Screen legends Tyrone Power (The Mark of Zorro), Marlene Dietrich (The Blue Angel), and Charles Laughton (The Suspect) star in this splendidly entertaining courtroom classic about a man on trial for a wealthy widow’s murder after he suspiciously profits from her will. His only hope for acquittal is his wife’s testimony, but his airtight alibi shatters when she reveals some shocking secrets of her own. In order to maximize the film’s effect on its audience, producers kept the set carefully guarded to prevent its crucial plot twists from leaking to the public. Directed by the brilliant Billy Wilder (Stalag 17, Some Like It Hot, The Apartment), scripted by Wilder and Harry Kurnitz (A Shot in the Dark) and based on the hit London play by mystery master Agatha Christie (Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile), this thunderbolt of a film “crackles with emotional electricity” (The New York Times) and continues to keep movie lovers riveted until the final, mesmerizing frame. Boasting 6 Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Director, Actor (Laughton), and Supporting Actress (Elsa Lanchester, Bride of Frankenstein).

For thoughts on Witness for the Prosecution, please check out our discussions on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/pPsN6xv-QFw?si=fQKz5m1D3-hcVbb_&t=4463]

Video Quality

Witness for the Prosecution comes to Blu-Ray with a new digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 1.66:1 aspect ratio that has a pleasant appearance with only fleeting deficiencies. The film was released on Blu-Ray a while back in 2014 by the label, although it appears to have been out of print. The new disc appears to be derived from the same base master, but this release utilizes a new BD-50 disc instead of the more compressed BD-25 from before. We do not have that disc to compare how they stack up against one another, but this makes a decent showing for itself even if we feel this is prominent enough of a title to make the 4K UHD Blu-Ray plunge.

The contrast holds firm as the black-and-white photography shines in high definition. Black levels could be more robust, but there is little in the way of crush. Highlights never appear to be too hot or unwieldy. The picture showcases a bit of softness in sporadic shots, which can most likely be chalked up to the source, but this does not prove to be a consistent issue. Major damage is avoided altogether, yet you will spot a light consistent sheen of speckling. The natural film grain brings out discrete details that are easily noticeable thanks to this transfer. We would love to see what this could look like with a new restoration, but Kino Classics has at least enhanced things a small bit.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that handles the material without major issues. Dialogue comes through with a favorable clarity that is never enveloped by competing sounds. The score from Matty Malneck sounds resolute throughout the film as it establishes the tone of the story. Environmental sounds within the courtroom and other interiors are rendered cleanly alongside everything else. You will find some age-related issues such as a low-grade hum throughout this one. Kino Classics has delivered a decent enough audio presentation for this film. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film Historian Joseph McBride, author of Billy Wilder: Dancing on the Edge, provides an informative commentary track in which he discusses where this fits into the career of Billy Wilder, how the film goes about adapting the story, the changes from the original source material, the careers of the creative figures involved, Wilder’s affection for Charles Laughton, the legacy of the film and more.

Billy Wilder and Volker Schlondorff Discuss Witness For The Prosecution: A seven-minute archival piece in which Wilder discusses his work on the film, how things differed from the stage play, working with the performers, and more.

Trailers: There is a three-minute trailer provided for Witness for the Prosecution. There are also trailers provided for Five Graves To Cairo, The Lost Weekend, A Foreign Affair, Stalag 17, Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, One Two Three, Irma La Douce, The Fortune Cookie, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Avanti!, and The Front Page.

Final Thoughts

Witness for the Prosecution is a highlight in the career of director Billy Wilder, which is a major compliment considering all of the classics he has associated with his name. The courtroom intrigue is executed impeccably thanks to a mixture of captivating performances and clever writing. Even once you have watched this one all the way through, the film holds up as one you can revisit and get more from again and again. Kino Classics has given this feature a new Blu-Ray featuring a solid A/V presentation and a great selection of special features. We wish this had received a 4K UHD Blu-Ray, but this deserves a place in your collection no matter the format. Recommended

Witness for the Prosecution (Special Edition) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.