Witness for the Prosecution (5 stars)

Witness for the Prosecution, from 1957, is a fabulous whodunit, filled with twists and turns galore.  Directed by the amazing Billy Wilder, the film stars Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, and Charles Laughton, all of whom give brilliant performances.  (This was Tyrone Power's final completed film, as he died of a heart attack during the filming of Solomon and Sheba the following year.  He was quite young...just 44.  I think his performance here in Witness for the Prosecution is the best one he ever gave.)

Leonard Vole (Power), a partially-employed inventor, is accused of murdering wealthy widow, Emily French, a woman many years his senior.  When a chance meeting brings Mrs. French into his life, Vole works to develop a friendship with her, because besides enjoying the lady's company, he hopes to convince her to finance his most recent invention.  So, the two of them, in a completely platonic fashion, begin seeing each other two or three times a week...playing canasta, listening to music, taking in a movie.

When Mrs. French is found murdered, her housekeeper immediately implicates Vole, since he had been with her the evening of her death.  Although Leonard proclaims his innocence, the case against him intensifies after it is discovered that Mrs. French had recently changed her will, making Leonard the beneficiary of 80,000 pounds.   Leonard eventually stands trial for murder, with Charles Laughton portraying the attorney who takes on his defense.

One of the witnesses the prosecution brings against him is none other than his wife, Christine (Marlene Dietrich), whose testimony tears Leonard's story apart.

To say more than this would totally ruin the viewing pleasure of those who have never seen this film.  In fact, as the ending credits roll, the viewer is warned by an announcer to "not divulge the ending to friends who have not seen it."   Of course, a first-time viewing of this film is best.  After that, the surprise factor is gone; however, it's still a fantastic movie, with great performances by the three leads.




The acting in this film is completely brilliant!!!  All three stars---Power, Dietrich, and Laughton---give amazing performances.  Truly, I think this was the performance of both Power and Dietrich's entire careers.  They were both totally fantastic!!  Charles Laughton's real-life wife, Elsa Lanchester, played his nurse in the film, and there are several comical moments between them.  Although it didn't garner any wins, Witness for the Prosecution was nominated in six Academy Award categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, Lead Actor (Laughton), and Supporting Actress (Lanchester).  Shockingly, neither Power nor Dietrich received a nomination for the brilliant work they did here.

Witness for the Prosecution is out on DVD, so it should be readily available for your viewing pleasure.  I highly recommend it.  (Our family recently enjoyed a re-watch in honor of Tyrone Power's upcoming May 5th birthday.)

Happy viewing!!

The Lady Is Willing (4 stars)

The Lady Is Willing, from 1942, is a romantic comedy starring Marlene Dietrich and Fred MacMurray.  While the film is primarily a light romantic comedy, it does have a few dramatic moments, and I even found myself getting slightly misty-eyed at one point.

Marlene Dietrich plays Elizabeth Madden, an unmarried stage actress with financial problems.  As the film begins, Elizabeth arrives home at her posh apartment, a baby in her arms.  The baby had been abandoned, so Elizabeth took her, fully intending to adopt her.  When she calls in Dr. Corey McBain (Fred MacMurray) to examine the child, she discovers that the dressed-in-pink child isn't a girl after all.  No matter, though...Elizabeth still wants the child and sets out to adopt him.

Adopting the little one isn't as easy as Elizabeth had hoped or expected, though.  It seems that all her debt is working against her.  According to the court, Elizabeth must either be solvent or married in order to make the baby hers.  Since becoming solvent isn't easily accomplished, she must locate a husband...and Dr. McBain fits the bill nicely.

Elizabeth and Dr. McBain's marriage is supposed to be a marriage of convenience.  Will it stay that way?  What happens when Elizabeth's leading man kisses her?  What happens when a couple shows up, claiming to be the baby's real parents?  And what about the sudden presence of Dr. McBain's ex-wife?  These are the questions that will play out in this delightful film.

The Lady Is Willing is totally predictable, but it's also completely sweet and adorable.  I found myself smiling through the entire film and commenting over and over how much I was enjoying it.  As a side note, I will mention that I'm not a huge Marlene Dietrich fan; while I don't hate her, I just don't consider myself a fan of hers.  Despite that, though, I enjoyed this film immensely and really found Dietrich to be delightful in her role.  This is a film I will watch over and over.  Definitely, highly recommended!

While I don't believe the film is out on DVD, I know it is available through You Tube.  Try to catch it there or on TCM.  Happy viewing!