Sixty years goes by pretty fast. On June 29, 1959, 60 years ago Saturday, the public unveiling of Otto Preminger’s film “Anatomy of a Murder” took place at the former Nordic Theater in Marquette.

If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s worth a watch.

It’s got big names Hollywood names like James Stewart, George C. Scott, Ben Gazzara and Lee Remick, and the soundtrack was written and performed by jazz musician Duke Ellington, who also makes an appearance on screen.

The story is based on real events that happened right here in Marquette County. It was originally told in a book written by local lawyer and Michigan Supreme Court Justice John Voelker under the pen name Robert Traver.

Voelker’s inspiration for the book was a murder case against Army Lt. Coleman Alonzo Peterson. Voelker acted as defense lawyer for Peterson, who was accused of killing Maurice “Mike” Chenoweth, proprietor of the Lumberjack Tavern in Big Bay.

Chenoweth, a former Michigan State Police trooper, allegedly raped Peterson’s wife when giving her a ride back from the bar to the couple’s trailer at Perkins Park, and that’s the reason Peterson gave for his murderous action.

The case inspired the book and the book inspired the movie, which led to Preminger and the cast and crew filming on location in Marquette County.

After it was finished, the film was shown here locally first at the Nordic Theater in Marquette and the Butler Theater in Ishpeming. The movie then had its world premiere on July 1, 1959, in Detroit. It went on to receive seven Academy Award nominations and was considered a box office hit.

In the movie, you’ll likely recognize many of the scenes, with the Marquette County Courthouse being a primary one.

As a matter of fact, the courthouse will be the scene once again Monday and Tuesday when “Anatomy of a Murder” will be shown at 1 p.m. each day. Seating is limited and will be first come, first served, and a $5 donation is suggested.

If you haven’t watched the movie, or if you just want a refresher, what better way to experience that special piece of local history than by seeing it in the very courtroom it was filmed?

If the courtroom fills up too fast and you can’t find a seat, there’s another option to explore.

Northern Michigan University’s Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center has an exhibit honoring the making of the film on display in Gries Hall in Marquette.

The exhibit features rare images from the movie’s production, a timeline for the book, movie and life of Voelker and many other things to pique one’s interest.

If you’re not already sold on seeing the exhibit firsthand, a story with more details about the display will be featured in Monday’s edition of The Mining Journal.

It’s not very often big stars like those in “Anatomy of a Murder” come to a quaint and quiet corner of the country such as the Upper Peninsula, but we’re sure glad they did.

Their presence here allowed for the creation of one of the best courtroom drama films to come out of Hollywood.