Witness for the Prosecution

Witness for the Prosecution is a play by Agatha Christie, which has been twice made into a film. It tells the story of Sir Wilfred, a master criminal barrister who takes the case of a man on trial for murder. more...

While he expects that the defendant's wife will stand up for him in court, she unexpectedly agrees to appear for the prosecution in a trial while multiple twists and turns occur that will test the lawyer's skill to the limit.

The play itself was based on one of Christie's short stories, first published in 1933 in the collection The Hound of Death.

Film versions

The 1957 film stars Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton, and Elsa Lanchester. It was adapted by Larry Marcus, Billy Wilder, and Harry Kurnitz from the play by Agatha Christie. It was directed by the Austrian-born Billy Wilder.

The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Charles Laughton), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Elsa Lanchester), Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Picture, and Best Sound.

In 1982, Witness for the Prosecution was remade for television, starring Ralph Richardson, Deborah Kerr, Beau Bridges, Donald Pleasence, Wendy Hiller, and Diana Rigg. It was adapted by Lawrence B. Marcus and John Gay from the original screenplay and directed by Alan Gibson.

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