The Wrong Man

Plot synopsis:
For the only time in his many films, Alfred Hitchcock starts this picture talking to the camera and says that "every word is true" in this story.
Manny Balestrero (Henry Fonda), a down-on-his-luck musician at New York City's Stork Club, is in a money crunch. His wife, Rose (Vera Miles), needs to have her wisdom teeth extracted at a cost of $300, but the couple does not have that much money. Though he has already borrowed against his life insurance policy, he goes to the life insurance company to attempt to take a loan out against Rose's policy. He is immediately recognized by the clerical workers in the store as the man who had twice held up the insurance office. They inform the police, and he is taken to the 110th Precinct by detectives. Without being told why, Manny is instructed to walk in and out of a liquor store and delicatessen, both scenes of a robbery earlier that year. He is then asked by police to give a handwriting sample, writing the words from the stick-up note at the insurance company. Manny misspells the word "drawer" as "draw"—the same spelling mistake the robber made in the note. After being picked out of a police lineup by the women from the insurance company, he is then arrested and charged with robbery, and his family finds out that he will be in court on the following morning.
Attorney Frank O'Connor (Anthony Quayle) sets out to prove that Manny cannot possibly be the right man: at the time of the first hold-up he was on vacation with his family, and at the time of the second his jaw was so swollen that witnesses would certainly have noticed. Manny and Rose look for three people who saw Manny at the vacation hotel, but two have died and the third cannot be found. All this devastates Rose, whose resulting depression forces her to be hospitalized.
During Manny's trial a juror, bored with the minutiae of one witness's testimony, makes a remark which prompts the judge to declare a mistrial. While Manny is awaiting a second trial, he is exonerated after the true robber is arrested holding up a grocery store. Manny visits Rose at the hospital to share the good news, but, as the film ends, she remains clinically depressed; a textual epilogue explains that she recovered two years later.

Tags: dramatic

Review:
This is a very underrated Hitchcock film that features amazing performances from it's two stars, Henry Fonda and (especially) Vera Miles.
It is a brilliant performance that ranks alongside Bergman's role in 'Notorious' and Wright's 'Charlie' in 'Shadow Of A Doubt' for best female acting honors in a Hitchcock film.'The Wrong Man' has a sentimental, tender yet dark atmosphere.
The sentimentality is perhaps due to the fact that the central action revolves around a family grouping in this film.There are no elaborate scenes of courtship and romance as in 'Vertigo' or sexy double entendres seen in 'Notorious'- Instead, we get the feeling that this is a real, normal family we are watching unravel at the seams due to the crimes of another.Appropriately slow-moving to keep in check with Hitch's low-key approach for this one.
Not your typical Hitchcock film but one well worth seeing if for no other reason than to see one of Henry Fonda's better performances as the quietly stunned Christopher Emmanuel (Manny) Balestrero who sees his life, career and family endangered by forces he has little control over..
Entirely based on true events, and without any sense of chase, romance, or high intrigue, and without special effects or even witty dialog, he makes you feel for the main character, Henry Fonda, a man accused of a crime he did not commit.It's often pointed out that Hitchcock had an enormous fear of the police, and of being accused when innocent.
In New York, the Catholic Italian musician of the Stork Club Christopher Emanuel "Manny" Balestrero (Henry Fonda) is a simple man, married with his beloved wife Rose (Vera Miles) and having two sons.
Vera Miles gives a particularly fine performance as Rose, contrasting with Henry Fonda's baffled but stoical Balestrero.The film is not "scary" in the way that a normal Hitchcock thriller is scary, but is nevertheless frightening.
Certainly, some of the elements of criminal procedure shown would not be permissible today (suspects being arrested without being informed of their rights or of the crime of which they are suspected, interviews being conducted without a written or taped record being kept, two witnesses allowed to be present together during an identification parade), but this does not lessen the film's impact; anyone with any knowledge of the law will be aware that innocent people can still be convicted in the twenty-first century.Apart from "Psycho" this was Hitchcock's last film made in black and white, and he makes good use of the medium, with some striking photography.
Not his usual ostentatious style, but it plays on the theme of a wrong man caught up in extraordinary events beyond his control (REAR WINDOW, NORTH BY NORTHWEST, PSYCHO).It may be Hitchcock's most cynical film.
