The Wrong Man

The Wrong Man is a 1956 film that depicts the true story of an innocent man mistaken for a criminal.

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Written by Maxwell Anderson and Angus MacPhail, based on The True Story of Christopher Emmanuel Balestrero by Maxwell Anderson.

Somewhere...somewhere there must be the right man!  (taglines)

Alfred Hitchcock

• This is Alfred Hitchcock speaking. In the past, I have given you many kinds of suspense pictures. But this time, I would like you to see a different one. The difference lies in the fact that this is a true story, every word of it. And yet it contains elements that are stranger than all the fiction that has gone into many of the thrillers that I've made before.

Lt. Bowers

• An innocent man has nothing to fear, remember that.

Dialogue

Robert Balestrero: It says here Mozart wrote it when he was 5. So I should be able to play it, I'm 8.

Gregory Balestrero: I'm 5, so I should be able to write it.

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Manny Balestrero: Tell you what we'll do. This evening, we'll take time for music lessons. Bob'll have a lesson on the piano and Greg on the harmonica.

Gregory Balestrero: Mine first!

Manny Balestrero: Each lesson will be fifteen minutes, and Greg's... [phone rings. He picks it up] Hello...? Hello, Mother.

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Lt. Bowers: Is your name Christopher Emmanuel Balestrero?

Manny Balestrero: Yes, it is.

Lt. Bowers: I want to speak with you. We're police officers.

Manny Balestrero: What about?

Lt. Bowers: We'd like you to come down to the precinct and help us out a little.

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Lt. Bowers: How do you explain it?

Manny Balestrero: I made a mistake.

Lt. Bowers: And so did the hold up man. And it happens to be the same mistake.

Taglines

• Somewhere...somewhere there must be the right man!
• The police were convinced... The witnesses were positive ...Yet he was... THE WRONG MAN
• Suspense Mounts Step By Step
• An innocent man has nothing to fear!

Cast

• Henry Fonda — Christopher Emmanuel "Manny" Balestrero
• Vera Miles — Rose Balestrero
• Anthony Quayle — Frank O'Connor
• Harold J. Stone — Lt. Bowers
• Charles Cooper — Det. Matthews
• John Hildebrand — Tomasini
• Esther Minciotti — Mama Balestrero
• Doreen Lang — Ann James
• Laurinda Barrett — Constance Willis
• Norma Connolly — Betty Todd
• Nehemiah Persoff — Gene Conforti
• Lola D'Annunzio — Olga Conforti
• Werner Klemperer — Dr. Bannay
• Kippy Campbell — Robert Balestrero
• Robert Essen — Gregory Balestrero
• Richard Robbins — Daniel, the guilty man

External links

• The Wrong Man quotes at the Internet Movie Database
• The Wrong Man at Rotten Tomatoes
• Wrong Man The Wrong Man at Allmovie