Today on TV: A ‘Glass Onion’ star celebrated his breakthrough with this intense courtroom thriller

“Zwielicht” on ZDF Neo: That’s the story

The Archbishop of Chicago was brutally murdered. Police quickly arrested a suspect in the person of altar boy Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), who was found bloodied near the crime scene. To improve his public image, star lawyer Martin Vail (Richard Gere) takes on the pro bono defense of the penniless young man weighed down by overwhelming evidence.

In court, they meet Vail’s former lover, prosecutor Janet Venable (Laura Linney). Initially interested in publicity for himself and less in the guilt or innocence of his client, the otherwise self-centered legal adviser soon became increasingly fascinated with his apparently unstable client. So he’s starting to get seriously involved in this.

Vail contacts Dr. Molly Arrington (Frances McDormand) to assist him as part of his defensive strategy. In her conversations with the young man, the skilled psychologist reveals a whole series of ominous childhood experiences. Soon she becomes certain that Stampler was a victim of pedophilia within the walls of the church…

Courtesy of Leonardo DiCaprio: That’s how Edward Norton became a star

That Edward Norton got his first movie role in “Twilight” is also largely due to him Leonardo DiCaprio Thanks to. Because it was actually intended as a cast for the altar boy suspected of murder. But DiCaprio was physically and mentally exhausted from the seemingly very strenuous work he had just completed for Gilbert Grape: Somewhere in Iowa. So he didn’t see himself in a position to embody another character who was particularly emotionally demanding. That’s why he canceled with pain in his heart.

It so happened that the part was widely advertised. The film’s casting department received more than 2,000 applications. Many of the up-and-coming actors were invited to audition, including such well-known names as Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal, James Marsden, Edward Furlong, Wil Wheaton, James Roday Rodriguez, Danny Masterson, and James Van Der Beek.

Edward Norton, who lived in New York at the time, was completely new to working in front of cameras. His experience was limited to school and college theater productions and a few small appearances in off-Broadway plays. At the audition, however, Norton convinced not only with his imitation talent, but also with an idea that none of his competitors had: he made his character stutter.

Since no such grammatical error appeared in William Diehl’s original novel, nor in Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman’s script based on it, the producers were impressed by this kind of initiative by the candidate. The idea was so well received that – after Norton was finally signed – it was even used for the filming and became an integral part of the story.

When the finished film hit theaters in 1996, it topped the US charts for three weeks. It also received mostly positive, if not exactly rave reviews. The reviewers reserved this kind of appreciation for the young debutant and his courageous, complex and intense playing.

The many praises were confirmed with a nomination for the Oscar for best supporting actor. In the end, the image went to Cuba Gooding Jr. for “Jerry Maguire – Game of Life”, but by then Norton’s rise was unstoppable. “Zwielicht” was the impressive start of a world career.

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