Though Henry Fonda's Manny Balestero is told of his charge after being arrested, the whole 'procedural' nature of the film's story, of how the system can be the damnedest thing, makes it downright gripping.
It's a filmmaker saying, 'look, I'm giving you Henry Fonda, maybe the most, if not one of the most, good-hearted movie stars from the 40's- Grapes of Wrath, My Darling Clementine, The Lady Eve, etc- but I'm putting him in a situation where he's in this strange scenario of not playing himself, or rather being in a society that is brutal and unflinching'.Fonda was the perfect choice considering the material, and while it is based on a true story and Fonda is terrific at his role, that Hitchcock leaves out certain details of his innocence (says the trivia on IMDb) adds a certain level to the subject matter.
On an existential level almost Hitchcock delivers a kind of very recognizable world with the terror on a different but just as engaging level as his 'popular' films.If Fonda is our fatefully unlucky protagonist, Vera Miles is equally compelling as his wife, who can't seem to take what has been going on with her husband.
Using real locations in NYC, the great many character actors that make up the police and everyday people (there is some very good casting in the insurance office scene), and a musical score that is decidedly vintage Herrmann, Hitchcock uses this sort of documentary realism to heighten his own subjective approach (all the images of prison bars, the film-noir type lighting and staging, the use of space in the rooms).
They are replaced by a different kind of suspense, still done with Hitchcock's usual craftsmanship.Henry Fonda and Vera Miles play a factual ordinary couple whose lives are thrown into turmoil when the police confuse the husband with a man who has been committing a series of robberies.
Fonda's convincing acting, along with Hitchcock's detail-oriented filming, enable the viewer to feel the anxiety and helplessness of an innocent man being horribly misjudged.
In the second part of the movie, as Fonda gets ready to go to trial, the ordeal finally starts to take its toll on his wife.Although this has to be ranked as a minor work compared to Hitchcock's long list of masterpieces, it is a worthwhile film in its own right, as long as you have the right expectations in watching it.
THE WRONG MAN is a bleak Alfred Hitchcock movie filmed in suitably low-key style with crisp B&W photography and two very deeply felt performances by HENRY FONDA and VERA MILES.Hitch's fear of police (traumatic experience as a youth) serves him well in crafting the kind of intimidation a man feels when he's unjustly accused of a crime he hasn't committed.
Eyewitnesses place him at the scene of the crime and the police are ready to lock him up and put him away in prison.The only one who believes in him (or his innocence) is his wife, VERA MILES, but she begins to undergo serious mental stress as the situation seems to get more and more hopeless.
Vera Miles is excellent in the role, subtle and completely believable.What distinguishes THE WRONG MAN from other Hitchcock films is that it's all filmed in a brisk, documentary style that leaves no room for the usual gimmicks.
It's about as straightforward in its story-telling manner as any of his films has ever been, based on a true life incident in the life of a man falsely accused.Summing up: Well worth watching, but not unless you're willing to be more than a little depressed by the somber mood..
He even introduces it himself in person, speaking directly to the audience explaining so.Normally, Hitchcock films revolve around murder, intrigue, suspense, the anticipation of disaster, deception, extreme human emotions like paranoia and obsession, characters doing risky things and hoping to not get caught.
But novelty does not equal brilliance.Henry Fonda is the title character, a club musician named Manny Balestrero mistakenly pegged for a hold-up man while trying to borrow some money from his wife Rose's (Vera Miles) life insurance policy.
Hitchcock even does a voice-over telling us how unusual a story this is for him to tackle, because "every word" of it is true.The problem with "The Wrong Man" is the way it makes real life feel like a trip to the dentist's.
Sequences of Fonda's head revolving inside a lens and later of him seen through a cell latch hole get much of the attention, but just as interesting, and more in keeping with the realistic aesthetic, are the numerous POV and high-angle shots that play up the claustrophobia in less showy ways.I have a hard time understanding how people might view "The Wrong Man" as an underrated masterpiece.
Miles certainly has effective moments in her spotlight scenes, enough to make one wonder what she would have done with the part she was offered in "Vertigo", but her crack-up as written is too abrupt and capped by a laughably pat end frame.Once you get used to his no-frills performance, Fonda is interesting to watch in his offbeat way, and the secondary players are all good.
