There are two versions of the film "Prosecution Witness", both American films, of which the 1982 version of "Prosecution Witness" is a remake of the 1957 film of the same name by the famous director Billy Wilder. Although the 57 version of the Douban score of 9.6 points, the 82 version of 9.5 points, the difference between the two is only 0.1 points, but in fact, the content of the 82 version of "Prosecution Witness" almost completely copied the old version, the performance of the characters in the play can only be regarded as decent, compared to the amazing performance of the old version of the actors, the 9.5 points of the 82 version are obviously inflated.
The film "Prosecution Witness" is based on Agatha's novel of the same name, in which the writer also plays the role of screenwriter. The case involved in "Prosecution Witness" is not complicated, a very ordinary poor man suspected of murdering a rich woman. In terms of the complexity of the case or the means of committing the crime, it is not as bizarre, tortuous and complex as the homicide cases in Agatha's other works, such as "Massacre on the Nile", "Murder on the Orient Express", "Sin in the Sun" and so on.
Perhaps because the case itself is not complicated, the director's focus is not on the process of solving the case like a cocoon, but on shaping the characters in the play and the court debate scene.
The most successful characters in the film, also the director's most inked, are defence lawyer Sir Weffie and suspect Wall's East German wife Christine.
Sir Weffer is played by renowned acting actor Charles Lawton. Charles Lawton succeeded in portraying a fairly distinctive lawyer. Sir Wiffy is ostensibly a vicious, mean, arrogant, and capable lawyer, but he seems serious but somewhat childish, and in order to steal cigars and drink alcohol, he and nurses play small tricks. Sir Weffy, who suffered from a serious heart attack, was originally reluctant to take the case, but for the sake of justice, he was ill again... The contrast is cute, so that Sir Wei Fei, who is not outstanding in appearance, leaves a cute and joyful impression on the audience.
I had a deep dislike for charles Lawton's portrayal of the villain Humphrey in The Jamaica Inn, and after watching this movie, my impression of Charles Lawton immediately changed. It seems that I have taken people by their appearance!
Another glamorous character in the film is played by legendary actress Marlene Dietrich, the suspect's wife, Kristin.
Incredibly, Marlene Dietrich was in her fifties when she played Christine, and she seems to be in her early thirties in the movie.
Christine was a disgraced actor brought out of East Germany by her husband, a former American soldier. In the film, she gives people the impression of being cold, capable, confident, and always looking like a queen, until the ending, when she understands that Christine is just a woman who is obsessed with heartache from beginning to end.
In addition to the success of these two main characters, the other characters in the film are equally impressive: the very dedicated, somewhat rambunctious but cute female nurse, the suspect who is superficially affectionate but actually has a different face, and the serious but humorous subordinates around Sir Weffy, all make this otherwise serious suspenseful crime drama full of comedy.
Of course, the best part of the movie is the court scene in the movie.
Around whether the suspect committed a crime, the lawyers of the prosecution and defense launched a wonderful offensive and defensive battle. As the truth continues to emerge, the courtroom debate culminates in a twist and turning plot.
The last ten minutes of the courtroom scene reverse the plot, which is jaw-dropping and at the same time makes everything unexpected. Because the film has long been foreshadowed before, the film's several reversal plots do not give people a sudden feeling. This part of the scene is arguably the most stunning of the movies.
In addition to the classic reversal plot, the most lamentable thing in the movie is Christine's fate. The turmoil in her mother country has left her versatile and intelligent with a duckweed life. The embarrassing living environment makes Christine desperate to catch the exotic man he liked when they first met. The life-saving straw brought her only a stable but not satisfactory life in a foreign country, but it made her strong and obsessive. Knowing that her husband is half-hearted, he is tolerant. When her husband is in danger, Christine shows her acting professionalism and intelligent mind to the fullest, and in the end, fate returns to her with a sigh.
In fact, when she gave up her sense of justice and wishfully put out the fire with the moth, her fate was already doomed...
(Text/Qin Shi Xiaoge finished at 19:16 on November 19, 2021)
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