12 Angry Men 1957 Starring Lee J Cobb Henry Fonda

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12 Angry Men

DVD
Format: Widescreen
Director: Sidney Lumet
Publisher: MGM (Video & DVD)
Release Date: March 2001
UPC: 027616859006

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Summary:
Sidney Lumet's directorial debut remains a tense, atmospheric (though slightly manipulative and stagy) courtroom thriller, in which the viewer never sees a trial and the only action is verbal. As he does in his later corruption commentaries such as Serpico or Q & A, Lumet focuses on the lonely one-man battles of a protagonist whose ethics alienate him from the rest of jaded society. As the film opens, the seemingly open-and-shut trial of a young Puerto Rican accused of murdering his father with a knife has just concluded and the 12-man jury retires to their microscopic, sweltering quarters to decide the verdict. When the votes are counted, 11 men rule guilty, while one--played by Henry Fonda, again typecast as another liberal, truth-seeking hero--doubts the obvious. Stressing the idea of "reasonable doubt," Fonda slowly chips away at the jury, who represent a microcosm of white, male society--exposing the prejudices and preconceptions that directly influence the other jurors' snap judgments. The tight script by Reginald Rose (based on his own teleplay) presents each juror vividly using detailed soliloquies, all which are expertly performed by the film's flawless cast. Still, it's Lumet's claustrophobic direction--all sweaty close-ups and cramped compositions within a one-room setting--that really transforms this contrived story into an explosive and compelling nail-biter.

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Rating:

1 Angry Viewer

Customer Rating:

12 Angry Men is a courtroom drama that was made before they had color films and is very, very irritating to watch. It's a courtroom drama about twelve jurypeople deliberating on a really important case but like a lot of old movies, it really doesn't hold up after all these years.

If you like courtroom dramas, and I'm not a big fan quite frankly, you will not enjoy this movie. Remember in A Few Good Men when Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise were yelling at each other and you were on the edge of your seat? Well, get ready for none of that. Instead be prepared to be bored for 12 angry hours while people talk and talk and talk and nothing happens!

Movies are a visual medium for a reason. If you're going to do a movie about a court case, you should actually show the crime like on Law & Order. This movie would have been much smarter to follow their example and do the first half as the crime on the streets, and then the second half be an exciting courtroom drama.

Gee, do I really get to watch twelve dudes sitting around talking and making choices and opinions for two hours? Sign me up! I'm being sarcastic, if you can't tell. Because I don't want to watch a movie where twelve dudes sit around talking and making choices and opinions for two hours.

And I don't want to hear excuses like "oh, it's a classic, because it was made in the old days when they made boring movies like this." Guess what? It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World was made back in the 1940s too, and it's hilarious!

All in all this is a good movie if you have sleep apnea or children that enjoy this type of thing.

If We're Going To Put a Man to Death at Least Talk About It

Customer Rating:

Some years ago "National Review" named "12 Angry Men" as the greatest liberal film of all time and they didn't mean it as a backhanded compliment. Just recently in a mini-review in "Entertainment Weekly" this landmark film was labeled as a liberal treatise. As a self respecting Republican I don't get it. Don't we all, as citizens of America, respect the rule of law, the presumption of innocence, and guilt or innocence by reasonable doubt regardless of party or ideological affiliation? I've always respected "12 Angry Men" and after serving as a juror on an intense trial some years ago my admiration for director Sidney Lumet's directorial debut only grows. The film's structure is very basic. It's virtually entirely set in a steamy jury room where 12 thoughtful individuals are asked to mete out what they perceive as justice. There's a lone holdout for acquittal who makes it his duty not to acquiese to the other eleven but to convince them that a reasonable doubt exists. Each man brings personal experience and bias in forming their opinions instead of deliberating on the facts of the case. As the film progresses these prejudices are stripped away so that a reality may emerge. The cast here as a whole is uniformly excellent though I have a slight problem with Henry Fonda's jury room crusader as being a bit pious. But on reflection that piety may be necessary to move the drama along. "12 Angry Men" is a film that will never date because it's perception of law and morality is a civics lesson that should never be forgotten.

Amazing film-crappy dvd	Customer Rating:
Is anyone else sick of of great movies being "double-dipped" on Dvd? They first come out with a bare bones edition on dvd, and then a little later they come out with a "special edition" dvd with only a couple extra features on it and then charge you more..like this dvd. Do you think this is all the supplemental materials that exist for this film? I seriously doubt it. Great film, lousy dvd.

