Slog - Comments on Anatomy of Greatness

Comment by chops

chops — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:35:09 -0800

oops. just saw it on TCM...
great movie. edgy for its time.
jimmy stewart talking about sperm and panties.

Comment by Bauhaus

Bauhaus — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:07:28 -0800

A great American classic. Panties, yes. No one had used the word panties in film before in that context. Ben Gazzara's and Lee Remick's (both superb) characters are guilty as hell of something. We're not quite sure what. A wonderful piece about sexy, naughty people and their base trailer park mentalities. Stewart's performance is nothing short of astonishing as the cognizant nice guy who occasionally takes a peek at the dark side and knows it well. Eve Arden is as snappy as it gets as the wise-cracking, principled sidekick.

Comment by lark

lark — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:17:45 -0800

Charles,
This is indeed a great film. As I recall, George C. Scott gives a great performance as well. I think it was one of the first jazz scores done in film. BTW, the actress Kathryn Grant who appears in the film was Bing Crosby's second wife.

Comment by apttitle

apttitle — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:21:12 -0800

maybe that's cause your new film editor SUCKS!!!!!

Comment by Rick

Rick — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:26:44 -0800

One of the all-time-greats from old Hollywood, and one that has hardly dated.

A few things to note: Otto Preminger was Austrian, not German.

The actor who plays the judge in the film, Joseph Welch, was the U.S. Army attorney who famously stared down Joe McCarthy on television("Have you no sense of decency?") and initiated the fall of his political career.

Comment by Rob

Rob — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:37:32 -0800

Actually, I think the score is mostly by Billy Strayhorn. As usual, Ellington got the credit and Strayhorn did most of the work.

Comment by Jim Demetre

Jim Demetre — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:55:17 -0800

I love this film for all these reasons (Preminger always had great scores) but also because it reminds us of a time in America when defense attorneys were deemed heroes and our "fact-based" justice system was not regarded with derision.

Comment by Smarm

Smarm — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:46:50 -0800

@3 -

Alex North's soundtrack for "Streetcar Named Desire," with Marlon Brando, was the first heavily jazz-themed score in a major Hollywood feature film. It was released five years or so before "Anatomy of a Murder."

Comment by Joe M

Joe M — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:51:42 -0800

Not only that, but Saul Bass designed the titles. Kick ass!

Comment by Luke

Luke — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:02:39 -0800

I saw this movie on TCM not long ago and will join the chorus singing the praises of its ahead-of-its-timeness. Jimmy Stewart is awesome, there are great humorous moments, but the ending is really what did it for me. Hopefully I am not spoiling the movie, but I loved the did-he-or-didn't he aspect with regard to the panties. We are conditioned to believe Jimmy Stewart must be a hero, but maybe in this case he was less than ethical...

Comment by JoeG

JoeG — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:39:20 -0800

I can now finally state that there can be things I agree with Charles on 100% without reservation.

Nice catch, @9, too.