Witness For The Prosecution

This 1957 movie is "based upon" a story and stage play by English writer Agatha Christie. It is NOT just a complete retelling of Christie's story, but rather it is an adaptation of the story with the focus on the Sir Wilfrid character, and that character's development with input from Billy Wilder, the film's director.
   
A few things about the director and some of the cast:

-The film's director, Billy Wilder, was born in a part of Austria-Hungary that is now part of Poland. At various times he lived in the two centers of German language theater and film, Vienna and Berlin. Wilder left Berlin for Paris when wacko man Hitler and his nutcase followers took power in 1933, and not long thereafter, Wilder went to the United States where he became one of the most famous directors of all time, with films like "Sunset Boulevard," "Stalag 17," "Sabrina," "Some Like It Hot" and "The Apartment." During the World War Two era, Wilder, who was Jewish, worked with his friend Marlene Dietrich to help Jews get out of Germany and Europe, but unfortunately many in Wilder's own family perished at the hands of the Nazis.
-This was Tyrone Power 's last actual film, as he died of a heart attack about a year later during the filming of a movie, "Solomon and Sheba." He was only in his mid 40s.
-In real life, Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester were long time husband and wife. And by the way, Elsa's stage name was NOT "Lancaster," as so many people pronounced it back then, especially Americans, as she took her mother's maiden name, "Lanchester," as her professional name as an actress, and her actual family name was Sullivan.   
-If you have watched a lot of films made from the 1930s to the 1960s, you may not know the names of several of the cast members in this movie, but you'll definitely recognize their faces, as they appeared in many films made back then.
-Marlene Dietrich was born in Schöneberg, a section of Berlin, although when she was born, Schöneberg actually lay outside the city's boundaries, and she was a grown young woman when it officially became part of the German capital. She later moved to the United States for her acting career, and in the 1930s the Nazis offered her large sums of money if she would return to Germany to star in films. The German film industry was under the control of Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels, and Dietrich declined the offer, choosing instead to become an American citizen. She detested Hitler and the Nazis and she worked hard during World War Two raising money for war related causes and to help Jews leave Germany, as well as traveling to provide entertainment for Allied troops; at times, she even traveled into territory near the front lines. Marlene Dietrich sort of personally declared war on fascism, including that of the Nazis in her own country of birth. As if to show her declaration of war and to demonstrate her commitment to Allied victory, she often wore a military style uniform during the war years. She later was awarded medals by the American and French governments for her services during World War II.  

The story takes place in England and the terms "barrister" and "solicitor" are used in the film, as those are the terms used in England and other parts of the United Kingdom, as well as in current British territories and former colonies, although the meanings are not always exactly the same in all locations. I don't want to make more of this than is necessary, because the actual definitions can be quite technical, but essentially both terms refer to types of lawyers, with a barrister being a lawyer who appears in court cases before a judge to advocate for a client, while a solicitor usually recommends a barrister to a client, and then also does much of the legal paperwork for that client. In the United States, generally such lawyers are called a variety of names, many of them much more "colorful" and often requiring a "BLEEP," but "attorneys" is the permissible word here. Hahaha  In the United States, the term "solicitor" is often used for legal advisers in government, like for "city solicitors."

Main Cast:

Tyrone Power ............................. Leonard Vole
Marlene Dietrich ........................ Christine Vole\Helm
Charles Laughton ....................... Sir Wilfrid Robarts
Elsa Lanchester .......................... Miss Plimsoll
Henry Daniell ............................  Mr. Mayhew
John Williams ............................ Mr. Brogan-Moore
Ian Wolfe ................................... Carter
Torin Thatcher ........................... Mr. Myers
Norma Varden ........................... Mrs. French
Una O'Connor ........................... Janet McKenzie
Francis Compton ....................... Mr. Justice (Judge) Wainwright
Ruta Lee .................................... Diana

