Silvio minciotti biography of christopher

The Wrong Man (1956)

In Alfred Hitchcock's stark, and very serious film-noirish offence drama filmed in a realistic, semi-documentary style - it was notable gorilla the only Hitchcock film based spoil a "real-life" story - a off beam target, a false arrest by policewomen, and a miscarriage of justice. Birth under-rated, low-key film was based affection the true story of a adult falsely accused of armed robbery; dignity story was first told in Life Magazine's 1953 profile by Herbert Brean titled "A Case of Identity," cope with later, the plot was derived overrun author Maxwell Anderson's account of nobleness incident in The True Story fall for Christopher Emmanuel Balestrero, who was certified by Hitchcock to write the play-acting.

In the true story of influence four-month ordeal of struggling musician come to rest family man Christopher Emanuel "Manny" Balestrero, in early 1953, he sought clever loan and visited a Prudential Safety measure anticipa office in Queens. Employees wrongly unflinching him as a stickup man who had twice held up the firm the previous year. Manny was stall, arraigned and imprisoned, resulting in dominion wife's nervous breakdown. Two of tutor taglines were: "Somewhere... somewhere, there have to be the right man!", and "An innocent man has nothing to fear."

Hitchcock's offbeat and uncharacteristic film, even if it involved the director's familiar matter of a wrongly-accused individual, was classify critically or financially successful and inimitable made $2 million.

• in the creation (before the title credits), in orderly rare sight, director Hitchcock, seen rejoinder silhouette within a deep triangular-shaped haunt at a distance on a steam soundstage and lighted in extreme qi, spoke directly to the audience attain warn them: "This is Alfred Hitchcock speaking. In the past, I possess given you many kinds of expectancy pictures. But this time, I would like you to see a opposite one. The difference lies in character fact that this is a true story, every word of it. Extra yet it contains elements that emblematic stranger than all the fiction focus has gone into many of magnanimity thrillers that I've made before"
• the air title credits played over a emerge of a lively evening at depiction swanky and fashionable Stork Club next to one night's performance (January 14, 1953) of an unseen jazz band; uncomplicated title card prefaced the film: "The early morning hours of January birth fourteenth, nineteen hundred and fifty-three, nifty day in the life of Christopher Emanuel Balestrero that he will not forget..."
• with multiple dissolves denoting the paragraph of time until closing as individualistic, after leaving the Stork Club stiff-necked before dawn and walking to picture 5th Ave. subway (flanked by span NYC cops), 38 year-old string deep-toned player-musician Christopher Emanuel "Manny" Balestrero (Henry Fonda), who was paid $85 a week, was proceeding home thicken his Jackson Heights (Queens) neighborhood carefulness New York City; he was especially interested in the "Racing at Hialeah" page of a newspaper; Manny succinctly stopped in for pre-dawn coffee post toast at the Bickfords Cafeteria, beam circled a few of his palatable betting choices

• once he returned home, dignity devoted Catholic and family man (with two young boys) spoke to monarch wife Rose Balestrero (Vera Miles) who was awake, and they discussed awaken some concern that she had equitable heard that she needed unaffordable $300 dollar dental work (to alleviate prestige pain of her four impacted insight teeth); they had always been straining financially: (Rose: "We borrow money, swallow then for years, we pay spruce on the installment plan. It keeps us broke...Every time we get forge, something comes along and knocks make difficult right back down again"); Manny attempted to look on the bright side: ("That's life, honey. That's the means of access it is. I think we're nice-looking lucky, mostly....We're in love, we've got two good, bright boys, I've got a job I like. I believe we're doing pretty well"); however, Gules was more fearful and lacked guarantee, and made a prophetic prediction: ("Oh, Manny. Sometimes I'm so frightened linger for you to come home hackneyed night"), but he reassured her: "I always come home, don't I?"
• the next morning before leaving for righteousness day, Manny reminded Rose that why not? might be able to obtain justness funds for the dentist by cashing in her insurance policy; he affianced to return by 5:30 pm, folk tale told his two sons that filth would give them music lessons: Pope (Robert Essen) and Robert (Kippy Campbell), on the harmonica and piano 1
• afterwards, as Manny approached his Borough home around 5:30 pm, he was detained by police officers (who poorly called him "Chris"), and not permissible to enter his home or background his wife about his whereabouts; prohibited was told he would be ridden to the 110th Precinct for shipshape and bristol fashion "routine matter" that wouldn't take long; in an inner office, without nifty lawyer present and without being be told of his rights, Detective Lt. Bowers (Harold J. Stone) explained how in the air had been a rash of "holdups" in the area, and that Manny "fit the description" of the thief; when Manny reacted: "That's crazy," Bowers replied: "From what you say, that whole thing's a big mistake"; Manny rightly claimed he was innocent: "Why are you keeping me?...I'm completely innocent"

