About
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.
Theatrical
Jul 2, 1959
Box Office
$8.0M
Budget
$2.0M
Return
4.0x
DVD / Blu-ray
Jul 11, 2000
Director
Writer
Producers
Music
Studio
Carlyle Productions
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Cast
Full credits →J
James Stewart
Paul Biegler
L
Lee Remick
Laura Manion
B
Ben Gazzara
Lt. Frederick Manion
A
Arthur O'Connell
Parnell Emmett McCarthy
E
Eve Arden
Maida Rutledge
K
Kathryn Grant
Mary Pilant
G
George C. Scott
Claude Dancer
O
Orson Bean
Dr. Matthew Smith
R
Russ Brown
George Lemon
M
Murray Hamilton
Alphonse Paquette
B
Brooks West
Dist. Atty. Mitch Lodwick
K
Ken Lynch
Det. Sgt. James Durgo
J
John Qualen
Deputy Sheriff Sulo
H
Howard McNear
Dr. Dompierre
A
Alexander Campbell
Dr. W. Gregory Harcourt
N
Ned Wever
Dr. Raschid
J
Jimmy Conlin
Clarence Madigan
R
Royal Beal
Sheriff Battisfore
J
Joseph Kearns
Lloyd Burke
D
Don Ross
Duane 'Duke' Miller
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Quotes
See all →Unraveling Trust and Impulses in Legal Drama
Parnell Emmett McCarthy
Dear Mr. Biegler, so sorry, but I had to leave suddenly: I was seized by an irresistible impulse. Frederick Manion.
Paul Biegler
Now how in the world are we gonna face Maida?
[chuckles with a wry smile]
Parnell Emmett McCarthy
Gin. I knew there was something wrong with that guy. I never saw a gin drinker yet you could trust.
[Pulling empty bottle out of trash barrel]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Purity and the Impurities of Law
Parnell Emmett McCarthy
Did you give the lieutenant the Well-Known Lecture?
Paul Biegler
If you mean, did I coach him into a phony story, no.
Parnell Emmett McCarthy
Maybe you're too pure, Paul. Too pure for the natural impurities of the law.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.