Anatomy of a Murder Notes (for Beyond the Bay)Otto Preminger
-Vienna born, Father, AG for Austrian Empire. Preminger studied law. Wealthy family -Stage director offered 20th Century Fox contract. Fought with Zanuck, exiled for 5 years -took Nazi roles in film. Relocated to NY -Producer first, then director -Took over directing Laura, while Zanuck was enlisted in Army -Directed strong of Noir films while on contract (Laura, Fallen Angel, Whirlpool, Where Sidewalk Ends, 13th Letter, Angel Face -1950’s: independent prod/Dir. Would take package to studio for distribution -1st Independent prod: The Moon is Blue ’52 (Sex comedy he directed on Broadway). Dispute with Prod Code, released w/o code (45 Star on Wilshire) -Deliberately chose material that would upset censors. Master of Publicity -Preferred long takes & neutral camera position to allow the audience to make their own judgements (“every cut is an interruption.”) -Name above the title on independent films Book Film -Biographer Foster Hirsch: “Preminger was the only director who could have made this film. A lawyer making a movie about a trial.” -100% location shoot in UP of Michigan (Ishpaming & Marquette) Sets/Location -Stewart’s house was Volker’s house (still stands as it did in ’58) -Barney’s Bar: Thunder Bay Inn Tavern in big Bay, MI -Law Library: Carnegie Public Library Ishmeming -Maruette County Courthouse -Entire Cast & crew stayed on set for duration of shoot -nightly gin games at Welch’s -Preminger’s prior film shot on the French Riviera Cast -“Casting 90% of performance”-Preminger -Lana Turner: initially offered & accepted part, but bowed out when Preminger wouldn’t allow her to wear designer gowns & apparel -Spencer Tracy & Burl Ives offered Judge part -Richard Widmark Manion part -Kathyn Grant: Bing Crosby’s wife -Lee Remick: offered part of Laura when she was 8 months pregnant, based on her performance in A Face in the Crowd. -George C. Scott initially offered bartender part, but insisted on DA -Seduction of Remick during cross examination -Joseph Welch: famous for Army-McCarthy hearings “Have you sir, at long last, no sense of decency?”-beginning of end for McCarthy witch hunt -Preminger didn’t ask him to walk & talk at same time -Welch agreed to take part if wife could be juror (pd $50,000) -Use teleprompter -Brooks West (DA). Eve Arden’s husband Characterizations -Biegler takes case as abstract opp ro exercise various points of law. Not an idealist, like earlier Stewart characters. Biegler also a showman who puts on & removes mask of performance. -Stewart’s Last Academy Award nominated performance -Stewart’s string of morally ambivilant characters (Naked Spur & Vertigo) -No character is entirely honest except judge. -Remick & Gazzara actor studio veterans. Developed relationship on their own Manion -Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart award winner Structure -Trail shot in sequence & before the rest of film -No closing arguments -Inclusion of Oliver Wendal Holmes: pragmatic juror, aligned with Preminger’s worldviews. Free Speech proponent Censorship -Trouble words used: slut, bra, panties, rape, climax, sperm, intercourse -“I’m gonna rape you” -Allowed substitution of “penetration” for “violation” -Initially banned in Chicago -South Africa would not play movie unless scene with Stewart & Ellington was removed. Preminger refused Score -Duke Elington, along with Billy Strayhorn on set for entire shoot -Used score to underscore, not influence -1 of only 5 films to win Grammy, but not be nom for Best Score (ID4, Crimson Tide, Glory, Dark Knight Post Production -Cut, scored & previewed within 2 months of shooting’s end -Named Michigan Product of the Year for 1959 -Saul Bass title sequence Awards/Reception -$4 BO in US & $1 in foreign -#7 Best courtroom film via AFI -Nominated for Best Pic, but not Best Director Random Notes -Stewart’s father famously took out ad in newspaper telling people not to see film -1962 Showing in Russia: Sexual issues not a problem, but audience couldn’t understand why trial took place. He should have been hanged for murder. Flawed system -Preminger sued Columbia in 1965 when they sold film for TV & allowed 13 commercial breaks & 36 commercials. He lost. Judge said final cut only applied to theatrical release -Golden Age of Courtroom Dramas: 12 Angry Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, Witness for the Presecution |