By Lee Pfeiffer
Ray Milland was an Oscar-winning actor but most movie fans probably don't realize he was also a film director. His productions were generally modestly-budgeted and played to modest results. In 1965, Milland was offered the opportunity to star in a stage production of writer Jack Roffey's whodunnit "Hostile Witness". The play had opened the year before in the West End. Milland, who had not appeared on stage in quite some time, was sufficiently impressed enough to accept the offer. The show later opened on Broadway and ran for 157 performances. It was deemed (fittingly for Milland) a modest success. However, Milland stuck with the production and toured with the show with markedly better results. In 1967 he struck a deal with United Artists to bring the play to the screen with Roffey writing the screenplay and Milland starring and directing. The film was completed in 1968 and was released in most countries the following year. However, it's UK release was delayed until 1970 and some countries didn't get the film until 1972.
Milland is well-cast as Simon Crawford, a widowed London barrister who enjoys the reputation of being able to win seemingly unwinnable trials on behalf of his clients. He's a bit a of a snooty fuddy-duddy and runs his office at times like a drill instructor. Nevertheless, his small but loyal staff endure his moods because they realize they are learning from a revered lawyer who has earned the respect of his peers. Crawford's world comes crashing down when he learns that his grown daughter has been killed by a hit-and-run driver. The inability of the police and private detectives to find the culprit take their toll on him and he undergoes a nervous breakdown. This requires Crawford to suspend his legal duties and recuperate in a health facility. He returns in a seemingly better mood but he is about to undergo more stress. He suspects that an old friend of his might have been the person who was driving the car that struck and killed his daughter. From this point, the plot kicks into gear as the person he had been accusing ends up being murdered. Making matters worse, Crawford is attacked and knocked unconscious by an unseen stalker. He later becomes suspected of killing the man he had denounced as being responsible for his daughter's death. Adding to the burden of his defense, the police have found incriminating evidence in Crawford's flat that seems to indicate his guilt.
"Hostile Witness" suffers somewhat from its rather meager budget. It's clear that United Artists viewed this as mid-range product in the hopes of making a modest profit. Such was the norm in the era before budget-busting blockbusters defined studio releases. Indeed, there are almost no exterior shots in the film and the few that are there are relegated to the studio back lot. The movie plays out like a TV production from the era, but that isn't meant as a knock. The average episode of "Perry Mason" was engrossing and this film is, too.The plot twists and turns and there is some genuine suspense in terms of whether our protagonist might actually be guilty of murder. The finale finds Crawford dismissing his loyal defense attorney, a protege from his own law firm well-played by Sylvia Sims. The stubborn Crawford takes over his own defense, ignoring the old adage that anyone who acts as their own lawyer has a fool for a client.
The movie came and went quickly, making little impression on critics or the scant audiences who went to see it. Milland directs the film in a competent but pedestrian manner. Milland the actor fares better with a sharp performance as a mostly unlikable character whose moments of charm and compassion are outnumbered but his temper tantrums. Still, it's reasonably entertaining and certainly worth a look.
"Hostile Witness" is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
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