Semi-retired Michigan lawyer Paul Biegler takes the case of Army Lt. Manion, who murdered a local innkeeper after his wife claimed that he raped her. Over the course of an extensive trial, Biegler parries with District Attorney Lodwick and out-of-town prosecutor Claude Dancer to set his client free, but his case rests on the victim's mysterious business partner, who's hiding a dark secret.

One of cinema's greatest courtroom dramas, Anatomy of a Murder is tense, thought-provoking, and brilliantly acted, with great performances from James Stewart and George C. Scott.

'Anatomy of a Murder' delivers exceptional dramatic tension and realism through masterful courtroom battles and technically accurate legal proceedings. James Stewart leads a sensational ensemble cast in this intellectually stimulating drama featuring morally ambiguous characters. While most praise the thought-provoking screenplay and groundbreaking treatment of controversial topics, some find the nearly three-hour runtime long-winded and slow-moving in the middle. The film's cynical examination of justice proves divisive, with a few questioning its sympathetic portrayal of flawed defendants.