Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger)

[pro-bassoonist]

Sony/Columbia Pictures are set to release Anatomy of a Murder (1959) in Germany on November 5th.

Variety:

Director Otto Preminger got his film on the screen for preview only 21 days after the final shooting on Michigan location. This dispatch may be one reason why Anatomy is over-long.

Wendell Mayes screenplay otherwise is a large reason for the film's general excellence. In swift, brief strokes it introduces a large number of diverse characters and sets them in motion. An army lieutenant (Ben Gazzara) has killed a tavern operator whom he suspects of attempting to rape his wife (Lee Remick). James Stewart, former district attorney and now a privately-practicing attorney in a small Michigan city, is engaged for the defense.

Mayes' screenplay, from the book by the Michigan judge who uses the nom de plume Robert Traver, differs in some respects from the novel. Partly through casting, there is considerable doubt about the real innocence of Gazzara and Remick. This handsome young couple astray of the law are far from admirable.

Preminger purposely creates situations that flicker with uncertainty, that may be evaluated in different ways. Motives are mixed and dubious, and, therefore, sustain interest.

Balancing the fascinating nastiness of the younger players, there is the warmth and intelligence of Stewart and Arthur O'Connell. O'Connell, a bright, but booze-prone Irishman of great charm, is his ally. Joseph N. Welch, Boston attorney, is tremendous as the trial judge. George C. Scott, as the prosecution attorney, has the suave menace of a small-time Torquemada.

1959: Nominations: Best Picture, Actor (James Stewart), Supp. Actor (Arthur O'Connell, George C. Scott), Screenplay, B&W Cinematography, Editing.

Pro-B

[Bruce Morrison]

That will be an immediate purchase for me, assuming it's a good transfer and has no forced subtitles with the original language track.

[Harry Caul]

It's Sony Columbia i don't think there is any danger of forced subtitles and it's more of a French thing the forced subtitles. And yes this news makes totaly my day and as allways with all those big studio titles it's a hint it's comming worldwide. And could they fix it in this forum that you could write Otto Preminger without beign censored, that should be possible! Did they fix it?

[McCrutchy]

I didn't know this forum was into auto-censoring British slang...

And I can't wait for this to come out in the US!

[Bruce Morrison]

This is supposed to be released on November 5th, but Amazon.de have no web page for it. It doesn't look good. Does anyone know whether it's definitely been cancelled or postponed?

[Reduman]

You're correct in saying that the planned Blu-ray title "Anatomie eines Mordes" (" Anatomy of a Murder") is not currently listed by amazon.de
It is still listed here:

http://www.bluray-disc.de/search/node/Otto+Preminger

as being due out on 05.11.2009, with the usual proviso that this is the scheduled release date. Normally www.bluray-disc.de is very much up to date on changes, so I would check in with them for any possible changes to the scheduled release date over the next period ...

[Bruce Morrison]

I guess this release isn't happening today after all. Just one more in a long list of promised BD titles that haven't materialised.

[Arkadin]

just noticed this thread.
wow.
hopefully this will come out before too long.
just the fact that it was listed certainly means something I would think.