (1958) co-starring James Stewart and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. In 2012, the British Film Institute’s Sight & Sound critic’s poll voted Vertigo as the best film of all time. After retiring from film, Novak has devoted herself to painting and has exhibited her work publicly.

Rosalind Russell and Arthur O'Connelll

Rosalind Russell (1907 - 1976) was an American film and stage actress. She was nominated for four Best Actress Academy Awards throughout her career. She won five Golden Globe Awards and a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as Ruth in Wonderful Town. Russell was a versatile actress who excelled at both comedy and drama. She was also one of the few actresses of her day to portray lawyers, judges, and psychiatrists. Some of her famous films include The Women (1939), My Sister Eileen (1942), Sister Kenny (1946), Picnic (1955), Auntie Mame (1958), Gypsy (1962), and The Trouble with Angels (1966).

Picnic trivia

• William Holden almost turned down the film role, thinking at 37, he was too old.
• Holden didn’t want to do the dance scene with Kim Novak. “I just don’t know how to dance,” he told co-star Cliff Robertson. To get over his fear, he did the scene intoxicated. Holden danced in only three other movies: Dear Ruth (1947), Sunset Boulevard (1950), and Sabrina (1954).
• Columbia Pictures wanted to promote Rosalind Russell for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Russell refused because she didn’t want to be considered a supporting actress.
• Arthur O’Connell, Reta Shaw, and Elizabeth Wilson recreated their Broadway roles for the film version.
• Kim Novak’s hair was dyed a reddish auburn color, rather than her usual platinum-blonde look, to give her a more innocent and youthful look.

To watch the film on YouTube, click here.

 

To join the discussion on September 18, 2023, at 6 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation along with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1.      1. William Holden thought he was too old for the role of Hal Carter. Do you agree?

2. This film made Kim Novak a superstar. Was she believable as Madge Owens?

3. Do you think Rosalind Russell would have won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar if she allowed Columbia Pictures to campaign on her behalf? What did you think of her performance as Rosemary?

4. The film’s supporting cast is impressive; do you have a favorite?

5. Was the film relatable?

6. Do you think Hal and Made have a chance at happiness?

7. Does the film hold up in 2023 or is it a relic of its time?