Looking for a gripping crime drama to binge-watch this week? The BBC just added an Oscar-nominated legal mystery to its roster of legendary films — and it could be one to add to your watch list. The 1957 Agatha Christie adaptation of The Witness for the Prosecution, directed by Billy Wilder, aired on BBC Two on Sunday and is available to stream free on BBC iPlayer for 29 days. Based on Christie’s iconic 1953 stage play of the same name, the critically acclaimed movie boasts a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and stars Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton.
HELLO!’s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: “Agatha Christie isn’t the Queen of Crime for no reason. Many of the prolific author’s detective novels have been adapted for the big and small screen over the past century, and fans of the novelist should check out The Witness for the Prosecution.” Before you rush off to stream it on BBC iPlayer, here’s everything you need to know about the iconic 1957 adaptation.
What to expect from The Witness for the Prosecution
Adapted from Christie’s 1953 play, the courtroom drama is set in London’s Old Bailey and features classic film noir elements, reflecting cynical attitudes and dark motivations.
© ullstein bild via Getty ImagesThe official synopsis reads: “Eminent barrister Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Charles Laughton) returns to his chambers after illness, with strict instructions from his doctor not to take on any strenuous criminal cases. But he cannot resist the prospect of defending Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power), who has been accused of murdering a wealthy widow.”
Who stars in the 1957 adaptation of The Witness for the Prosecution?
Tyrone Power (The Mark of Zorro, Nightmare Alley) stars as Leonard Vole, while Charles Laughton (Spartacus, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) plays Wilfrid Robarts.
© Print Collector/Getty ImagesOther cast members include Marlene Dietrich (Morocco) as Christine Vole, Elsa Lanchester (The Man from U.N.C.L.E) as Miss Plimsoll and Norman Wooland (Ivanhoe, Hamlet) as John Mayhew.
What have critics said about the adaptation?
With the film boasting a perfect score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, the reviews speak to the film’s enduring success – nearly 70 years after it first premiered.
© LMPC via Getty Images“The film is an alchemic triumph of effortless story execution, pinpoint humor, and acting masterclass,” wrote a reviewer for Slant Magazine, while a Film Frenzy writer added: “Along with 1945’s And Then There Were None, this is the greatest of all the Agatha Christie adaptations that have been brought to the screen.”
If you’re still not convinced, The Times highlighted one very special admirer: “The queen of crime fiction, Agatha Christie, was reportedly delighted with the director Billy Wilder’s witty and gripping adaptation of her twist-heavy courtroom stage drama.” If the queen of crime fiction approved, how can you resist?
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