Anatomy Of A Fall: Who killed Samuel? Explored

Justin Triet's Anatomy of a Fall is one of the most celebrated films of 2023. After its Cannes premiere, it won the Palme d'Or award and gradually became a success at several award shows, including the 2024 Oscars.

Triet directed this film based on her Oscar-winning screenplay, which she co-wrote with Arthur Harari. The film follows a writer who is accused of killing her husband.

The film is roughly divided into two parts: an investigative thriller and a tense legal drama. The official synopsis of Anatomy of a Fall per IMDB, reads:

"A woman is suspected of murder after her husband's death; their half-blind son faces a moral dilemma as the main witness."

German actress Sandra Hüller (Toni Erdmann, The Zone of Interest) plays the central role in the film. Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado-Graner, Jehnny Beth, and Samuel Theis join her in crucial supporting roles.

At the end of Anatomy of a Fall, Daniel's testimony helps Sandra be freed from her charges of her husband's murder. However, the ending doesn't reveal who killed Samuel.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Anatomy of a Fall. Viewer discretion is advised.

What is the story behind Anatomy of a Fall?

Anatomy of a Fall revolves around Sandra (Sandra Hüller), a well-known German writer, married to Samuel (Samuel Theis), a French writer with no clear prospects or accomplishments.

They live in a desolate house on a mountain in France with their partially blinded son, Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner). One day, astudent arrives there to interview her. Samuel plays loud music and interrupts them, forcing Sandra to postpone their discussion.

Soon, Daniel goes on a walk with his dog. As he returns, he finds Samuel lying in the snow with a pool of blood all around and is thus declared dead. Eventually, the authorities intervene to figure out the cause of death.

Why is Sandra suspected of Samuel's murder?

The investigators suspect Sandra of Samuel's murder because the couple had a heated argument before his death. They also find signs of a head injury on Samuel that had occurred before the fall.

It indicates that someone presumably hit him in the head, leading to his fall. So, Sandra needs to go through a lengthy court procedure to prove her innocence.

Sandra's friend and lawyer, Vincent (Swann Arlaud) represents her in the court trial. The prosecution tries to malign her public image by interrogating her because of her imperfect past.

They question her on her sexual orientation and infidelity and make her appear a violent person capable of murder. Vincent defends Sandra and notes Samuel's overdose attempt only a few months before his fall. It thus hints at the possibility of suicide.

The defense further argues that Samuel's head injury is a result of his head hitting the shed, before crashing on the snow. Eventually, a tape recording of Sandra and Samuel's argument is played in the court.

It reveals Sandra confronting Samuel, who frequently blames her for his unsuccessful career and their heated argument escalates into physical violence. The prosecution uses this recording to their advantage. They also note similarities between Sandra's life and her fictional work, implying she planned his murder.

What does the court verdict mean?

Toward the end of Anatomy of a Fall, Daniel decides to testify in the courtroom. During his testimony, he recalls a conversation between him and Samuel - when they were driving their dog to a vet.

Samuel wanted Daniel to be prepared for the loss of his loved ones. Daniel interprets this conversation as a reflection of his father's suicidal thoughts.

After Daniel's testimony, the court frees Sandra from charges of Samuel's murder. However, the film does not disclose what or who killed Samuel. Daniel's testimony also leaves room for doubt as he may have testified to save his mother. Hence, the ending is intentionally ambiguous.

Although an investigative thriller, Anatomy of a Fall does not want the viewers to draw a simplistic conclusion about the cause or the culprit, but to reflect upon its themes. the film leaves ample scope for them to question how we investigate or assess the truth, how we reach a judgment, and how our biases come into play.