Witness for the Prosecution

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Witness for the Prosecution

1957

1h 54m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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100%

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38 Reviews

95%

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5,000+ Ratings

The affable Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power) is being tried for the murder of a wealthy woman, and legendary lawyer Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Charles Laughton) has chosen to represent him. Unfortunately, Leonard's alibi depends on the testimony of his callous wife, Christine (Marlene Dietrich) -- who, after the discovery of a legal loophole, makes the shocking decision to appear in court against him. To Sir Wilfrid's surprise, this is only the first in a series of puzzling revelations and reversals.

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Critics Consensus

Witness for the Prosecution combines a fascinating character study with a brilliantly unpredictable plot to produce a practically flawless Agatha Christie adaptation.

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Clayton Dillard

Slant Magazine

Feb 13, 2024

The film is an alchemic triumph of effortless story execution, pinpoint humor, and acting masterclass.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

Aug 25, 2022

[A] witty and gripping adaptation of her [Agatha Christie's] twist-heavy courtroom stage drama.

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Noel Murray

The Dissolve

Jul 22, 2014

4.5/5

Witness For The Prosecution has the pace and patience of live theater, but not the look. Wilder doesn't get overly flashy with camera moves and angles, but he does shift positioning subtly and effectively.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

May 12, 2026

4/4

The film remains a biting look at courtroom justice and among the most rewatchable legal dramas ever made, owing to the superb execution by its star director and ensemble of skilled performers.

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Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Sep 25, 2024

3.5/4

Laughton cantankerously carries every scene...

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Diana Tuova

Spotlight on Film

Aug 4, 2024

4.5/5

Witness for the Prosecution is a film worthy of all its accolades.

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Mate P

@matepolcz 3 days ago

Witness for the Prosecution is charming. There's a lot of fun to be had with it and it's a lot more engaging than I expected. Having seen countless Poirot episodes and read some Agatha Christie, I wasn't surprised by the reveal, but it still felt good. The characters are all very far from perfect, which kind of creates the humour of the film. The ending I did not expect, that was pretty wild. The directing is straightforward with some retrospective sequences which were just as charming and engaging as the present. The blocking choreography with the camera movement is phenomenal and I think the Poirot TV show took a lot from this approach. The pacing is fantastic, the production design is fitting. The performances are oldschool and charming. Witness for the Prosecution is a lot of fun.

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T G.

@jetzone May 27, 2026

Fantastic movie. Every performance is top notch. I've watched it three times in the past 10 years. Laughton and Lanchester are hilarious together.

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The Wandering D

@RT87120553 Feb 24, 2026

(Episode 5 of the IMDb top 100) This film is absolutely brilliant. Such incredible acting, writing, and cinematography. Just a brilliant film through and through!

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Steve Y

@Cubby65 Jan 20, 2026

An excellent courtroom drama, with an end-of-film twist I didn't see coming, though a bit too melodramatic towards the end for me. Charles Laughton is worth the price of admission here, as a cantankerous senior defense lawyer.

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Lauren M.

@LaurenPA Dec 1, 2025

Among the greatest recommend for everyone

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Stephen M

@RT88161576 Nov 29, 2025

Charles Laughton excels as the estimable SIr Wilfrid, as does Marlene Dietrich, in this 50s classic. Don't miss it.

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Billy Wilder

Director

Tyrone Power

Leonard Stephen Vole

Marlene Dietrich

Christine Helm Vole

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Synopsis

The affable Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power) is being tried for the murder of a wealthy woman, and legendary lawyer Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Charles Laughton) has chosen to represent him. Unfortunately, Leonard's alibi depends on the testimony of his callous wife, Christine (Marlene Dietrich) -- who, after the discovery of a legal loophole, makes the shocking decision to appear in court against him. To Sir Wilfrid's surprise, this is only the first in a series of puzzling revelations and reversals.

Director: Billy Wilder
Producer: Arthur Hornblow Jr.
Screenwriter: Agatha Christie, Lawrence B. Marcus, Billy Wilder, Harry Kurnitz
Distributor: United Artists, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: United Artists
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 21, 1957, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 54m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, 1.66:1

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