Anatomy of a Murder is more than simply a courtroom drama: it is a realistic and comprehensive examination of American life at the period. The film’s goal was to examine and portray the judicial system in a scientific and realistic manner. Characters in the narrative perceive one another, and they are all aware that how they appear will create a distinct impression of them, which will influence how they are judged in the trial. The narrative is that Barney Quill, a bar owner, took Manion’s drunken wife, Laura, home but stopped along the way to rape and beat her. When she staggered inside her trailer and told Manion, he rushed to the bar with a revolver and shot Quill dead. His lawyer, Paul Biegler, coaches him to plead temporary insanity as his defense, despite acknowledging that he indeed killed Quill. There is no doubt that the film’s theme is murder; Manion murders Quill in front of witnesses.
Even the film’s title, ‘Anatomy,’ which refers to the medical study of bodily parts and their interactions, encourages viewers to see the trial in a scientific way. The film nearly entirely covers the American judicial system from a scientific standpoint. The murder is analogous to a body that must be dissected. Spectators are obligated to act like scientists by evaluating information and observing people in order to form their own conclusions. The film uses facts as crucial pieces to generate meaning and comprehension of what happened on the night of the murder. The actions of seeing, observing, or witnessing events are critical in classifying evidence as true or false. Understanding the points presented is one method of assessing the entire murder case and reaching a decision.
Biegler is aware that Manion is fabricating his claim that he did not kill Quill because he essentially told him to. Biegler needs a major win, a case that draws attention, and this is it. In court, he frequently raises improper questions and accuses the prosecution of misconduct, even though he is well aware that they would object. The judge is continuously encouraging the jurors to forget what they have just heard, which Biegler knows is impossible. Biegler makes every effort to prove his case even though he is certain that Manion is guilty of murder and Laura is a flirt who is undoubtedly lying about something. Each encounter on the court is a game of push-and-pull; it is a display of virtuosity, learning to improvise when another player leads you into uncharted territory. The exchanges are less about truth or falsity and more about performance competence.
In the film, the defendant pleads innocent and declares insanity. When Biegler inquires about the psychiatrist’s assessment, Manion responds that he was briefly insane. Biegler reads to Parnell from a legal book that the Michigan Supreme Court did recognize irresistible impulse as insanity, establishing a precedent for their case (Preminger, 1959, 1:02:24). Dr. Smith, the defense psychiatrist, believes Manion was briefly insane when he shot Quill. He says that Laura’s injuries prompted Manion to experience a dissociative response, which causes intolerable stress that people may want to relieve by taking quick, often violent action (Preminger, 1959, 1:04:36). According to the irresistible impulse test, Manion was legally insane, according to the psychiatrist’s evidence. In the end, Manion’s insanity plea prevails, and he is cleared of all accusations.
In both its substance and approach, Anatomy of a Murder focuses on the relationship between observation and interpretation. It highlights similarities and contrasts between facts and assumptions, knowledge and appearances, and constantly emphasizes observation as a vital component of understanding. The film examines the American judicial system in a scientific and procedural manner, providing the spectator with a realistic representation of its inner workings based on facts and real-life incidents. As a jury, the audience joins the film’s setting and is urged to watch the trial and construct their own interpretation of it.
Reference
Preminger, O. (Director). (1959). Anatomy of A Murder (1959). Carlyle Productions.