Capital Celluloid 2020 — Day 126: Thu Dec 10

Witness for the Prosecution (Wilder, 1957): BFI Southbank, NFT1, 5.45pm

This screening (also being presented on December 17th and 27th) is part of the Marlene Dietrich season runnign right through December at BFI Southbank (details here).

Chicago Reader review:
Billy Wilder's 1957 adaptation of Agatha Christie's famous stage thriller. The artificial plotting is all Christie's, but the film eventually becomes Wilder's—thanks to a trick ending that dovetails nicely with a characteristic revelation of compassion behind cruelty. His theatrical mise-en-scene—his proscenium framing—serves the material well, as does Charles Laughton's bombastic portrayal of the defense attorney. With Tyrone Power (nicely feckless), Marlene Dietrich, and Elsa Lanchester.
Dave Kehr

Here (and above) is the trailer.

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