Movie Review: The Wrong Man (1956)

The Wrong Man (1956) directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Henry Fonda stars a Manny Balestrero, a night club musician. Manny has a loving wife (Vera Miles) and two children. They live in a New York City apartment and struggle to make ends meet. Manny goes to their local insurance agency to borrow money on his wife's life insurance policy. The ladies in the office think he is the guy that has robbed them twice in the last year though they don't confront him. They do make a report to the police, who go to his house and pick him up just before he gets home for dinner. A bit of circumstantial evidence gets Manny thrown in jail, starting a long and torturous situation where he tries to prove his innocence and keep his family together.

The plot is based on a true story (they even film in the actual night club) from 1953. Manny's experience is very harrowing, especially as he does not fully understand the events going on around him. Hitchcock downplays his usual visual extravagance, making the film feel more like a documentary. Bernard Herrmann's score is also more muted to fit the tone. Fonda is reliably good in his role. Vera Miles is also good as the wife, who has her own difficulties to get through. Even though he is innocent, he endures a lot of hardship as the legal system slowly grinds through its process. His personal integrity is admirable but the unfortunate possibility of the system going wrong is disheartening and makes for a lot of hard-hitting drama.

Recommended.

This movie is discussed on A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast #364--check it out!