Sir Wilfrid Robarts is a highly respected barrister in London, also known for his caustic and snide remarks. This overt cantankerous behavior has only endeared him to his staff and many fellow members of the legal profession, as most realize it is done to cover up his deeper feelings for people. Sir Wilfrid has been hospitalized for a time after suffering a heart attack and his doctor has released him with the recommendation that he only take on civil legal cases, not criminal trials, and that he follow a strict regimen of medication and rest, with no cigar smoking or brandy, two of his favorite vices. His ever vigilant nurse, or Sir Wilfrid would likely say, "over vigilant nurse," Miss Plimsoll, nursemaids him in an effort to see him fully recover. The insults hurled by Sir Wilfrid at Miss Plimsoll, and his bellowing at her and her reactions to these things are worth the time needed to watch this film. If you're having a bad day, but you have the movie available to you, watch it, no matter how many times you may have seen it before; it will make you smile and and bring a few chuckles. Even a person on their deathbed watching this film will be able to stave off death's clutches, at least until the movie ends. Elsa Lanchester was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Miss Plimsoll.

Upon Sir Wilfrid's arrival back home, a legal solicitor and friend, Mr. Mayhew, comes by accompanied by Leonard Vole, a man Mayhew fears will be arrested for murdering a Mrs. Emily French, a woman of comfortable financial means and also quite a deal older than Mr. Vole. Sir Wilfrid turns down the case, but recommends another barrister and friend, Mr. Brogan-Moore, who is summoned to the meeting. After some verbal tussles with Miss Plimsoll and some reconsideration, Sir Wilfrid returns to the ongoing conference between the lawyers and Mr. Vole. Brogan-Moore has brought news that Mrs. French left Vole a considerable sum of money in her will, but Leonard denies knowing about the will. The police arrive and arrest Vole and Mr. Mayhew accompanies him to the police station. Sir Wilfrid and Brogan-Moore know this is a difficult situation, as now there is a potential financial motive for Vole to kill Mrs. French. Leonard had told the lawyers earlier that essentially everything between himself and Mrs. French had been pretty innocent, although he admitted to them that he wanted to get a loan "of a couple of hundred pounds" to help finance the production of an eggbeater he had devised. At this point, the only positive evidence the defense has is testimony from Leonard's wife, Christine, who has told the police that on the night of Mrs. French's murder, Leonard had arrived home at the time he had told them, which was prior to the time of Mrs. French's death. Christine Vole, an actress Leonard met and married while serving in post-World War Two Germany, comes to Sir Wilfrid's office and she is far from the whimpering and distraught woman Sir Wilfrid thought she would be, seeing that her husband had just been arrested for murder. Christine is rather cold and matter of fact. Instead of firmly corroborating Leonard's story, Christine casts doubt on its truthfulness with her comments, but she doesn't really disavow his story either. For instance, when the large sum of money left to Leonard is mentioned, along with Leonard's story that he didn't know Mrs. French had put him in her will, Christine asks, "Is that what he told you?" The lawyers explain to Christine that she is likely going to be the only thing that will keep Leonard from a death sentence for murder, but that juries discount supportive testimony from a wife. Christine calmly tells them that she and Leonard are not really married; that she had been married to a German who was in the Russian zone of eastern Germany, but that she had gone through a "ceremony" with Leonard, because she wanted to get out of Germany, which had been bombed into rubble in many places during the war. So by being "married" to Leonard Vole, she was able to get out of Germany, away from potential starvation as well as the many other hardships of living in a war devastated country. For her, it was for survival, and she admits she did not tell Leonard that she already had a husband. Leonard met her in 1945 in Hamburg, which was in the British occupation zone of Germany, where she was working as a singer in a night club with many British soldiers as customers. When he saw her wedding ring, she said she simply wore it to provide some protection from the male patrons of the club. The barristers are stunned to learn that she and Vole are not married, but Christine confidently tells them she'll give convincing testimony in support of Leonard at the trial. When asked if she loves Leonard, Christine answers, "Leonard thinks I do." Earlier, Leonard had stated that he and Christine "are in love," and, "we're devoted to each other." Both lawyers are impressed by Christine's composure and self assurance, with Sir Wilfrid calling her "a remarkable woman."

