Libel (1959)

A Canadian (Paul Massie) visiting London sees a television program featuring Sir Mark Loddon (Dirk Bogarde) and is certain that the man is not, in fact, Sir Mark but a look alike Frank Wellney (Dirk Bogarde) who usurped Sir Mark's identity after killing him during an escape from a POW camp. His condemns Sir Mark publicly and through the press until Lord Loddon has no recourse but to sue him for libel. After the initial exposition, the film becomes a courtroom drama. I'm quite partial to courtroom dramas myself but this is no ANATOMY OF A MURDER or even a WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION. Its outcome is never in doubt so the only mystery is how the truth will be verified. It's pretty talky (its based on a 1935 play) without the tension that might have made a gripping courtroom thriller. It doesn't help that both Bogarde and Massie seem to be having a contest to see who can give the most mannered, tic ridden performance. Olivia De Havilland as Bogarde's wife seems a model of understated acting in comparison. De Havilland is only 5 years older than Bogarde but she seems much older than him here, even with Bogarde's fake gray hair. There is an excellent score by Benjamin Frankel however. With Robert Morley (wonderful as always), Wilfrid Hyde-White (not so wonderful), Robert Shaw and Anthony Dawson.