The Wrong Man
1959
US 105 minutes
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock ; written by Maxwell Anderson (from his story) and Angus McPhail.
Starring Henry Fonda, Vera Miles and Anthony Quayle
Fonda is a small time nightclub musician who is accused of a series of store robberies in his neighbourhood and sent for trial ; events have a disastrous effect on his wife (Miles) and any hope of reprieve seems to rest with an inexperienced lawyer (Quayle).
Henry Fonda was one of the great American screen actors of the twentieth century ; although now traditional matinee idol material he had a handsomeness born of quiet dignity and a genuine presence on the screen.
He's therefore perfectly cast in this based-on-real-events story of an unassuming musician and family man who is identified as the prime suspect in a spate of stick-ups of stores and business in his neighbourhood.
Throughout the investigation and subsequent court appearances Fonda remains stoic ; bewildered by the nightmare world in which he finds himself he still carries himself with pride, relying on the knowledge of his innocence and belief in the US justice system to act as armour against all of the many woes that befall him.
His performance is subtle and yet wide-ranging ; his absolute faith in Quayle's lawyer is touching, the death of two key witnesses is born with resolve; he demonstrates love, care and compassion for his wife and family members and tries his utmost to remain upbeat no matter what.
Only at one key point in the story does he lose his grip on his sang-froid and when this happens it's all the more shocking as it contrasts so brutally with his previous manner and bearing.
Hitchcock might seem like an unlikely director to be attracted to such a story but for me it sits very much as a companion piece to his films The Man Who Knew Too Much and, of course, North By NorthWest, all of which tell the story of a man who, through an accident of time and place, ends up embroiled in an adventure to which he is unsuited and which appears to have only the worst possible outcome for the central character.
For the most part Hitchcock sets aside his box of camera tricks and stylish flourishes ; the film is shot almost entirely in a gritty neo-realistic, documentary style. The shot construction and framing are, of course, perfect and Robert Burks' black and white photography is gorgeous; but the director keeps his more flamboyant nature under control and presents the story in a distinctly uncharacteristic style - for the most part using the standard reportage repertoire of two and three people talking in medium shot.
Which means that when he does throw in an extreme close-up of a face or an important and telling object (e.g. a rosary) the moment is heightened for the viewer.
Vera Miles is outstanding as Fonda's wife, a career best performance as the loyal partner unquestioningly supporting her husband as he goes through hell and then slowly crumbling as the realisation of the seeming bleakness of their situation begins to fully dawn on her.
Quayle is a bit weak in the lawyer role ; he's an odd casting decision and seems a little uncomfortable with the role; although the information we are given about his lack of experience in criminal court might suggest that his diffidence is a character trait rather than a failing on the part of the actor.
The supporting cast (Fonda's family, workmates and accusers, and especially the police who detain and interview him) are all perfectly fine
And there's a rather neat Bernard Herrmann score as well - cool and sophisticated at one moment, thumping like a rapid heartbeat at others.
The Wrong Man is a neglected work in Hitchcock's canon, often overlooked in the race to get from the wartime films to the holy trinity of Vertigo, Psycho and The Birds but it is a well made, strongly acted, beautifully delivered piece of work that shows both the director and the star working flat-out to achieve something really quite remarkable.
Henry Fonda was one of the great American screen actors of the twentieth century ; although now traditional matinee idol material he had a handsomeness born of quiet dignity and a genuine presence on the screen.
He's therefore perfectly cast in this based-on-real-events story of an unassuming musician and family man who is identified as the prime suspect in a spate of stick-ups of stores and business in his neighbourhood.
Throughout the investigation and subsequent court appearances Fonda remains stoic ; bewildered by the nightmare world in which he finds himself he still carries himself with pride, relying on the knowledge of his innocence and belief in the US justice system to act as armour against all of the many woes that befall him.
His performance is subtle and yet wide-ranging ; his absolute faith in Quayle's lawyer is touching, the death of two key witnesses is born with resolve; he demonstrates love, care and compassion for his wife and family members and tries his utmost to remain upbeat no matter what.
Only at one key point in the story does he lose his grip on his sang-froid and when this happens it's all the more shocking as it contrasts so brutally with his previous manner and bearing.
Hitchcock might seem like an unlikely director to be attracted to such a story but for me it sits very much as a companion piece to his films The Man Who Knew Too Much and, of course, North By NorthWest, all of which tell the story of a man who, through an accident of time and place, ends up embroiled in an adventure to which he is unsuited and which appears to have only the worst possible outcome for the central character.
For the most part Hitchcock sets aside his box of camera tricks and stylish flourishes ; the film is shot almost entirely in a gritty neo-realistic, documentary style. The shot construction and framing are, of course, perfect and Robert Burks' black and white photography is gorgeous; but the director keeps his more flamboyant nature under control and presents the story in a distinctly uncharacteristic style - for the most part using the standard reportage repertoire of two and three people talking in medium shot.
Which means that when he does throw in an extreme close-up of a face or an important and telling object (e.g. a rosary) the moment is heightened for the viewer.
Vera Miles is outstanding as Fonda's wife, a career best performance as the loyal partner unquestioningly supporting her husband as he goes through hell and then slowly crumbling as the realisation of the seeming bleakness of their situation begins to fully dawn on her.
Quayle is a bit weak in the lawyer role ; he's an odd casting decision and seems a little uncomfortable with the role; although the information we are given about his lack of experience in criminal court might suggest that his diffidence is a character trait rather than a failing on the part of the actor.
The supporting cast (Fonda's family, workmates and accusers, and especially the police who detain and interview him) are all perfectly fine
And there's a rather neat Bernard Herrmann score as well - cool and sophisticated at one moment, thumping like a rapid heartbeat at others.
The Wrong Man is a neglected work in Hitchcock's canon, often overlooked in the race to get from the wartime films to the holy trinity of Vertigo, Psycho and The Birds but it is a well made, strongly acted, beautifully delivered piece of work that shows both the director and the star working flat-out to achieve something really quite remarkable.
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