For the trial, the doctor gives Sir Wilfrid his medications to keep with him in the courtroom and Sir Wilfrid takes along a thermos of hot chocolate for taking his pills. Miss Plimsoll inspects the thermos to make sure Sir Wilfrid hasn't substituted brandy for the hot chocolate, and after she is satisfied, Sir Wilfrid has one of his staff swap the thermos with the chocolate for one of the same type filled with brandy.

During the trial the evidence is all one sided and a conviction of Leonard Vole seems almost certain, although the evidence is circumstantial, including the fact that Leonard had visited a travel agency for information about expensive cruises with a woman he claims he barely knew. This, of course, after he denied knowing about Mrs. French's will. What seems to be the finishing touch comes when the prosecution calls Christine (under her actual married name, Helm) to testify against Leonard Vole. She explains that her marriage to a German man named "Otto Helm" was never terminated and that he is still alive in Germany; therefore, she is not giving testimony against Leonard Vole, her husband, as they were not legally married. She now actually tells the truth about the night of Mrs. French's murder, a truth that contradicts Leonard's version involving himself and Christine that night.

Sir Wilfrid and the defense prepare for the conclusion of the trial and the inevitable conviction, as Miss Plimsoll prepares to travel with Sir Wilfrid on a cruise for rest and recuperation, complete with a new pair of Bermuda shorts for Sir Wilfrid. A call comes in from a woman claiming to have damaging evidence about Christine, and at first Sir Wilfrid thinks it is a likely hoax, but the situation is so serious and he believes Leonard is innocent, that he and Mayhew go to the bar at a train station where the woman says she will wait for them. They pay her for a stack of love letters written by Christine to a man named Max, including one letter about how she (Christine) will lie when she testifies against Leonard in court and send him to his conviction and likely execution. The woman tells them she hates Christine, because she stole her boyfriend, and turned him against her so much, that he slashed the right side of her face, leaving ugly scars (she pushes her hair away to show the two lawyers the scars). The woman runs off to catch her train.

The defense team appears in court the next morning and asks for permission to reopen the defense because of new evidence. Christine is recalled to the stand, with Sir Wilfrid hiding the letters under a book (he thinks he's being clever). He reads passages from some letters, including the one saying how she (Christine) will contradict Leonard's story by lying. When Christine says the letters are lies and not written by her, she adds that she writes letters on small blue paper with her initials on the paper. Sir Wilfrid is seen holding a white sheet of paper, but he then reaches underneath the book and pulls out the letters, written on blue paper with Christine's initials. So now, seemingly unintentionally, Christine has identified the letters and she admits to writing them to a man named Max. This changes the entire mood of the defense, although Sir Wilfrid feels there is something wrong, but he just cannot identify it.

The jury returns with a verdict of "not guilty," and Leonard goes to get his belongings in preparation to leave the court. There is commotion just outside the courtroom as Christine Helm enters. Sir Wilfrid tells her she will be charged with perjury, but the icy Christine doesn't seem to be terribly worried. She then tells Sir Wilfrid how he may be acclaimed for Leonard's acquittal, but that she helped him tremendously and that is was she, in disguise, who had sold Sir Wilfrid the letters from Christine to a fictitious man named Max. She then puts the clincher in when she tells Sir Wilfrid that while he believed Leonard had been innocent, she knew Leonard was guilty as stated in her first testimony. Because she feared the jury would not give much weight to her testimony if she gave it in support of Leonard, she decided to do the opposite and testify against him and then to get Sir Wilfrid to expose her as a liar; thus tilting the jury in Leonard's favor, because she truly loves Leonard and there is no one else for her.

