Courtroom histrionics given sizzle and sex by Otto Preminger and Duke Ellington's jazz. Stewart shocked 1950s audiences with his gritty, quirky performance as a confirmed bachelor defense attorney speaking directly about contraceptives, pink panties and rape. Old pros Arden and O'Connell
flawlessly support the star performance in a talky tennis game. Gazzarra as a brutal army stud and Remick as his duplicitous, sluttish wife received well-deserved career boosts for their efforts.
The casting of Remick was Preminger's major concern after Lana Turner left the project (actress reportedly slapped director who slapped her back) and Jayne Mansfield backed off from the script. Joseph Welch, who plays the judge, was the famed Army-McCarthy hearings lawyer who would go on to become
a real life judge. Even today, when these issues seem tame, the long drama crackles along. The film was nominated for Best Picture and Best Actor (the year BEN-HUR swept the competition) as well as Best Supporting Actor (both O'Connell and George C. Scott), Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography,
and Best Film Editing. leave a comment