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Summary: A great film; an overlooked point
Review: There is nothing I can add to the high praise this film has received here. However, I'd like to emphasize that only one reviewer has caught a vital point central to the drama:"Henry Fonda never states his belief that the defendant is guiltless, just that it is possible he is not guilty." This is critical. Rose cleverly formulates the testimony so that it is impossible to rationally decide whether the boy is "really" guilty. Fonda's character is not a Perry Mason or Sherlock Holmes, slicing through the clutter to determine the truth. He is "just" a thoughtful person who looks beyond his own prejudices to see the errors and inconsistencies in the testimony. If it were possible to rationally decide the defendant's guilt, "12 Angry Men" would have no dramatic meaning. It would merely be a story about 12 people unable to make a decision based on fact. And that, of course, is not Rose's point.
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Summary: They showed this when I was on Jury Service
Review: Tarrant County Jury Services shows highlights from "12 Angry Men" to impress on you how important it is. However I have already watched this movie several times. Even thought I know the outcome it is interesting to speculate as to what the message each juror is trying to express. Of course just about all of Henry Fonda's performances are exceptional and in this one you see him sweat. The real tension in this movie is the interaction between the jurors. Even thought you mostly focus on Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb, there is not a wasted juror as you can see from the cast list. There are several similar movies and even a remake, [12 Angry Men (1997) ASIN: B00004Y86Z] However this classic is the rod by which all others are measured.
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Summary: Entertaining, Educating and Stimulating...A Timeless Classic
Review: Throughout its deceptively short 1 1/2 hours, "12 Angry Men" keeps the viewer captivated with the simple story of the deliberations from a young man's murder trial. Director Sidney Lumet does a fantastic job of keeping us involved in what amounts to a filmed play, held in the confines of a medium-sized room. He manipulates the ebb and flow of tension (and what tension!) brilliantly, never leaving any doubt as to the title of the picture. The camera moves nimbly among the actors playing the jury, and provides a great illusion of action in what is really a static atmosphere. Henry Fonda heads the ensemble cast of solid actors; the team of men deliver memorable performances. By movie's end, you'll have a definite sense of each character. It's truly wondrous how all involved take an ultimately limited tale and infuse it with a life that lasts far beyond 1957. The film retains an uncanny vitality, and remains provoking to this day. (A bit of trivia: Fans of "The Odd Couple" TV series might remember an early episode that uses "12 Angry Men" as the basis for a story about how "Felix" and "Oscar" met. Part of the humor was, of course, that "Oscar," Jack Klugman, had a role in the classic film.) MGM is starting to put out a series of releases that it calls "Vintage Classics." Despite the reverence of this label, they seem not to value the films' cinematic significance very much. Although this DVD displays an excellent picture and contains good sound (for its age), the movie house hasn't seen fit to equip it with any special features. Indeed, this seems to be par for the course with the "Vintage Classics." The ONLY supplement included with "12 Angry Men" is a trailer. They don't even provide a booklet! Nevertheless, considering the DVD's technical strengths, the greatness of the film itself, and the price of the product, I don't hesitate to make this "12 Angry Men" disc a hearty recommendation.
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Summary: The absolutely perfect movie
Review: This movie, 12 angry men, is a perfect movie. When I first saw it in my government class, I was amazed. The acting, especially from Lee J. Cobb, is superb. Only Henry Fonda, the "hero" stands alone as other hot-tempered men scream and holler and ridicule him. Other, more sympathetic men, throw him their support. Eventually, all minds are changed. What's so great about this movie is that you have to rely on your imagination as to what happened. You never see the people who are discussed, like the lawyer or the key witnesses. 12 angry men is an absolute masterpiece. Definately one of the greatest movies I've ever seen.
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Summary: There aren't enough superlative adjectives...
