Certification. U
Running Time. 1 hour 36 mins
Director. Sidney Lumet
Cast. Martin Balsam, Ed Begley, Edward Binns, Lee J. Cobb, John Fiedler, Henry Fonda, Jack Klugman, E. G. Marshall, Joseph Sweeney, George Voskovec, Jack Warden, Robert Webber.
Rating. 90%
Despite being more than 60 years old, Sidney Lumet's 12 Angry Men is still as relevant as it ever was. The esteemed director's debut feature is a forensic dissection of the flaws inherent in trial by jury. The inevitable inconsistency borne of ignorance, bias and prejudice.
The premise is simple. The jury adjourns to consider it's verdict in a trial where a young man is charged with the murder of his father. It appears an open and shut case, with a distinctive murder weapon and eyewitness testimonies, but one juror, Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) isn't so sure.
Beautifully scripted, the ensemble cast produce an acting masterclass in characterisation. In particular, Henry Fonda is nothing short of brilliant. Yet, his brilliance is a gentle, understated brilliance as the calm and reasoned juror troubled with an element of doubt.
With a theatrical feel, Lumet's direction is delicate and light-touch, allowing each of the dozen clashing personalities and perspectives to stand apart in the cramped, confined and claustrophobic jury room. Operating initially with high, above eye-level wide angle lenses and removed cameras helps convey a healthy distance and objectivity, but around the midway point, when developments in the jury room become particularly intense, Lumet deploys a slow crane shot moving into Fonda in close-up; the effect is electrifying, and all the more so because it has been held back until this point.
Nominated for three Academy Awards in 1958 - Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay - 12 Angry Men did not win a single award on the night. However, 12 Angry Men is an integral part of American cinema history and alongside films such as Witness For The Prosecution, Anatomy Of A Murder, Compulsion and To Kill A Mockingbird stand as cornerstones that have shaped the courtroom dramas of today.
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