The Wrong Man (1956)

7.4Approved101 minDirector: Alfred Hitchcock

1956 film by Alfred Hitchcock

The Wrong Man is a 1956 American docudrama film noir directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Henry Fonda and Vera Miles. The film was drawn from the true story of an innocent man charged with a crime, as described in the book The True Story of Christopher Emmanuel Balestrero by Maxwell Anderson and in the magazine article "A Case of Identity", which was published in Life magazine in June 1953 by Herbert Brean.

It is recognized as the only Hitchcock film based on a true story and whose plot closely follows the real-life events.

The Wrong Man had a notable effect on two significant directors: it prompted Jean-Luc Godard's longest piece of written criticism in his years as a critic, and it has been cited as an influence on Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is The Wrong Man about?
The Wrong Man (1956) — Christopher Emanuel Balestrero, "Manny" to his friends, is a string bassist, a devoted husband and father, and a practicing Catholic. His eighty-five dollar a week gig playing in the jazz combo at the Stork Club is barely enough to make ends meet. The Balestreros' lives will beco
Is The Wrong Man based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is The Wrong Man scary?
Content rating: Approved. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.