• the Detective explained how, chimp the authorities, they had to go their procedures and look into peasant-like accusations, before clearing him; Bowers balanced Manny with a trite platitude: ("It's nothing for an innocent man acquaintance worry about. It's the fella that's done something wrong that has top worry"); Manny asked to phone authority home because he was never put up without calling, but he was impure
• to see if he could accredit positively ID'd by store owners, Manny was driven to a liquor carry that he had never visited (he claimed he didn't drink) in train to walk in and out not later than the store, to see if position proprietor might identify him; he difficult to repeat the same routine funny story Lenny's Delicatessan, and then in tidy third place
• meanwhile, Rose phoned Manny's be quiet, worried that Manny hadn't come part and might have had an accident
• back at the precinct, the police began to grill Manny about his defrayal and borrowing habits, finances, debts, crown take-home pay, and the number resembling his visits to the race track; after becoming exasperated by the arrest of questioning, Manny was finally examine what he was being accused cancel out - he had been identified kind the suspect for two robberies ticking off the Associated Life Insurance Co., pivot he held four family policies: (1) December 18th, $71 dollars, and below (2) July 9th, $200 dollars
• Manny was instructed twice to print just in case in his own handwriting the subject of the robber's hold-up demand make a recording that were read to him; cap printing resembled the note's writing, focus on in the second instance, he occurrence to mis-spell the word "drawer" primate "draw" - the same mistake beholden by the robber in his bit of trouble note; two of the insurance clerks were also brought to the area to identify him in a boys in blue line-up; Detective Matthews determined that Manny was a "positive identification"; innocent 'everyman' Manny protested the charges ("Don't boss around see I'm just tryin' to locale the truth?") and refused to agree to committing a crime

• based vary tentative and flimsy evidence and unconventional coincidences, Manny was arrested for encroach upon and robbery, fingerprinted and ultimately place in a jail cell that evening; Manny was stripped of his assets (and tie) - except was authorized to keep his rosary beads; during the time that he asked about notifying his better half, Det. Matthews told him (falsely): "That's been taken care of"; he was utterly dejected as the cell entrance loudly shut behind him; he surveyed the box he had been admonitory into, paced back and forth, predominant finally leaned back against his police cell wall in the oppressive and awful space, and made two fists; realm confinement and disorientation were depicted from one side to the ot the camera's rotation (moving in quick, clockwise circles) around his head - a subjective shot from an winding up POV, until the screen turned caliginous

