Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

Witness for the Prosecution (1957) is a dazzling courtroom drama that masterfully blends suspense, wit, and character study, all under the brilliant direction of Billy Wilder. Adapted from Agatha Christie's celebrated stage play, the film stars Charles Laughton, Marlene Dietrich, and Tyrone Power in a narrative filled with sharp turns, biting dialogue, and one of the most memorable twist endings in cinema history.

This is not merely a “whodunit” in the traditional sense. Instead, it is a tightly coiled narrative set primarily in a courtroom, with layers of deception, emotional complexity, and dark irony.

Wilder’s adaptation is both faithful to Christie’s original and daring in its cinematic scope, with unforgettable performances that elevate the story to a tour de force of dramatic tension and theatrical flair.

Plot Summary

Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Charles Laughton), a brilliant but recently ailing barrister, returns to work against the advice of his physicians and his doting but overbearing nurse Miss Plimsoll (Elsa Lanchester).

He agrees—somewhat reluctantly—to defend Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power), a mild-mannered American accused of murdering a wealthy widow, Emily French, who had become enamoured with him and left him a large sum in her will.

Leonard claims innocence, and his alibi rests on the testimony of his German wife, Christine (Marlene Dietrich), a former actress he rescued during the war.

But when Christine takes the stand, she shocks the court—and her husband—by testifying against Leonard. Her testimony becomes the linchpin of the prosecution’s case.

As the trial unfolds, Sir Wilfrid struggles with doubts, digging deeper into the motives and relationships at play. The story crescendos to a jaw-dropping revelation that recontextualises everything that came before.

Themes and Analysis

Truth and Performance

At its heart, Witness for the Prosecution is about the slippery nature of truth and the performative aspects of justice. The courtroom becomes a stage where appearances are deceiving, and even the most sincere emotions may be carefully crafted performances. Christine's testimony, in particular, blurs the line between truth and theatre, exploiting both the court's expectations and the audience's.

This idea is reinforced through Wilder’s use of mise-en-scène: courtroom theatrics mirror the artifice of the stage, and characters are revealed (or concealed) not through their words, but through subtext and tone.

The Role of Women

Marlene Dietrich’s Christine Vole is a fascinating and atypical female character for the era: cold, enigmatic, intelligent, and capable of moral ambiguity. She is not a traditional femme fatale, nor a helpless wife. Instead, she is a woman with agency who manipulates the legal system—and her own husband—with chilling precision.

Emily French, though dead before the story begins, looms large as another woman who exercises control, albeit through wealth and emotional vulnerability. The film subtly critiques how women are underestimated in legal and societal contexts, even as they often hold the keys to power.

Morality and Justice

Wilder, never one for moral absolutism, plays with our sympathies and prejudices. Sir Wilfrid, though ostensibly the film’s ethical centre, is not immune to ego or blind spots. Leonard Vole appears innocent, then pathetic, then something else entirely. The film resists clear-cut moral resolution, instead leaving viewers to reckon with the unsettling idea that justice, when manipulated by clever minds, may be more illusion than truth.

Performances

Charles Laughton as Sir Wilfrid Robarts

Laughton’s performance is nothing short of masterful. With his booming voice, acerbic wit, and impish expressions, he crafts a character who is both commanding and deeply human. The image of Sir Wilfrid swigging brandy from a thermos disguised as a hot water bottle is emblematic of Wilder’s delight in contradiction—here is a man who flouts medical advice yet holds the fate of others in his hands with razor-sharp intellect.

Laughton’s interplay with his real-life wife Elsa Lanchester (as Nurse Plimsoll) adds comedic charm to the film without diminishing its tension. Their scenes, full of barbed humour, offer moments of levity that never feel gratuitous.

Marlene Dietrich as Christine Vole

Dietrich is icy perfection in a role that requires both restraint and revelation. Her courtroom testimony is delivered with clinical coolness, yet she never becomes unsympathetic. Dietrich’s ability to simultaneously mask and hint at deeper motivations makes Christine one of the most intriguing women in Wilder’s filmography.

