Witness for the Prosecution
The most electrifying entertainment of our time!
1957 • 116 min • Drama · Mystery · Crime
Synopsis
An ailing barrister is thrust back into the courtroom in what becomes one of the most unusual and eventful murder cases of the lawyer's career when he finds himself defending a man being tried for the murder of a socialite.
Our family guide
Best from age 10- 100 Reviewers · 5 · 65%
- 82 Audience · 1733 · 35%
An ailing, elderly barrister takes on a challenging murder case involving a charming suspect accused of killing a wealthy socialite. The twists and turns of the trial, including unexpected witness testimony, keep everyone guessing until the very end.
- Violence & peril
- 2/10
- Language
- 1/10
- Drinking, drugs & smoking
- 3/10
- Romance & sensuality
- 1/10
- Scary moments
- 3/10
Heads up
- A murder is central to the plot
- Some smoking and drinking shown
- Intense courtroom drama
What it models well
- The pursuit of justice
- Clever problem-solving
- Standing by your convictions
Talk about it after
- The justice system and its complexities
- Deception and hidden motives
- The importance of truth
Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Witness for the Prosecution. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.
Where to watch
Free
- Hoopla
- Fawesome
Hoopla
FawesomeFree with ads
- YouTube Free
- Tubi TV
YouTube Free
Tubi TVRent
- Amazon Video
- Apple TV Store
- Google Play Movies
- YouTube
- Fandango At Home
- Spectrum On Demand
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Spectrum On DemandBuy
- Amazon Video
- Apple TV Store
- Google Play Movies
- YouTube
- Fandango At Home
Links go straight to each service. Some are affiliate links that support Movie Knight at no cost to you. Availability data by JustWatch via TMDB.
Top billed cast
Director: Billy Wilder • Crew: Billy Wilder, Harry Kurnitz
Trailers & clips
Witness for the Prosecution (1957) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (Masters of Cinema) New & Exclusive Trailer
Reviewer notes
Recommended**Witness for the Prosecution (1957)** _Directed by Billy Wilder_ Billy Wilder's adaptation of Agatha Christie's courtroom drama is superbly crafted entertainment, a masterclass in pacing, performance, and the art of building suspense around a trial. Charles Laughton is phenomenal as Sir Wilfrid Robarts, the barrister defending Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power) against murder charges.…
RecommendedI might be asking for trouble here, but did Charles Laughton ever actually make a bad film? He leads this one as the brilliant but curmudgeonly barrister "Sir Wildred Robarts" with oodles of charisma and style.…
RecommendedI'm constantly surprised that women's hats don't provoke more murders. Leonard Steven Vole finds himself on trial for the murder of a wealthy widow from whom he has inherited a fortune. Top barrister Sir Wilfrid Robarts takes up the defendants case, but he, along with everyone else, is stunned when Vole's seemingly loving wife Christine turns up to testify against the defendant.…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewers**Why don't they make THESE movies anymore?** Apart from being a **GREAT** courtroom drama_(which some people don't think this movie is)_, this movie is so much **FUN** and **ENTERTAINING** to watch.Especially because of the characters of _Charles Laughton_ and _Elsa Lanchester_.…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersGreat thriller with superb classical interpretations. The plot moves sometimes too lazily.
Fan reviews
Sign in to rate and reviewBe the first fan to review this.
Gallery
Details
- TMDB audience
- 8.2/10 (1,733)
- Age rating
- NR
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $3,000,000
- Box office
- $9,000,000
- IMDb
- tt0051201