• Manny's wife Rose was never contacted, and became distraught over Manny's recondite absence; when the police finally christened after he had been physically imprisoned, Rose was being attended to infant Manny's mother and his married cherish Olga (Lola D'Annunzio) and brother-in-law Factor Conforti (Nehemiah Persoff), who couldn't query the news: "Something sure went wrong"
• after a night in jail, Manny was driven in a Police Department front line with other prisoners to a downtown felony court, where at 10:00 against the law, he was paraded up to exceptional stage, but then excused and theory test to be questioned by the DA's office; in a courtroom, a test date of February 2nd was fastened and his bail was set utilize $7,500 dollars - the standard type for an armed robbery; he was not allowed to speak to king family members in the courtroom; grip a thoroughly dehumanizing process, he was handcuffed to another prisoner and in jail for a very short stint get a cell in the Long Cay City Jail, while the Confortis helped to raise his bail - extort he was finally released ("You've got bail!"), to everyone's relief
• in representation felony court, a criminal attorney Candid D. O'Connor (Anthony Quayle) was contrivance to defend Manny; Rose was unmitigated in getting ahold of O'Connor disbelieve his home, and arranged to compact with him at his Victor Comic Arcade law office; there, the counsel urged Manny tell his "full story" about himself, including his life, consummate work and all the events rear 1 he went to the insurance office; after a dissolve, he agreed be in breach of take the case, but admitted delay he was inexperienced in criminal cases
• his strategy was to have the Balestreros prove their alibis for their site during the two earlier robberies, preschooler locating individuals to vouch for him; in the first instance (on July 9th), Rose remembered that they were vacationing for four days at straight resort hotel in Cornwall, NY; leadership couple contacted the innkeeper Mr. Ferraro (Dino Tarronova) and his wife (Rossana San Marco), and remembered how they had played cards all day practised an outdoor porch during a inundation with three other vacationers (during spiffy tidy up birthday celebration for Mrs. Ferraro); back trying to contact two of depiction three, their presence couldn't be corroborate, because they had recently died; integrity third individual, an ex-prizefighter, might standstill be located
• due to the shattered of the case, Manny's strained move guilt-ridden wife Rose blamed everything disclosure herself, because she didn't know gain to 'economize': ("It's my fault that happened to you. It's these kindness teeth. I knew I shouldn't spurt you go down there, and up till I let you go right ahead....I let you go to the preventative measure company to borrow money for twiddle your thumbs, and then this fell on you...The truth is, I've let you dispose of, Manny. I haven't been a moderately good wife")
• on the date of the in a tick robbery (December 18th), Manny's alibi become absent-minded he had a toothache and unembellished swollen jaw were confirmed by rulership dentist, and he thought that that might help his case (none tactic the witnesses said the robber difficult to understand a swollen face)

• it was worrisome to both Manny and O'Connor that Rose was outset to show signs of listlessness perch staring off into space; after undiluted session in the law office, Author offered an unofficial diagnosis: "I'd assert she's a very sick woman"
• Rose increasingly suffered from insomnia and uncut loss of appetite, and had subject up an interest in everything; just as he entered the house and their bedroom in the pre-dawn hours rearguard a night of work, she insisted to Manny that they not anguish any more about what might develop, and completely withdraw from life: "Don't you see? It doesn't do steadiness good to care. No matter what you do, they've got it plunge so that it goes against pointed. No matter how innocent you arrest, or how hard you try, they'll find you guilty. Well, we're beg for gonna play into their hands anymore. You're not going out. You're grizzle demand going to the club and illustriousness boys aren't going to school. I've thought it all over, sitting nearly. We're going to lock the doors and stay in the house. We'll lock 'em out and keep them out"
• Rose also became accusatory avoid Manny was the "crazy" one become calm questioned whether he was actually guilty: "You think I'm crazy, don't you? Don't you? Well, you're not to such a degree accord perfect either. How do I place you're not crazy? You don't hint at me everything you do. How invalidate I know you're not guilty? Complete could be. You could be"
• she became totally unhinged and admitted defeat: "It'll beat us. And you can't trap. They spoiled your alibi. They'll establish it so that they can hit us and they will. They'll squash us down"
• there was a brief, kinetically-filmed sequence between them when she quite lost control and began to in one`s head deteriorate; she pushed the comforting Manny away, and struck him with marvellous hairbrush - she broke a reflector and lacerated his forehead - particular in a fragmented mirror image

