Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956 film)

Not to be confused with Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009 film).

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt is a 1956 American film noir legal drama directed by Fritz Lang and written by Douglas Morrow. The film stars Dana Andrews and Joan Fontaine, with Sidney Blackmer, Philip Bourneuf, Shepperd Strudwick and Arthur Franz in supporting roles. It was Lang's second film for producer Bert E. Friedlob^[4] and the last American film that he directed.^[5]

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
Theatrical film poster
Directed by	Fritz Lang
Screenplay by	Douglas Morrow
Story by	Douglas Morrow
Produced by	Bert E. Friedlob
Starring	Dana Andrews Joan Fontaine
Cinematography	William Snyder
Edited by	Gene Fowler Jr.
Music by	Herschel Burke Gilbert
Production company	Bert E. Friedlob Productions
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures
Release dates	September 13, 1956 (1956-09-13) (New York)[1] September 19, 1956 (1956-09-19) (Los Angeles)[2]
Running time	80 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1.1 million (US rentals)[3]

Plot

Austin Spencer, a wealthy newspaper publisher who opposes the death penalty, wants to prove that innocent men could be convicted and executed based on circumstantial evidence. He convinces his daughter Susan's fiancé, successful novelist and former employee Tom Garrett, to participate in a hoax in an attempt to expose the city's overzealous district attorney Roy Thompson and strike a blow against capital punishment. The plan is for Tom to plant clues that will lead to his arrest for the recent murder of a female nightclub dancer, Patty Gray. Once Tom is found guilty, Spencer is to publicly reveal the setup to free Tom and thereby deliver his political message.

Tom agrees to cooperate and researches Patty's murder by romancing one of Patty's former fellow dancers. He is arrested while appearing to be attacking her and is convicted and sentenced to death for Patty's murder when the physical evidence that he and Spencer had intentionally planted is discovered. However, while en route to present exonerating evidence and end the hoax, Spencer is killed in a car accident. Staged photographs and a paper trail of receipts for purchases of clothes and incidentals used in the setup are burned beyond recognition in the fiery wreck.

Now with no one to free him, Tom is imprisoned on death row and desperately endeavors to convince the district attorney that the evidence was planted as part of an experiment. Susan, now in command of the newspaper, prints an editorial blasting the district attorney and supporting Tom's story. The publicity that the editorial receives prompts the trial judge to consider reopening the case, but he ultimately refuses.

Several hours before Tom's scheduled execution, a handwritten statement left by Spencer to be read in case of his death is discovered. With the confirmation of Tom's story, Thompson admits that he was wrong and frees Tom. The state's governor announces a press conference at which he will sign a pardon. Shortly before the press conference, Tom speaks with Susan and inadvertently mentions the murder victim's real name of Emma, which had never been disclosed during the trial. Susan now knows that Tom is indeed a murderer. He confesses that the victim was actually his estranged wife who had tricked him into marriage many years ago and had reneged on her promise to divorce him. The success of his first novel had caused Emma to reappear, seeking to claim a share of his newfound prosperity and preventing him from marrying Susan. Tom had seized upon Spencer's hoax idea as the perfect cover for his murder of Emma.

Susan is torn between remaining silent to protect Tom and divulging what she has learned. She attempts to phone the prison to reveal the truth but cannot allow herself to follow through with the call. At the press conference, a phone call for the governor is received just as he is about to sign the pardon. Upon hearing Susan's revelation, he cancels the pardon and Tom is led away.

Cast

• Dana Andrews as Tom Garrett
• Joan Fontaine as Susan Spencer
• Sidney Blackmer as Austin Spencer
• Shepperd Strudwick as Jonathan Wilson
• Arthur Franz as Bob Hale
• Philip Bourneuf as DA Roy Thompson
• Edward Binns as Lt. Kennedy
• Robin Raymond as Terry Larue
• Barbara Nichols as Dolly Moore
• Dan Seymour as Greco
• Rusty Lane as Judge
• Joyce Taylor as Joan Williams
• Carleton Young as Allan Kirk
• Joe Kirk as Clothing Store Clerk
• Charles Evans as Governor
• Wendell Niles as Announcer

Reception

In a contemporary review for The New York Times, reviewer Bosley Crowther harshly criticized the film's credibility, writing:

They do say that Douglas Morrow, who wrote 'Beyond a Reasonable Doubt,' ... is a graduate of a law school and the holder of a couple of law degrees. But you'd never believe it from the manner in which the law is twisted and ignored in this film. In the first place, Mr. Morrow has a couple of eminent gentlemen conspiring to 'frame' false evidence that would make it appear one of them has murdered a nightclub dame. ... While the purpose may be exemplary, the method the gentlemen employ is highly dubious as a practical exposition. And once it is revealed to prove their point, it should certainly put them in a pickle for conspiring to subvert justice and fool the courts. More than this, Mr. Morrow, the law student, sure does play fast and loose with the technicalities of pardon by a governor toward the end of the film. He has his fellow pardoned on the word of one person in court and then a governor canceling the pardon and sending the man to death on the strength of a telephone call. However, if you can swallow such arrant disregard for the law, you may find this a fairly intriguing and brainteasing mystery film.^[1]

Critic John L. Scott of the Los Angeles Times also lamented the film's plot, writing: "Moviegoers who fancy trick endings and who are not particularly concerned about logic in their film plots should like 'Beyond a Reasonable Doubt' ... If you can swallow [the] premise, you will be bound to wait the story out. ... The plot of 'Beyond a Reasonable Doubt' probably read very well but loses something in its transfer to the screen. Most of the players seem to have adopted an almost indifferent attitude in their performance."^[2]

The Boston Globe's John William Riley noted that "... any newspaper reporter would know that a man who deliberately faked evidence, no matter what his purpose, would put himself in jeopardy before the court. The simple, legal aspects ... do not stand up as well as its rather complicated fiction."^[6]

See also

• The Man Who Dared (1946)
• The Life of David Gale (2003)
• List of American films of 1956