Witness for the Prosecution

Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

Directed by Billy Wilder

Screenplay by Billy Wilder and Harry Kurnitz

Adaptation by Lawrence B. Marcus

Based on the play by Agatha Christie

Stars: Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Elsa Lanchester, John Williams, Ian Wolfe, Torin Thatcher, Norma Varden, Una O'Connor, Francis Compton, and Ruta Lee

Scrolling through the selections on Amazon Prime, I happen to find this movie. I wanted to see more Billy Wilder or Marlene Dietrich movies. This is solid courtroom drama to see.

Leonard Vole (Power) is standing trial. He is accused of the murder of Mrs. Emily Jane French (Varden). Noted barrister, Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Laughton) is tasked to represent him, even though his care nurse, Miss Plimsoll (Lanchester) watches him like a hawk, because of his recent heart attack. Over the course of the trial, details of that faithful come to the light.

I have to say that the banter between Wilfird and Plimsoll was very good. I didn't know that the movie was nominated for six Oscars. Laughton was very good with his portrayal of Wilfird. I cannot say that same with Lanchester. I'm not saying that she was bad, but I thought she was fine. Oscar worthy? Not really.

Usually when there is a mystery, I would usually figure it out an hour before the movie ends. This last fifteen minutes of the movie was the most riveting piece of cinema I have ever seen. I thought that I was so smart and figured everything out. Nope.

After the ending credits, I have more questions about the behaviors of certain people.

Rating: 8/10

B.A.D Movie of the Week: Plan 9 from Outer Space

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957)

Written and directed by Edward D. Wood Jr.

Stars:  Gregory Walcott, Tom Keene, Mona McKinnon, Duke Moore, Carl Anthony, Tor Johnson, Dudley Manlove, Joanna Lee, Vampira and Bela Lugosi

I have heard of the B movie director, Ed Wood for a number of years. I have never seen any of his movies. I knew that they were not good. Oh, boy. This movie was a lot of digest.

An airplane pilot (Walcott) sees a flying saucer out of the window of the cockpit. A chain of events happens when the "aliens?" try to stop mankind for making a bomb more destructive that the hydrogen bomb.

I saw the color version of the movie. The movie confused with the intentions of the "aliens." They say that they are advanced beings, because of the "aliens," Eros (Manlove) wanted to resurrect the newly dead. For what purpose?

I did not get what was happening. Having Vampira and Bela Lugosi there seemed out of place. I thought that the resurrected were vampires. Nope. They were supposed to be zombies.

I understand that Wood did not have the biggest budgets in the world, but some sets were literally made of cardboard. 

Overall the movie was boring to me. I didn't hate the movie. I was whelmed.

Rating: 3/10