fbpx

12 Angry Men (1957)

12 Angry Men (1957)

Sunday Classics

by Jeric Llanes

A courtroom drama that seldom takes place in an actual courtroom during its 96-minute runtime, 12 Angry Men (1957) skips the actual murder-case trial and jumps straight into the decision process made by the jury. A young 18-year-old boy from the slums is charged with the murder of his father, and every juror seems to be on board with voting the boy guilty and sending him off to a death sentence. But when one juror (Henry Fonda) has reservations with making such a hasty verdict, an intense dialogue between the 12 men breaks out, leaving room for the possibility of reasonable doubt that puts the entire case in question.

This is one of the most compelling films I’ve ever seen, with stunning performances from its all-star cast to the polarizing subject matter that still remains relevant to this day. I can’t say much about the plot due to the simplicity of the story (and of course, to save from spoilers), but I think the overall bare bones nature of the film allows for the characterization to really stand out. None of the jurors are ever referred to by name, but despite that we are able to learn about their emotions and biases from the subtext of their conversations. This is a very dialogue heavy film where you really have to pay attention to the nuance of the 12 characters. Henry Fonda’s character is initially the single juror open to the possibility to a non-guilty-verdict, as he tries his best to look at the evidence with skepticism. However, the rest of the crew is against the idea, and all for their own unique reasons. The majority opinion to find the accused guilty goes beyond the proposed evidence on the surface. As the film goes on the backgrounds of each character unravels, showing a variety of emotions stemming from prejudice, personal bias, and shocking indifference (just to name a few).

  1 Murder. 12 Men. 1 crucial decision with a boy’s life at stake. (Photo taken from IMDB)

1 Murder. 12 Men. 1 crucial decision with a boy’s life at stake. (Photo taken from IMDB)

I also was a huge fan of the editing choices of director Sidney Lumet. His pacing of the film was impeccable, as he was able to string out tension throughout a film that doesn’t have much action. It’s mind boggling to think that a film that takes place in the confines of one small room can hook an audience for over an hour and a half. The camera work is also something to keep an eye out for, as Lumet uses different angles and setups to convey a certain emotion in the scenes. Audiences and critics note that the film starts off using wide angle shots to make the room feel spacious early on, but when the intensity and pressure of the dialogue between the men boils over, the camera will move in closer to our characters’ distraught faces, making the room feel small, pent-up, and claustrophobic. The sense of timing also feels like it’s relative to us viewers since the film rarely skips ahead in time, ultimately making the passage of time feel like an excruciating grind.

  Compare this shot with the one above. Notice the camera is closer to the ground and to our characters during a moment of high intensity. (Photo taken from IMDB)

Compare this shot with the one above. Notice the camera is closer to the ground and to our characters during a moment of high intensity. (Photo taken from IMDB)

The themes that the film chooses to tackle are very touchy topics that push us as an audience to think critically, but it never gets too ambitious where it’s forcing down a message about society. I think this is a unique take and representation of the judicial process, as it gives us a glimpse into the mindsets of everyday people making crucial decisions. And this is perhaps the film’s greatest glory. I truly believe that after watching through the movie, you could take any one of the 12 jurors on screen and start a lengthy discussion that dives deep into the psyche of the character. But what’s even more incredible is how realistic these characters feel when thinking about actual people in society. Throughout my viewing experience I felt that I personally knew at least one person who shared the viewpoints of each of the different jurors on screen, which is mind boggling when considering that this was a film written 60 years ago. Clearly, 12 Angry Men (1957) is a reflection of its time, but overall the story remains universal and still holds its ground!

Fans of intense courtroom dramas will love 12 Angry Men (1957), as well anyone who loves thought provocative movies that might change the way you think. This film might be lacking in action, but it is so rich in its characters and drama that it still manages to be an all-out classic.

Where to Watch this Film: 12 Angry Men (1957) is available for rent/purchase on YouTube, Amazon Video, VUDU, Google Play, iTunes, and Netflix DVD.


0

Featured
 

The Godfather Part II (1974)

Picking up the story three years after the ending of The Godfather, The Godfather Part II continues the saga of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) as he looks to bring his family’s reputation…

Read More →

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Sunset Boulevard is a drama depicting the struggles of maintaining relevance in the ever-changing world that is Hollywood. With a story that is more melancholic than glamorous…

Read More →

The Godfather (1972)

For me personally, The Godfather (1972) is one of the few movies I could re-watch over and over again, even on consecutive days if I had to. Every aspect of this film…

Read More →

Rashomon (1950)

Time to switch things up for the week! Instead of the usual review blog on some of Hollywood’s most classic movies, we’re going to take a look at a foreign film…

Read More →

Born Yesterday (1950)

Let’s take another trip from Broadway to the big screen, folks! A film adaptation of Garson Kanin’s stage play, Born Yesterday (1950) is a classic romantic comedy starring Judy Holiday…

Read More →

Fantasia (1940)

When Walt Disney started his animation company in the 1920s, a great deal of the short films he produced matched up fun and silly animations with renowned classical music…

Read More →

Frankenstein (1931)

It’s alive! One of the first (of many) films inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic novel, Frankenstein (1931) came during the second wave of “Universal Monsters”…

Read More →

Roman Holiday (1953)

Is it true that “girls just want to have fun?” Can the same be said for princesses? It’s a bit hard to imagine any person of royalty finding the mundane in their lifestyle…

Read More →

His Girl Friday (1940)

Ah, the things we’d do for love. Love for that special someone. Or maybe, love for the career that you built. Those with the deepest of passions would be driven to do the wildest of things…

Read More →

Comments (0)