Dehron Foster and John Wylie

The story was turned into film by Otto Preminger in 1959. The stellar cast included Jimmy Stewart, George C. Scott, Lee Remick, and Ben Gazzara, with a score by Duke Ellington. It was an instant hit, taking a well-earned place among the great courtroom films of the late '50s and early '60s that include To Kill a Mockingbird, Inherit the Wind, Twelve Angry Men, and Judgment at Nuremberg.

Unlike most courtroom dramas, Anatomy of a Murder is a straight courtroom story. It doesn't simultaneously explore a specific social issue so common with courtroom dramas. This is a personal story of an attorney attempting to redeem himself. After being defeated for re-election as district attorney, Paul Biegler (played by a terrific ALT newcomer, John Wylie) isn't looking forward to becoming a defense attorney. He reluctantly reenters the courtroom. This is his first case since losing election, and it gives him a chance to show his courtroom bona fides—that is, if he wins. If he loses, it's a chance for voters to see they chose right in rejecting him.

The case is sensational: an army lieutenant is accused of murdering the bar owner who raped his wife. Biegler is just back from a licking-his-wounds fishing trip. His wise lawyer friend Parnell McCarthy (David Nava, another wonderful ALT newcomer) encourages him to take the case, seeing it as a chance for redemption. Biegler overcomes his doubts about the case and insists on McCarthy's strategic help. Problem is, McCarthy is a bit of a drunkard. And so the story careens forward with ups and downs, advances and setbacks.

The ATL production is directed by Ryan Jason Cook. He keeps the action just-the-facts clean, allowing the emotional courtroom outbursts to come naturally from the drama, never seeming unnatural or forced. The performances are uniformly solid, with most of the dramatic action occurring between Biegler and his prosecutorial rival Claude Dancer, in an excellent performance by Dehron Foster.

The play comes in long at 135 minutes, but the pacing and dramatic buildup make the length worthwhile. Like the production itself, the set is just right—a perfectly depicted courtroom brought to life by director Cook in triple roles that include scenic director and production manager. The show never wobbles, nor is it ever dull. A strong presentation of a classic American courtroom drama.

Anatomy of a Murder will run at Albuquerque Little Theatre, 224 San Pasquale SW, through February 8, 2015. The show starts at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2:00 pm on Sundays. On Thursday, February 5, there will be 7:30 pm performances. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors (65 and above), $18 for students (13 to college), and $12 for children (12 and under). You can buy tickets online at albuquerquelittletheatre.org or by phone at 242-4750, ext. 2.

Photo: Chris Vigil

--Rob Spiegel