Actus Reus

Like they teach you in law school, Mentiri est contra James Stewart ire: To lie is to act against Jimmy Stewart. The American screen’s most reassuring presence closed out his most successful decade with 1959’s Anatomy of a Murder, which winds up the Kansas City Public Library’s “Unreeling Riffs” series tonight. Director Otto Preminger’s wry, tough courtroom procedural earns its place among jazz classics thanks to Duke Ellington’s sexy score. Watch for a cameo in the movie by Ellington, who was then enjoying a resurgence in popularity. The sequestering starts at 6:30 p.m., and at two hours and 40 minutes, the movie might feel like a real jury trial. The Film Vault is located on the lower level of the Central Library (14 West 10th Street). See kclibrary.org or call 816-701-3400 for details.

Mon., July 7, 6:30 p.m.; Mon., July 14, 6:30 p.m.; Mon., July 21, 6:30 p.m.; Mon., July 28, 6:30 p.m., 2008