Review: The terms "great" and "classic" have become redundant in "viewers reviews," but what can a person do when confronted with such a marvelous film as "12 Angry Men." I've seen this film dozens of times while working on an elaborate viewing guide for use in senior high school theater arts and social studies classes. Since I didn't have a VHS copy in my collection, I jumped at the chance of purchasing the newly released DVD version. As expected this film is beauifully restored and presented on DVD. For those unfamiliar with this play, they should be alerted to the "fact" that virtually every single speech in this drama is of critical importance and lasting meaning, making this one of the most significant films ever produced. The closeups of sweaty faces magnify the intensity and bitterness. Lee J. Cobb gives what must be the best performance of his great career. Why this film didn't win a number of Oscars will always remain a mystery. Fonda deserves special mention for his role in producing the film. Why "Showtime" went to all the trouble to remake this splendid classic is also a mystery. I think the 1957 film, it's theme, performances, etc. remain as fresh, alive, and pertinent today as they were in the late 1950s. The film should be required viewing in "all" civic classes, high school and college. The DVD version would make replaying various scenes easy, encouraging indepth examination of the various issues confronted in the film. C-SPAN should (could) build a three-hour special around "12 Angry Men," with law professors and students discussing the film and the role of juries in our justice system. I extend my thanks to those responsible for issuing the DVD.
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Summary: It's all been said.
Review: All the reviewers are right on target about this film. It was orignally done as a "teleplay" as the editorial reviews point out. My guess is that it was broadcast live and recorded on Kinescope. If that's the case, I would like to see a video version nicely cleaned up, especially since some of the actors in the film were in the original telecast. Anyone out there know more about this?
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Summary: Compelling jury room drama with outstanding cast
Review: A boy of 18 is on trial for murder and Juror No. 8 (Henry Fonda) is the only one in the room to declare a verdict of "not guilty" while all the other 11 jurors vote "guilty". Fonda then has the unenviable task of trying to persuade the other 11 jurors to reconsider their verdicts. They go over the evidence carefully and Fonda points out some discrepancies in the prosecution case but will he get support from any of the others? Juror No. 3 (Lee J. Cobb)and Juror No. 10 (Ed Begley) are determined to see the boy is found guilty. What a marvellous film - and what an impressive cast of players! Just take a look at this fine list of actors who were in the film: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Martin Balsam, Ed Begley, Jack Klugman, E.G. Marshall, Jack Warden, John Fielder, Robert Webber and Edward Binns. This was an exceptional cast of actors and they all gave admirable performances - particularly Fonda and Lee J. Cobb. Many of the other players were unknown at the time but went on to become fine character actors. Expertly directed by Sidney Lumet the entire film takes place in a jury room in a New York court. Although restricted to this one set the tension never lets up. Unfortunately, the film was not very successful at the box office upon its release but has since become a classic and is on many "top ten" lists. Some favourite lines from the film: Martin Balsam: "Eleven guilty - one not guilty. Well, now we know where we are". Ed Begley: "Oh boy, there's always one". Henry Fonda: "It's not easy to raise my hand and send a boy off to die without talking about it first". Fonda (to Lee J. Cobb): "Ever since you walked into this room you've been acting like a self appointed public avenger". "12 Angry Men" was remade as a TV movie in 1997 with Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott but this does not compare with the original. Clive Roberts.
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Summary: A tense thriller that keeps you riveted
Review: In spite of the fact that this movie takes place almost exclusively in one room AND at real time, this movie is incredible! It holds you from the beginning and keeps you throughout. We are slowly given information about the case as the jurors discuss it, and Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) tries to get the men to look at the facts again. At the beginning of the film, his is the lone "not guilty" vote among the 12, but as time progresses, he begins to win over his fellow jurors. The thing I appreciated about this movie is the fact that you could actually SEE the individual jurors changing their thinking. Only one just suddenly changes his vote for no real reason, while the rest have to be won over one at a time - and it's understandable as to why they change their mind. As each new piece of evidence is uncovered, the picture becomes clearer. As Fonda himself says: "It's not whether or not I think the boy is innocent - it's whether or not I have a reasonable doubt as to his guilt". This is a GREAT film classic, and the cast is all superb. You'll recognize many faces, but probably never knew their names. This is one movie you'll be happy to add to your collection of greats!
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Summary: GREAT MOVIE!
Review: I watched this film during a civics class at school, and I thought it would be dull at first. It was an old, black and white movie about a murder trial. However, I found myself not being able to wait until the next day of classes so I could see which juror would cave in next and why. Great movie! EVERYONE should see it!
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Summary: Brilliant Film
Review: I think without a doubt this is one of Henry Fonda's finest performances. Tells the story of 12 jurors who have to decide if a young man is guilty or not guilty of murder. Henry Fonda does well by trying to convince the other 11 jurors that the defendant is not guilty. I particulary liked this film because some of the jurors had other reasons for wanting the young man to be guilty. If you liked this film then i would also recommend (To kill a Mockingbird and the Trail.) This has to be one of the best films I have ever seen.
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