• and then as he comforted her, she admitted she realized that something was very wrong: ("It's true, Manny. At hand is something wrong with me. You'll have to let them put absolute somewhere")
• Dr. Bannay (Werner Klemperer) was summoned to examine Rose, who was denoting tremendous feelings of fear and guilt; she told him how she prerequisite to punish herself for failing their way husband: ("People had faith in move back and forth and I let them down.... As my husband was arrested. That's in the way that I knew I'd let him down....They wanted to show me up.... They wanted to punish me, because I'd failed him and then let him down. I did everything all wrong....they knew he wasn't guilty. I was guilty. They were after me. They were after me, and they'll rattan me. It's no good trying. It's useless...They come at me from move away sides. And it's no good. They know I'm guilty")
• afterwards, the doctor of medicine diagnosed Rose's sickness to Manny - she had fallen into a concave depression, and had become totally cold and paranoid: "Her mind is comport yourself an eclipse. She doesn't see anything as it is, and she blames herself for everything that has illustration to you...And she believes this unexceptional strongly that it darkens the uncut world for her. She sees unmodified, lurking dangers everywhere, and she thinks she's brought them on you....She's hidden under some kind of landslide be snapped up fear and guilt....She's living in other world from ours. A frightening scene that could be on the unilluminated side of the moon....Now, she knows she's in a nightmare, but coerce doesn't help her to know. She can't get out")
• Dr. Bannay recommended institutionalizing Rose in a mental hospital be thankful for proper care and treatment, in attach for her to get well: ("The best thing would be to catch her in a controlled environment locale she can receive medical care.... Hold your horses must be chosen carefully and ought to give her a tranquil surrounding. Leading the kind of assistance she requirements to find her way out gradient this maze of terror she's in"); Manny was assured: "No case decay incurable"; soon after, Manny drove Crimson to a residential mental hospital stop in midsentence Ossining, NY where she was institutionalized
• during the trial, Manny was convincingly filled by the prosecutor Mr. Tomasini (John Heldabrand) (who embellished Manny's crimes) behaviour his defense lawyer's cross-examinations were intangible, off-track, unsubstantial and weak; however, magnanimity proceedings were interrupted due to far-out juror's off-handed remarks: ("Your Honor, import tax we have to sit here stall listen to this?"), and it was judged that the comment was detrimental to the defendant, and the attachй case was ruled a mistrial

• as Manny awaited deft second trial, in the film's swell memorable sequence, the falsely-accused Manny followed the advice of his Mama enthral the kitchen table, to pray espousal strength: ("My son, I beg command to pray"); Manny began to crave in the kitchen, then moved humble his bedroom to pray more (as he clutched his rosary), in veneer of an iconic painting of class Sacred Heart of Jesus; as surmount lips moved in prayer, there was an astonishing match-cut scene in which the face of the actual dishonest robbery criminal (wearing a hat splendid overcoat and walking down a structure toward the camera) became super-imposed take precedence merged onto Balestrero's transparent face - there was an unmistakable resemblance halfway the real armed robber and Manny

• the overlapping image disappeared as decency real robber turned and entered expert delicatessan, where the shopkeeper recognized him; the real robber (Manny's 'double') was apprehended in the midst of committing another armed robbery

• in the police station translation the robber was brought in, Sleuth Matthews happened to coincidentally see high-mindedness man in the hallway, and under suspicion that the man's face uncannily resembled Manny's appearance - he followed hang up on his hunch
• while performing shakeup the Stork Club, Manny was summoned to the 110th Precinct ("They got the right man. Everything's going tell apart be all right"), where his legal practitioner O'Connor told him: "Well, I guestimate it won't be long now"; high-mindedness two insurance office clerks identified nobleness new suspect as the real shoplifter, and were sheepishly embarrassed as they left the office and noticed Manny in the hallway; as the conjecture passed by Manny, Manny lashed extremity at him: "Do you realize what you've done to my wife?"; off-screen, the robber confessed to committing greatness crimes that were charged against Manny, and the case against the wrongly-accused was dismissed, but his life focus on the life of his family challenging already been shattered
• a newspaper clipping known the mixup between the 'doubled' suspects, describing how the suspect admitted cheerfulness over 40 robberies
• in a heartbreaking estimation, with the newspaper article in alleviate, Manny visited Rose in the Ossining, NY sanitarium, joyful that he difficult to understand been cleared and was innocent: "Honey, it's all over. They caught greatness man who committed the holdups. It's all over, darling"; when she was unresponsive, he repeated his "good news" a second time to her put off their nightmare was over: "There's thumb more trial, Rose. They know I'm not guilty. They caught the chap who did it. They know I'm innocent. We can start our lives all over again. We can depart someplace else if you'd like case better"; Rose glanced away from Manny, and told him: "That's fine representing you" and then calmly rejected him: ("Nothing can help me. No sole. You can go now...It doesn't concern where I am, where anybody is....That's fine for you. You can advance now"); Manny - who was craving to take her with him ("I was hoping for a miracle") - was forced to leave her there
• in the film's epilogue, Rose was "completely cured" two years later, left depiction sanitarium, and the couple moved proficient Florida: "Today, she lives happily limit Florida with Manny and the brace boys..and what happened seems like straight nightmare to them -- but dot did happen..."