Otherwise one could influence the other on their choice of person.I think that the real robber did have a remarkable similarity to Fonda and it was brilliant the way Hitchcock superimposed the two faces.Vera Miles' gradual descent towards mental breakdown is brilliantly acted as is Fonda's continual look of astonishment at his wrongful arrest and process by the police.
Never has this been more abundantly clear than in Alfred Hitchcock's The Wrong Man, a true story about a simple, hard-working musician who is mistaken for being a local robber that has eluded the police for some time.
The cast also bolsters strong performances from Henry Fonda as the accused Manny and Vera Miles as his supportive wife Rose.
The name of Alfred Hitchcock, the Master of Suspense, is and will be eternally linked to his most well-known masterpieces such as "Psycho" or "The Birds"; sadly, this has left "The Wrong Man" in the obscurity as an overlooked gem that in fact deserves to be seen and appreciated by film enthusiasts worldwide.The true story of Emmanuel Ballestrero (played superbly by Henry Fonda) and his unfair imprisonment when he is accused of a crime he did not commit, is represented faithfully in Hitchcock's "The Wrong Man", with all its frightening realism.The most important thing about this movie must be the fact that it is based on a real life tragedy, this is a big difference from the rest of the Hitchcock's work.
In fact, Hitchcock himself decided to turn his cameo into an "introductory speech" because he felt that a cameo would take away the realism of the movie.As I wrote above, the script is very simple, and without plot twists or a clear McGuffin to look at; nevertheless, the master guides us through the suffering of this man as he is humiliated by the police in sheer realism.
Whether it is a car moving across a bridge through light and shadows or a close-up of a woman's eye peering suspiciously at us, the cinematography alone held my attention.Fonda and Vera Miles do a great job in playing how a man and his wife react to false accusations, with Fonda playing the innocent who is trying to deal with a bad situation in a most responsible and rational manner and Miles cracking under the pressure.
True story of an innocent man called Manny Balestrero (Henry Fonda) mistaken for a criminal and detained by policemen .
this Alfred Hitchcock film may be based on a true story,but it failed to fully engage me for some reason.it was mildly interesting,enough to keep watching.it wasn't boring by any means.strangely enough,although the movie focused on the title character played by Henry Fonda,i actually thought it was Vera Miles as his wife who outshone Fonda in the acting department.Fonda played the everyman role,but Miles played a more complex role,(which i won't go into here)which i think required more of her.i found her character and her scenes very compelling,which elevate the film in my opinion.still,of the Hitchcock films i have seen,this is not his best.for me,The Wrong Man is a 5/10.
Christopher Balestrero (Fonda) is mistaken for a bank robber and has no evidence to support his innocence.The first film of the greatest British director to be based on a true story Alfred Hitchcock gleefully sets the viewer up for the ride by standing in the middle of an unknown place and telling us so.
As the screen fades and we meet Henry Fonda in his home with Vera Miles and kids we have a set up for a tantalizing story of mistaken identity and criminal injustice.Initially the build up is fairly sluggish as Christopher is leading a pretty standard family portrayal and after ten minutes or so we follow the main character into the bank to enquire about a loan and then the ante is generated.The bank recognizes the face of Christopher to be the face of a recent robber in the area, and after skilfully denying the application, the bank turn him away.
This spices up an added sense of drama and contributing to the real story scenario, it is a credit to the actress.The plot moves slowly with a few action sequences and bearing in mind this is a real event that was inevitable but for Hitchcock you expect more and the film is almost a sad let down because of it.Nevertheless this is still well shot with a glorious exploration of the law order with some wonderful performances and excellently set up scenes..
There are three major elements that makes this film such a chilling, engrossing, uneasy film to watch: 1) Alfred Hitchcock's masterly command of this genre, combined with its stark realism; 2) the way both Hitchcock and Henry Fonda make us identify with the character through his entire ordeal; and 3) the way Hitchcock makes it appears as if this could happen to anyone, given the right set of circumstances.Few circumstances are more compelling than a good man unjustly accused of terrible crimes.
I have to say, usually in this country it's an African-American man who gets arrested as the 'Wrong Man', but this Hitchcock film is indeed based closely on a true story.
Yes, Hitchcock was very fond of the 'wrong man' type story, but this is the narrative at its most pure and undiluted, a thorough exploration of the flaws in the justice system.Henry Fonda is outstanding as the innocent man caught up in a growing nightmare, and he's lent excellent support by both Vera Miles as his suffering wife and Anthony Quayle as his inexperienced lawyer.
