Anatomy of a Murder (1959): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Anatomy of a Murder is a 1959 drama thriller directed by Otto Preminger, starring James Stewart, Arthur O'Connell and Eve Arden. It is based on Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver. It runs 2 hours 40 minutes and earned $194 worldwide. It was nominated for 6 Oscars. Critics gave it 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 95 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.0/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 40m (160 min)
- Director
- Otto Preminger
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Columbia Pictures
- Based on
- Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Anatomy of a Murder About?
The premise of Anatomy of a Murder without spoilers, adapted from Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A seasoned lawyer, Paul Biegler, takes on the defense of Army Lieutenant Manion, who is accused of murder and claims self-defense. The case centers around an alleged rape of Manion's wife by the victim. During the intense courtroom proceedings, Biegler confronts a complex web of conflicting testimonies and hidden agendas. He must unravel the truth to determine whether his client acted in self-defense, while also uncovering a surprising revelation that challenges everything he thought he knew.
Anatomy of a Murder Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- rape
- rape victim
- revenge
- courtroom drama
- based on novel
- national film registry
- inn
- legal drama
- small town
- korean war veteran
- train station
- shoe
+38 more Show fewer
- alcoholism
- dysfunctional marriage
- military officer
- secretary
- loss of father
- catholic
- innkeeper
- murder
- lawyer
- bar
- fishing
- trailer park
- piano
- black eye
- trial
- michigan
- jazz club
- cairn terrier
- convertible
- panties
- fly fishing
- michigan upper peninsula
- dog
- underwear
- jail
- psychiatrist
- jealousy
- based on true story
- dog drinks beer
- legal
- irresistible impulse
- cane
- pinball
- rainstorm
- milk
- pistol
- ambiguous ending
- bartender
Anatomy of a Murder Cast
James Stewart leads the cast, with Arthur O'Connell and Eve Arden. Directed by Otto Preminger; 10 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Otto Preminger
Also Starring in Anatomy of a Murder
· 6 moreMore from Otto Preminger
More films directed by Otto Preminger, best-rated first: Bunny Lake Is Missing, The Man with the Golden Arm, Carmen Jones and The Human Factor.
Anatomy of a Murder Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Anatomy of a Murder 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 95 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.0/10.
-
IMDb 8.0 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 100% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 91%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 95 Metascore
User score 8.2
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 78% User score
See on TMDB
Anatomy of a Murder Plot Summary
What happens in Anatomy of a Murder from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, we meet small-town lawyer Paul Biegler (James Stewart), a former district attorney whose career took a downturn after losing his re-election bid. Now, he spends his days indulging in fishing, playing the piano, and spending quality time with his alcoholic friend Parnell McCarthy (Arthur O’Connell) and his sardonic secretary Maida Rutledge (Eve Arden).
Full summary
The whole story of Anatomy of a Murder, scene by scene
Anatomy of a Murder Box Office
Anatomy of a Murder grossed $194 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$194
- International
- $194
Anatomy of a Murder Awards & Nominations
Anatomy of a Murder was nominated for 6 Oscars. The 14 nominations come from 4 ceremonies, the most at the Oscars 1960.
14 nominations4 ceremonies
-
Oscars 1960 6 nominations- Nominated Actor – James Stewart
- Nominated Actor in a Supporting Role – Arthur O'Connell and George C. Scott
- Nominated Best Motion Picture
- Nominated Cinematography (Black-and-White)
- Nominated Film Editing
-
Golden Globes 1960 4 nominations- Nominated Best Actress - Drama – Lee Remick
- Nominated Best Director – Otto Preminger
- Nominated Best Film - Drama
- Nominated Best Supporting Actor
-
BAFTA 1960 3 nominations- Nominated Best British Film
- Nominated Best Film
- Nominated Best Foreign Actor – James Stewart
-
DGA Awards 1960 1 nomination- Nominated Feature Film – Otto Preminger
Anatomy of a Murder Trailers & Videos
6 videos: 2 trailers and 4 featurettes.
- Trailer ANATOMY OF A MURDER [1959] - Official Trailer (HD)
- Featurette "Anatomy of a Murder" Premiere (1959)
- Featurette Leonard Maltin On ANATOMY OF A MURDER
- Featurette Three Reasons: Anatomy of a Murder
How Well Do You Know Anatomy of a Murder?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the main defense attorney in the film?
Cars in Anatomy of a Murder
27 cars on screen, including the 1950 Pontiac Chieftain De Luxe and the 1954 Pontiac Chieftain Special.
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1950 Pontiac Chieftain De Luxe Main role -
1954 Pontiac Chieftain Special Important role -
1950 Buick Special Background role -
1955 Buick Special Background role
Anatomy of a Murder Also Known As
40 alternative titles, including “一个凶杀案的解析” and “桃色案件”.
- Also known as
-
- 一个凶杀案的解析
- 桃色案件
- Ontleding van een moord
- Anatomiya na edno ubiistvo
- Anatomia enos eglimatos
- Analyse van een moord
- En studie i mord
- Anatomia unui asasinat
- Anatomija ubistva
- Anatomija umora
- Anatomiya ubiystva
- Bir Cinayetin Tahlili
+28 more Show fewer
- Анатомiя вбивства
- Anatomija jednog ubistva
- Anatomía de un asesinato
- Bir Cinayətin Anatomiyası
- Anatomie eines Mordes
- Anatomia di un omicidio
- Autopsie d'un meurtre
- 桃色血案
- Anatomia de um Crime
- Анатомия убийства
- Et mords analyse
- Anatomie vraždy
- Ανατομία Ενός Εγκλήματος
- אנטומיה של רצח
- Anatomia unei crime
- Egy gyilkosság anatómiája
- Anatomia morderstwa
- Bir Cinayetin Anatomisi
- 살인의 해부
- Анатомия на едно убийство
- Анатомія вбивства
- Analys av ett mord
- Žmogžudystės anatomija
- 或る殺人
- Anatomija jednog ubojstva
- Anatomia d’un assassinat
- Erään murhan anatomia
- ล้วงปมลับ ฆาตกรรมลวง
Seen Anatomy of a Murder?
Movies Like Anatomy of a Murder
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Anatomy of a Fall, A Case for Murder and The Client.
Anatomy of a Murder FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of Anatomy of a Murder, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Anatomy of a Murder?
Anatomy of a Murder runs 2 hours 40 minutes (160 minutes).
When was Anatomy of a Murder released?
Anatomy of a Murder was released on July 1, 1959.
Who directed Anatomy of a Murder?
Anatomy of a Murder was directed by Otto Preminger.
More films by Otto Preminger Who is in the cast of Anatomy of a Murder?
Anatomy of a Murder stars James Stewart, Arthur O'Connell and Eve Arden, among 10 credited actors.
How much did Anatomy of a Murder make at the box office?
Anatomy of a Murder grossed $194 worldwide.
How is Anatomy of a Murder rated?
Anatomy of a Murder has 8.0/10 on IMDb, 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 95 on Metacritic and 78% on TMDB.
Is Anatomy of a Murder based on a book?
Yes. Anatomy of a Murder is adapted from Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver.
Was Anatomy of a Murder nominated for any awards?
Anatomy of a Murder received 14 nominations across 4 ceremonies.
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