THE VERDICT IS IN

Customer Rating:

DIGITAL VIEWS

THE VERDICT IS IN

DVD offers movie lovers a great opportunity that seems to be lost on today's youth. Classic films that present some of the best that films have ever had to offer are ignored because of the simple fact they are in black and white as opposed to the Technicolor widescreen presentations today's audiences are accustomed too. This is truly sad when select films are released such as 12 ANGRY MEN.

Released in 1957, the film began as a TV production that actor Henry Fonda fell for. When he attempted to garner studio attention in making it into a feature, none was forthcoming. He had to become the producer of the film to get it to the screen. Fortunately for us, he succeeded.

The story offers a minimal set, a jury room and rest room off the main room. Inside on a hot summer's day are 12 men who hold in their hands the fate of an 18 year old child of the slums accused of brutally stabbing his father to death. While 11 of the jurors seem to have made up their minds, one man (Fonda) suggests that they at least consider the possibilities and not rush to judgment where a life is concerned.

The other 11 jurors are played by a stellar casts and each character comes equipped with his own views, prejudices and motives for voting the way they do. Lee J. Cobb is juror 3, a man with a grudge against disappointing youngsters. Ed Begley is juror 10, a bigot whose feelings are blatantly obvious. Jack Klugman is juror 5, a young man who comes from the same slums the youngster did. Rounding out the 11 are John Fiedler, E.G. Marshall, Ed Binns, Jack Warden, Joseph Sweeney, George Voskovek . Robert Webber and Martin Balsam as the foreman.

The vote begins at 11 to 1 and while the jurors fail to understand Fonda's insistence of going over the case since to them it is cut and dry, he gets the ball rolling. With each piece of evidence that is discussed, the tale turns and each member begins to think that maybe, just maybe, there is reasonable doubt when it comes to the boys guilt.

It's not just the break down of evidence that makes this movie tick, it's the rich characters and their interaction in the small confines of the juror's room that set it off. Tempers flare, threats are made, minds are changed and eventually the final tally must come where they determine the verdict, guilty or not guilty.

Some of these actors have never done better. Some went of to greater things. Director Sidney Lumet (for whom this was his feature film debut) went on to direct films like SERPICO, DOG DAY AFTERNOON, NETWORK, THE VERDICT and more. It is the cohesive combination of talents on display here that make this movie one to watch over and over. I've seen it at least 4-5 times and have enjoyed it each one.

In a world where cardboard cutout plotlines and sequels of sequels seem to be the norm, it is rare to see something original these days. Classic films on DVD present this opportunity. If only the young generation could comprehend and appreciate this, perhaps they'd have a better understanding of what a great movie is and what a so so film is. They just need to raise their own prejudices against black and white, "old" movies and venture forth to something different to experience some great films now available, and this is one.

If you're willing to give this one a try, enjoy the extras as well in this special edition. A behind the scenes look at the making of the film with interviews from people like film historian Robert Osborne, actor Jack Klugman and director Sidney Lumet make this a version worth adding to your collection.

Poignant Study of Justice in Action

Customer Rating:

Henry Fonda, Martin Balsam and Lee J. Cobb lead a stellar cast in this absorbing portrait of the justice system. The story of twelve men engaged in jury deliberations of the guilt or innocence of an unheard, unseen defendant, takes place almost entirely in the jury room, yet it uniquely captures the spirit and tone of the 1950s.

Henry Fonda stars as the man who stands alone against the (virtually) pre-ordained guilty verdict of the 11 others. As the jury deliberates, the examination of the facts slowly require the jurors to set aside their pre-conceived notions and address the testimony within the standard of reasonable or unreasonable doubt.

The legendary Lee J. Cobb is terrific as a man whose opinion of the case is clouded by personal factors and considerations. Nuanced performances by others including Martin Balsam, John Fielder, and Jack Klugman, round out this finely textured black-and-white masterpiece.

The trial is never shown. We know of the defendant and the case only from what is said (and unsaid) in the jury room. This is the brilliance of the film: 12 men observe the same trial, yet come away with completely different initial impressions. Those who wish for the film to have included key courtroom testimony miss the entire point. 12 ANGRY MEN is not about the guilt or innocence of the accused, it is rather about how the jury renders its decision regarding his guilt or innocence.

The DVD is of good quality and is presented in widescreen, which enables the viewer to see all of the actors responses as the plot develops. The film stands up to repeated viewing and is a classic in every sense of the word.