Witness for the Prosecution (1957 film)

Witness for the Prosecution
Original release poster
Directed byBilly Wilder
Screenplay byLarry Marcus
Billy Wilder
Harry Kurnitz
Based onThe Witness for the Prosecution
1926 story / 1953 play
by Agatha Christie
Produced byArthur Hornblow Jr.
StarringTyrone Power
Marlene Dietrich
Charles Laughton
Elsa Lanchester
CinematographyRussell Harlan
Edited byDaniel Mandell
Music byMatty Malneck
Production
company
Edward Small Productions
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release dates
  • December 17, 1957 (1957-12-17) (Limited U.S. release)
  • January 30, 1958 (1958-01-30) (Premiere, London)
Running time
116 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2 million[1]
Box office$9 million

Witness for the Prosecution is a 1957 American legal mystery thriller film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton, and Elsa Lanchester. The film, which has elements of bleak black comedy and film noir, is a courtroom drama set in the Old Bailey in London and is based on the 1953 play of the same name by Agatha Christie. The first film adaptation of Christie's story, Witness for the Prosecution was adapted for the screen by Larry Marcus, Harry Kurnitz, and Wilder. The film was acclaimed by critics and received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. It also received five Golden Globes nominations including a win for Elsa Lanchester as Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Additionally, the film was selected as the sixth-best courtroom drama ever by the American Film Institute for their AFI's 10 Top 10 list.[2]

In the film, a man accused of killing a wealthy widow who had named him as the main beneficiary in her will undergoes a trial during which his wife testifies against him.

  1. ^ "Hollywood Vanity". Variety. November 27, 1957. p. 24.
  2. ^ "AFI's 10 Top 10 Courtroom Dramas". American Film Institute. Retrieved September 14, 2023.