In a particularly daring sequence, Dietrich adopts a second persona—one far removed from her usual glamourous roles—showing her range and commitment to character. This “dual performance” is one of the film’s many surprises, and a highlight of her later career.

Tyrone Power as Leonard Vole

Power, in what would be his final film before his untimely death, turns in a solid performance as the ambiguous Leonard Vole. His easy charm and apparent sincerity make him an ideal suspect—or scapegoat. While Power may lack the emotional depth of Laughton or the mystique of Dietrich, he brings a necessary ambiguity to the role. His final scenes are particularly chilling, hinting at depths of cunning and cruelty beneath his affable exterior.

Elsa Lanchester as Miss Plimsoll

Elsa Lanchester, in an Oscar-nominated role, steals many scenes as Sir Wilfrid’s officious nurse. Her comedic timing is impeccable, but she also provides emotional texture, balancing Sir Wilfrid’s prickly nature with genuine concern. Her presence helps humanize the film’s cerebral core.

Direction and Style

Billy Wilder, known for his versatility across genres (Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard, Some Like It Hot), brings his usual wit and narrative economy to Witness for the Prosecution. The film is expertly paced, maintaining tension and engagement despite its talky courtroom setting.

Wilder avoids flashy camerawork, instead focusing on performance and rhythm. He understands that the drama lies in expression, timing, and withheld information. Close-ups are used sparingly but effectively, particularly in scenes involving Dietrich’s testimony and Laughton’s reactions.

The film's black-and-white cinematography by Russell Harlan enhances the chiaroscuro contrasts—light and dark, guilt and innocence, truth and performance—while also lending the film a moody elegance befitting its noirish tone.

Screenplay and Dialogue

Co-written by Wilder and Harry Kurnitz, the screenplay crackles with wit and precision. Much of the courtroom dialogue is lifted directly from Christie’s original play, but Wilder infuses it with his own flair—particularly in the banter between Sir Wilfrid and Miss Plimsoll.

The script never wastes a line; every exchange reveals character or pushes the story forward. The third-act twist, though shocking, is prepared with meticulous care, and upon rewatch, the clues are all there.

Twist Ending (No Spoilers)

Witness for the Prosecution is perhaps best remembered for its twist ending—one of the most cleverly constructed and best-guarded surprises in film history. So significant was the revelation that audiences were famously instructed not to reveal it after leaving the theatre.

Wilder builds to the climax with such confidence and misdirection that the final moments land with seismic impact, reconfiguring the audience’s understanding of everything that came before.

Even viewers who know the ending will find pleasure in rewatching the film to appreciate the layers of deception and foreshadowing baked into the narrative.

Reception and Legacy

Upon its release, Witness for the Prosecution was a critical and commercial success. It received six Academy Award nominations, including:

Best Picture

Best Director (Billy Wilder)

Best Actor (Charles Laughton)

Best Supporting Actress (Elsa Lanchester)

Best Film Editing

Best Sound

Although it did not win in any category, its influence has endured. The film is frequently cited among the greatest courtroom dramas ever made, alongside classics like To Kill a Mockingbird and 12 Angry Men. It has been preserved in the National Film Registry for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.

Conclusion: A Legal Thriller for the Ages

Witness for the Prosecution is a near-perfect example of how intelligent writing, pitch-perfect performances, and elegant direction can elevate a genre film into a timeless classic. It combines the sophistication of Agatha Christie’s plotting with the cinematic flair of Billy Wilder’s filmmaking and is as entertaining today as it was in 1957.

Part mystery, part character study, and part satire of British legal decorum, it stands as a high watermark for courtroom cinema. The blend of moral ambiguity, narrative suspense, and dramatic irony ensures that the film remains fresh and compelling with every viewing.

Verdict: A suspenseful, witty, and masterfully acted courtroom classic that deserves its place among the greatest films ever made.

Essential viewing for lovers of mystery, legal drama, and classic cinema.