12 Angry Men (1957)

4 out of 4

Starring: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, E. G. Marshall, Jack Warden, Joseph Sweeney, Jack Klugman, Martin Balsam, George Voskovec, John Fiedler, Ed Binns, Robert Webber

Director: Sidney Lumet

Time: 96 mins

There aren't many films that can illustrate the power of a strong script and superlative acting better than Sidney Lumet's 1957 classic, 12 Angry Men. There are no startling visuals, no bravura camera angles, and no special effects. Just twelve men - all jurors - on a hot, stuffy afternoon, in a single room, debating the guilt, or otherwise, of an 18-year-old boy from the wrong side of the tracks. That it kept me riveted for its entire length is a tribute to Reginald Rose's dynamite script (adapted from his own play), the superb acting that fleshes out each character (remember there are twelve here, and each one is more vivid than those in a slew of modern blockbusters), and the sure but restrained direction from Lumet.

The story is simple but no less relevant even now. A young, disadvantaged boy is charged with the stabbing murder of his father after an apparent heated argument. The case against him seems overwhelming, and the twelve jurors assigned to his trial retire to their chamber to decide on his fate. All are convinced of his guilt - all, that is, except juror #8 (Henry Fonda). He is not sure if the accused is guilty or not, but he wants to discuss the case a bit further. In the face of some stern resistance, especially from jurors like #3 (Lee J. Cobb), a spiteful man who has a personal reason to see the boy behind bars, #7 (Jack Warden), who just wants to record a quick verdict so he can catch a baseball game that he has tickets for, and #10 (Ed Begley), who is convinced that everyone in the boy's socio-economic group is a criminal, he starts to argue some of the prosecution's points. He points out some inconsistencies, and slowly some of the jurors come around to his point of view. Will he convince all of them there's enough doubt for a "Not Guilty" decision?

The brilliance of 12 Angry Men is not in the dissection of the trial and the evidence, but in the portrayal of the twelve jurors. Everyone is a real, flesh-and-blood individual, with real world preconceptions and prejudices that threaten to turn their deliberations into a fistfight. But neither is anyone a villainous type or a bad guy; when the verdict is reached, everyone just goes their separate ways, back to their daily lives. Indeed, one of the most poignant parts of the film is when juror #9 (Joseph Sweeney) asks #8 (Fonda) what his name is, then offers his own name in return, shakes hands, and departs. One realises then that no names have been mentioned at all throughout the entire film. And therein lies the beauty of 12 Angry Men - one is so consumed by the brilliance of the script and the acting that it doesn't matter what the jurors' names are. Equally, for those who like courtroom dramas, the facts surrounding the murder case are interesting, but serve more to ignite the jurors' passions and personalities than providing foolproof evidence for or against.

The cast is a powerhouse. Led by Henry Fonda (who also produced), there are many notable character actors who had already achieved fame or would go on to do so in the future. Fonda is very good as the man of reason, but even more memorable are Lee J. Cobb, Jack Warden, and Ed Begley as the three most vocal opponents of Fonda. TV regulars Jack Klugman (Quincy MD, The Odd Couple) and Robert Webber (Moonlighting) are also good, as is Martin Balsam as the foreman who frequently loses control of his colleagues. Indeed, there's not a false note in any of the performances. A recent TV remake also featured a strong cast (George C. Scott and Jack Lemmon, among others), but the 1957 version holds its own.

I first saw 12 Angry Men on TV in the 1980s, and though it was on late at night, I was entranced until the very end. Film may be a visual medium, but 12 Angry Men shows that writing and acting are just as important to a film's success. While probably only considered a minor classic in the annals of Hollywood greats (it is, however, highly rated on the Internet Movie Database), 12 Angry Men is still one of my all-time favourite movies. I can give no higher praise than to say it is a film I can watch again and again.

(c) Joe Wong (25 June 2001)