Line #6 Trivia/AnatomyOfAMurder


1	* AllStarCast: Creator/JimmyStewart, Creator/LeeRemick, Creator/BenGazzara, Creator/EveArden, Creator/GeorgeCScott, Arthur O'Connell, Murray Hamilton, Creator/OrsonBean, Army-[=McCarthy=] counsel Joseph N. Welch as Judge Weaver, and Music/DukeEllington in a cameo.
2	* BannedInChina: Chicago temporarily banned the movie for its use of "explicit language," such as...[[ValuesDissonance contraceptive, spermatogenesis, and intercourse.]] A federal court overruled the censor board when it determined that the usage of the words was technical rather than directly offensive.
3	* CaliforniaDoubling: Averted. The film was shot on location in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, in some cases in the same locations where the RealLife events that the story was based on took place (with the trial happening in the very same courtroom).
4	* CastTheExpert: Judge Weaver was played by Joseph N. Welch, a real-life lawyer who had represented the U.S. Army in the televised Army-[=McCarthy=] hearings in 1954.[[note]]He was the one who famously asked UsefulNotes/JosephMcCarthy if he "ha(d) no sense of decency".[[/note]] Welch joked that he took the role because "it looked like that was the only way I'd ever get to be a judge".
5	* CastTheRunnerUp: Creator/LeeRemick was originally cast as Mary Pilant before being cast as Laura Manion.
6	* {{Corpsing}}: Not in the movie but in the trailer. It opens with a scene where Creator/OttoPreminger "swears in" the cast, and Creator/JimmyStewart is clearly trying not to laugh while Preminger administers his oath.
7	* CreatorCouple:
8	** Creator/EveArden's husband, Brooks West, plays the district attorney.
9	** Mrs. Joseph N. Welch, real-life wife of the judge, is a member of the jury. It is reported that Judge Joseph Welch accepted his part in the movie if his wife could be on the jury.
10	* PlayingAgainstType:
11	** Creator/JimmyStewart, erstwhile WideEyedIdealist, as an AmoralAttorney. Also, hearing good ol' guy-next-door Jimmy Stewart say "sperm" and "sexual climax" is a bit jarring.
12	** In [[RetroactiveRecognition hindsight]], also Creator/GeorgeCScott in the role of a mellow-voiced, [[SharpDressedMan urbane]] attorney, instead of some variant of an [[{{Jerkass}} unpleasant]] AntiHero who speaks with a bark (though the TranquilFury when he cross-examines the final SurpriseWitness gives some hints of his future direction).
13	* StarMakingRole: For Creator/GeorgeCScott, Ben Gazzara, and Lee Remick. For Scott and Gazzara, it was their second roles.
14	** Remick was only cast after the studio's first choices Creator/LanaTurner and Creator/JayneMansfield turned it down. Otto Preminger always wanted to cast her as Laura, but initially could only offer her the smaller part of Mary Pliant, which she boldly turned down. After Turner dropped out, Preminger called her to offer her Laura. She thought he was joking.
15	* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
16	** Creator/GregoryPeck was considered for Paul Biegler.
17	** Creator/LanaTurner was originally offered the role of Laura Manion. She agreed to take it on the condition that she would wear gowns designed exclusively by her personal couturier, Jean Louis. When Creator/OttoPreminger objected that such gowns were not suitable for the role, Turner turned down the part. Columbia was ready to give in to Turner's demands but Preminger resisted and gave the role to Creator/LeeRemick, then almost a beginner.
18	** The role of Judge Weaver was offered to Creator/BurlIves and Creator/SpencerTracy.
19	** Preminger negotiated with Creator/RichardWidmark to appear as Lt. Frederick Manion.
20	** Creator/PatHingle was originally cast as Mitch Lodwick, but had to drop out when he was injured in a fall down an elevator shaft.
21	* WriteWhatYouKnow:
22	** It's based on an extremely autobiographical novel by the defense attorney in the RealLife 1952 murder case that inspired it.
23	** Creator/OttoPreminger was the son of a prosecutor, and had studied law himself.

Context Trivia / AnatomyOfAMurder