I'm told that Hitchcock filmed the story in the very apartment, insurance office, precinct house, and jail cell where the real events took place.One watches in fascination as Henry Fonda's character, an ordinary man in spite of working in the fashionable Stork Club, endures one fearful event after another, until his misery spreads to his wife with terrible consequences.
Hitchcock's "The Wrong Man" is based on the apparently true story of Manuel Balestrero's arrest and imprisonment for crimes he did not commit.
" It's the true story of Christopher Emanuel 'Manny' Balestrero (Henry Fonda) a simple nightclub Musician who is arrested on his way home for robbery.
Master director Alfred Hitchcock proves this biblical maxim in his sparse black and white documentary-style thriller based on the real life account of C.E. Balestrero (played by Henry Fonda in an appropriately understated performance).
The Wrong Man. It was Henry Fonda's turn to star in an Alfred Hitchcock film with his 1956 feature The Wrong Man. Co-starring with Fonda was Vera Miles, in a film based on a true story which explored what happens when to a man's life when he is falsely accused of a crime.
Can even the best lawyer in New York get Manny out of jail when every piece of the case is against him?An especially intriguing part of The Wrong Man was the brilliant score and film sound Hitchcock used in the film.
It is the emotion that pours through a perfectly cast Henry Fonda that really makes you feel the anxieties Hitchcock must have felt when selecting stories in which a man was wrongly convicted of a crime; the fear of suddenly having your world taken away from you and being isolated from your friends and family.
The Wrong Man is a wonderful Hitchcock film, which owes a great deal of its success to the inimitable and perfectly emoting Henry Fonda..
The trial goes badly for Manny, but life is worse for his wife, Rose (Vera Miles), who falls apart under the strain of his ordeal.I love Henry Fonda, I love Alfred Hitchcock and Vera Miles is alright (though I find her character here rather disappointing).
The Wrong Man is not the typical Hitchcock movie, although there are the familiar trademarks (beautiful, symbolically charged closeups supporting the action, e.g. a silver hairbrush raised high up, like the knife in Psycho, to strike the main character on the head, the reflection of the main character in the broken mirror seconds after the blow).I do not know why Hitchcock for once decided to make a film that supposedly sticks close to real facts and leaves little room for elegant stylistic means.
As the detectives tell wrongly accused bass player Manny Balestero (Henry Fonda) (picked up for holding up an insurance office at gunpoint) that if he's innocent he has nothing to fear, you realize that once placed in the criminal justice system, he has everything to fear, especially the prospect of losing his wife and family who adore him.
This time, however, Hitchcock follows a different formula by tackling a true story about a wrongly accused man.For a basic plot summary, "The Wrong Man" tells the story of Emanuel Balestrero (Henry Fonda), who is falsely accused of committing numerous crimes around the neighborhood in which he lives.
As Manny's unbelievable story unwinds before the viewers, we can't helped be sucked in by asking ourselves "what would I do in his situation?".Thus, though not a traditional Hitchcock thriller/mystery by any means, "The Wrong Man" is a solid effort based on factual events, even further proving Hitchcock's extraordinary range of directing talents (the ability to turn a true story into gripping film)..
Alfred Hitchcock directed this realistic(based on fact) story that stars Henry Fonda as Manny Balestrero, who works in a jazz band in the Stork Club.
The Wrong Man is in many ways a typical Hitchcock movie, but the fact that it tells a true story makes all the difference.
Looking very mysterious, Catholic musician Henry Fonda (as Christopher Emanuel "Manny" Balestrero) goes home after work at New York City's famed "Stork Club" to find beautiful wife Vera Miles (as Rose) reclining with $300 in dental problems.
He plays guilt, but isn't...******* The Wrong Man (12/22/56) Alfred Hitchcock ~ Henry Fonda, Vera Miles, Anthony Quayle, Esther Minciotti.
It was well known that Hitchcock had a fear of the police and you have to think that he wanted to make this film because he could feel the terror of being falsely accused of something and even though you're innocent there's simply no way to prove it other than you're a good person.
This is an enjoyable film: Henry Fonda is at his very best when he is in the role of the innocent man who is wrongly accused of robbery.