I was surprised to find that Witness for the Prosecution was released in 1957. The cast chosen and the fact that the film was shot in B&W kept me guessing about the historical context of the film itself - not just the story. Only the aged appearances of Tyrone Power (in this, his last film) and Philip Tonge hinted to me that the production was post-1950. Marlene Dietrich looked wonderful! (Side note about the "bedroom" scene - I never imagined that coffee could be such an aphrodisiac!)
Beyond that, the film was delightful. I did not know the story and thoroughly enjoyed the guessing and second-guessing until the denouement. The dialogue was masterful and Charles Laughton brilliantly delivered every syllable. While Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich occasionally bordered on melodrama, the story was fascinating and I was especially thrilled to see - and then try to place - so many, many splendid character actors, including Henry Daniell, Elsa Lanchester, Una O'Connor, Norma Varden, Philip Tonge, John Williams and Ian Wolfe (whom I failed to place!) And looking at IMDB this morning, I find that I even failed to spot Marjorie Eaton and Ruta Lee!
Conclusion: I would recommend Witness for the Prosecution to old film buffs, especially those convinced that the majority of modern dialogue was written by mischievous kittens dancing across a keyboard.
Posted by laura at January 23, 2003 12:57 PM