Movies in Print: Anatomy of a Murder

Movie posters are great graphic marketing tools for a movie. Serving as the film's first teaser or trailer, poster prints artistically introduce the film's plot, generates interest and eventually, viewing of the film. Whether it features great graphic design, compelling imagery, brilliant photography and a witty tagline, movie posters can lead the film to box office hit heights through the artistic execution of its poster design. There are some posters that have stood out over others just for their designs. Fans have often ordered poster prints online or used poster printing services to print the most popular of them.


One iconic movie poster that's said to be instantly recognizable is that of the 1959 film, Anatomy of a Murder. The film tells a story of a lieutenant named Frederick Manion who is arrested for the murder of a bartender named Barney Quill who raped his wife. Manion is defended by a small town lawyer named Paul Biegler, who discovers that Manion is violently possessive and jealous. He also discovers that Manion's wife had a reputation for being unfaithful. Realizing that his case will be weak in court, Biegler tries to find a witness who will save Manion. The film is said to be the most accurate portrayal of all the tension and conflicted difficulty of a courtroom trial for murder. The film's success is also attributed to a carefully crafted script and a well-chosen cast to support its complex, realistic plot.


The film's poster is outstanding in its graphic simplicity. The use of bold, symbolic colors defines the two areas of the poster. Yellow, the color of jealousy is more dominant. It is positioned on the upper portion of the poster as backdrop to black jigsaw pieces of a body. Red, the color associated with blood, completes the poster's simple yet strong, symbolic composition.