Trial (The)

Also known as: Procès (le)

Genre: dystopian drama (in black and white) 

With: Anthony Perkins (Josef K.), Arnoldo Foà (Inspector A), Jess Hahn (Second Assistant Inspector), Madeleine Robinson (Mrs. Grubach), Jeanne Moreau (Marika Burstner, a lodger), Naydra Shore (cousin Irmie), Suzanne Flon (Miss Pittl, the Lady dragging a trunk), Max Buchsbaum (the Examining Magistrate), Max Haufler (Uncle Max), Romy Schneider (Leni, the Advocate’s nurse), Orson Welles (Albert Hastler, the Advocate and Narrator), Akim Tamiroff (Bloch the Advocate’s client), Elsa Martinelli (Hilda, the Court employee), Thomas Holtzmann (Bert the Law Student), Wolfgang Reichmann (the Courtroom Guard), William Chappell (Titorelli), Michael Lonsdale (the Priest)

Director: Orson Welles

Screenplay: Pierre Cholot (adaptation) and Orson Welles, based on Franz Kafka’s novel

Release: 1962

Studio: Paris-Europa Productions; Hisa Films et al.

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.8/10 

 

‟It seems you are under arrest, Mr. K.” 

 

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Story-line: the setting is a grey, nameless and foreboding city. Josef K., a lodger in Mrs. Grubach’s building, wakes up one morning as police inspectors enter his room to conduct a search. Bombarded with questions, he wonders aloud what this is all about. Has he done anything against the law? And, if so, who is accusing him?

Pluses: mighty performances by Anthony Perkins (showing great range as the nervous but courageous Josef) and a top-flight supporting cast (a sombre Jeanne Moreau, a naughty Romy Schneider, a quiet yet menacing Orson Welles and a suspicious-looking Elsa Martinelli), brisk direction, a flawless, mesmerizing screenplay that looks nonsensical but proves otherwise, abundant, rapid-fire dialogues either whispered, calmly delivered or shouted out, overwhelming visuals and production values (cold, oppressive sets and locations), a musical score mostly based on Albinoni’s Adagio and a potent ending.

Minuses: none… but watching this movie is no picnic, considering its subject matter.  

Comments: how can you make a predictably dry, depressing, even maddening movie that is still watchable from beginning to end? Orson Welles managed it with the help of a fascinating cast, strange locales, far-out cinematography, a few oddball or darkly funny moments and a thought-provoking story set in a world very different yet strikingly close to ours. An astounding feat and a masterpiece by one of the truly great moviemakers! Josef K.’s quest for answers is either brilliantly absurd or absurdly brilliant. I’ll let you decide… 

 

MBiS 

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