The Witness for the Prosecution

The Witness for the Prosecution is one of my favorite films. I show it to my 10th graders and love the look on their faces when they realize the surprise twist. Here are some fun facts about the film and some pics. I got a new car and am so excited to drive it this weekend! Enjoy your weekend friends!

–The film was shown in London for a Royal Command Performance, but beforehand the Royal Family had to promise not to reveal the surprise ending to anyone else.

–Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester (the nurse, Miss Plimsoll) were real-life husband and wife.

–The studio where filming was going on had an agreement hanging outside the door that everyone who came in had to sign, promising they would not reveal the surprise ending.

–Unsure if he could play a man with a heart condition, Charles Laughton (Sir Wilfrid) staged a heart attack in the pool one day at home. His wife, Elsa Lanchester (Miss Plimsoll), and a houseguest panicked and pulled him from the water, at which point he explained his trick. Elsa’s reaction has not been recorded.

–In order to show just one of Marlene Dietrich’s famous legs, an entire scene was written that required 145 extras, 38 stunt men and $90,000.

–When Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power) meets Mrs. French (Norma Varden) for the second time – in the movie theater – Vole tells Mrs. French that the movie is about Jesse James. Tyrone Power starred as the famous outlaw in Jesse James (1939).

–Marlene Dietrich was so certain she would be nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as Christine Vole that she recorded a new introduction to her Las Vegas show mentioning her nomination. She was not nominated, and was crushed.

–While it is generally supposed that Agatha Christie chose the name Vole after the ratlike rodent of the same name, in fact the word has several other meanings also relevant to this character. In cards, a “vole” means the winning by one player of all the tricks of a game. And the expression “go the vole” can mean either to venture everything on the chance of great rewards, or to try one thing after another, usually a variety of occupations – all perfect descriptions of Christie’s ingeniously named “Leonard Vole”.

–Charles Laughton appears as himself, talking directly to the audience, in the lengthy 4 minute trailer.

–The courtroom setting, which cost $75,000 to build, was a recreation of an actual courtroom in London’s Central Criminal Courts, The Old Bailey.

–This was the final film for Tyrone Power, who died shortly after completion.

–William Holden was the first choice for Leonard, but he was unavailable. Billy Wilder and the producer Arthur Hornblow Jr. then went to Tyrone Power, who turned down the part. Other actors considered for the role included Gene Kelly, Kirk Douglas, Glenn Ford, Jack Lemmon, and even Roger Moore. Eventually, Tyrone Power accepted the role when he was offered both Witness for the Prosecution (1957) and Solomon and Sheba (1959) for $300,000 each. Before he could complete Solomon however, Power had a fatal heart attack and was replaced by Yul Brynner. Ava Gardner and Rita Hayworth were also considered for the role of Christine Helm.