Laughton cantankerously carries every scene...

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Sep 25, 2024

Witness for the Prosecution is a film worthy of all its accolades.

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Aug 4, 2024

The film is an alchemic triumph of effortless story execution, pinpoint humor, and acting masterclass.

| Feb 13, 2024

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.

| Original Score: 4/4 | Feb 10, 2024

Laughton takes what could be a hammy role—the brilliant legal mind, theatrical courtroom performer, and wily curmudgeon...—and invests it with a sense of passion for his work and a sense of duty and honor beyond winning,

| Mar 4, 2023

In the end, “Witness for the Prosecution” is a taut, fascinating character study featuring crisp acting, excellent direction, and a compelling plot with many unexpected twists that will keep you guessing...

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Jan 17, 2023

Witness for the Prosecution (1957) is co-writer and director Billy Wilder's brilliant film, with crisp dialogue, a complicated and intriguing plot, unique characters and excellent acting performances. It was a convoluted, twisting courtroom drama-mystery

| Original Score: A+ | Oct 12, 2022

Although the picture centers upon the titular, hostile witness for the prosecution and the shocks presented from that climactic testimony, it’s Laughton’s performance that remains most memorable.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Sep 22, 2022

[A] witty and gripping adaptation of her [Agatha Christie's] twist-heavy courtroom stage drama.

| Aug 25, 2022

Part comedy, part thrilling courtroom drama and a mystery until the very end, this is a quiet classic. Case closed.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Dec 2, 2021

...Witness for the Prosecution is one of the best courtroom dramas in cinematic history.

| Aug 22, 2021

Witness for the Prosecution may wrap itself up a bit smugly, even as it spins a sharp twist, but it still stands as one of the more notable courtroom dramas even as it crackles along on a sort of contrived artifice.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 4, 2020

it's Laughton who is afforded free reign to explore his character and demonstrates impeccable comic timing.

| Oct 30, 2018

Laughton knocks it out of the park as Robarts, and his scenes with real-life missus Lanchester are hysterical.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 11, 2018

The whole film is so indubitably, exuberantly recommendable (for aunts. grandparents, grandchildren, highbrows, lowbrows, husbands, wives, and almost anyone else you can think of at any end of the scale.

| Jul 16, 2018

Every time the story strays from Sir Wilfrid, the interest level goes down a notch. Fortunately for the viewer, it doesn't get away from him very long at any point.

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Oct 17, 2014

Witness For The Prosecution has the pace and patience of live theater, but not the look. Wilder doesn't get overly flashy with camera moves and angles, but he does shift positioning subtly and effectively.

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Jul 22, 2014

Marlene Dietrich tries not to give anything away as usual while Agatha Christie's whodunit plot whirs tidily about her expressionless beauty.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 8, 2012

Wilder's adaptation is guilty of being absolutely marvelous.

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Feb 8, 2012

This Oscar-nominated courtroom drama represents Billy Wilder at his most theatrical and old-fashioned, but the saga is enjoyable and so is the acting of all-star cast.

| Original Score: B+ | Mar 16, 2011