Sir Wilfrid is furious that Christine would help to get a murderer acquitted, but she tells the aging barrister that he doesn't understand, and that she did everything because she loves Leonard. Leonard comes back into the courtroom and he tells Sir Wilfrid he knew Christine would help him somehow, and he didn't know how, but she did it. When Sir Wilfrid tells Leonard that he has made "a mockery out of English law," Leonard reminds him, "Who did? YOU got me off from this and I can't be tried again!" Sir Wilfrid tells Leonard that he will pay for this somehow; and just then into the courtroom come Miss Plimsoll and a young woman who had been watching the trial from the gallery. It turns out to be Diana, the woman who had gone into the travel agency with Leonard about cruises. Diana tells Christine that she is Leonard's girl and that they are going on a cruise together. Christine is totally stunned and she finally breaks her steadfast demeanor and begs Leonard not to leave her. To the deceptive Leonard, it's just another transaction, as he tells Christine that he got her out of Germany and now she has gotten him out of the murder charge, so they are now even. When Leonard shoves her into a chair telling her she may face more than perjury charges, she grabs the knife that had been in evidence during the trial from the table and she plunges it into Leonard's abdomen. He falls to the floor and Miss Plimsoll checks his pulse and indicates he's dead. When one of Sir Wilfrid's staff comes in and asks what's happened, Miss Plimsoll says, "She killed him," but Sir Wilfrid, in one of the great lines of any film, in my opinion, says, wagging his finger, "Killed him? She executed him." (Note: Just to clarify, knives are not normally just left lying around courtrooms, but the police had noted a wound on Leonard's wrist when they questioned him, but Leonard said he had cut himself with a knife. This knife is placed into evidence at the trial and is lying on the table when Christine later uses it to kill Leonard.)

As Christine is taken away, Sir Wilfrid again says, "A remarkable woman," bringing Miss Plimsoll to order the cancellation of the travel plans for Sir Wilfrid and herself, since she knows Sir Wilfrid wants to defend Christine against the murder charge against her. A delighted Sir Wilfrid says he, Brogan-Moore and Mayhew will prepare for the defense of Christine Helm. As Sir Wilfrid walks off, Miss Plimsoll calls to him, "Sir Wilfrid! You've forgotten your (thermos of) brandy."

This film has much to do with deception, as Sir Wilfrid tries to deceive his nurse about brandy and cigars; Christine seems to have deceived Leonard by lying to him about being married, although later Diana mentions that Leonard told her that he and Christine were never really legally married; further Christine deceives Sir Wilfred; Leonard believes for a time that Christine has deceived him in the trial; Sir Wilfrid "thinks" he has deceived Christine in the witness box (American English "witness stand") about a white sheet of paper he is holding, while keeping the letters on blue paper hidden; and Leonard has deceived Sir Wilfrid and Christine, but only Christine makes him pay. (Also some "self deception" as Christine says, "What hypocrites you are in this country," when the lawyers seem to buy Leonard's story that Mrs. French saw Leonard as a son or nephew, they seem to want to believe that.)  
   
Photo is of the 2001 MGM Home Entertainment DVD

WORD HISTORY:
Turn-This word is closely related to "tour," a word English borrowed from French, with its further history mirroring "turn," so see below. It is related to a number of other words, including "tourney," another word borrowed from French, which got it from Latin, and its further history also mirrors "turn." The word "turn" goes back to Indo European "tereh," which had the notion, "to turn, to twist, to rub or wear down during a turning process." This gave Ancient Greek transliterated "tórnos," meaning, "a lathe," which was borrowed by Latin as "tornus." This produced the Latin verb "tornare," meaning, "to fashion by turning on a lathe, to polish by rubbing while turning." This was borrowed by Old English as "turnian," meaning, "to turn on a lathe," and by extension, "to turn in circles, revolve." This then became "turnen" (before the modern form), with likely reinforcement and influence (in meanings and usage) from French "torner," which meant, "to turn around (thus, "return"), to turn on a lathe," but also simply, "to turn." As with Old English "turnian," Old French "torner" had been derived from Latin "tornare." The noun "turn," meaning "the process of turning, revolving, rotating," developed from the verb, but with influence from "tourn," the form either taken to England by the Normans, or the form that developed in England by their Norman descendants. The Old French form had been "torn" (with some dialects having "tourn"?), and had been derived from Latin "tornus," "a lathe." The meaning, "a period of time," usually of duty or work, seems to be from the first half of the 1800s, seemingly from the idea of "going from beginning to end;" that is, "going full circle," with extension to "be next (in line or order)," as in, "It's my turn (my period of time) to ride the horse."