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Henry Fonda, Lee J Cobb, Ed Begley Sr., E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman ... see more see more... , Jack Warden , Martin Balsam , Edward Binns , Joseph Sweeney , George Voskovec , Robert Webber , Rudy Bond , James A. Kelly , Bill Nelson , John Savoca , John Fiedler

A Puerto Rican youth is on trial for murder, accused of knifing his father to death. The twelve jurors retire to the jury room, having been admonished that the defendant is innocent until proven guilt... read more read more...y beyond a reasonable doubt. Eleven of the jurors vote for conviction, each for reasons of his own. The sole holdout is Juror #8, played by Henry Fonda. As Fonda persuades the weary jurors to re-examine the evidence, we learn the backstory of each man. Juror #3 (Lee J. Cobb), a bullying self-made man, has estranged himself from his own son. Juror #7 (Jack Warden) has an ingrained mistrust of foreigners; so, to a lesser extent, does Juror #6 (Edward Binns). Jurors #10 (Ed Begley) and #11 (George Voskovec), so certain of the infallibility of the Law, assume that if the boy was arrested, he must be guilty. Juror #4 (E.G. Marshall) is an advocate of dispassionate deductive reasoning. Juror #5 (Jack Klugman), like the defendant a product of "the streets," hopes that his guilty vote will distance himself from his past. Juror #12 (Robert Webber), an advertising man, doesn't understand anything that he can't package and market. And Jurors #1 (Martin Balsam), #2 (John Fiedler) and #9 (Joseph Sweeney), anxious not to make waves, "go with the flow." The excruciatingly hot day drags into an even hotter night; still, Fonda chips away at the guilty verdict, insisting that his fellow jurors bear in mind those words "reasonable doubt." A pet project of Henry Fonda's, Twelve Angry Men was his only foray into film production; the actor's partner in this venture was Reginald Rose, who wrote the 1954 television play on which the film was based. Carried over from the TV version was director Sidney Lumet, here making his feature-film debut. A flop when it first came out (surprisingly, since it cost almost nothing to make), Twelve Angry Men holds up beautifully when seen today. It was remade for television in 1997 by director William Friedkin with Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Unrated, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Sidney Lumet

Release Date: April 13, 1957

Keywords: white, compelling, 1957, simple, law

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DVD Release Date: March 6, 2001

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Flixster Reviews (7,068)

  • TheDudeLebowski65
    October 13, 2012
    TheDudeLebowski65
    With a blazing cast and effective plot, Sidney Lumet's debut picture is a stunning drama and one of the essential classics of cinema. What makes Sidney Lumet's work standout is the fact that he can do so much with so little. 12 Angry men, has a great cast of talented actors who d... read moreeliver strong performances. The film starts off slow, but as the film unfolds, the plot becomes more intense therefore you're more involved. Lumet is a terrific filmmaker and he crafted a solid picture with this one. The fact that Lumet is able to pull off terrific tension because of the performances he gets out of the actors as well as a well constructed script that is engaging. Despite the fact that the film is set in one room, the film showcases Sidney Lumet's talent in telling a well constructed story early on in his career. This is a simple, yet brilliant film that delivers suspense as the film unwinds and as the plot progresses the tensions mount to a great climax. A key component of the film's success is Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb on-screen chemistry. Their disagreement over the facts of the case is one of the strongest aspects of the film. Henry Fonda is terrific here, and his performance is memorable, and is only topped by his performance by the Sergio Leone classic Once Upon A Time in the West. If you love classic cinema that relies more on the casts performances rather than effects to create an effective plot, then 12 Angry Men is a must see film and is among Sidney Lumet's greatest achievements in cinema. This film should definitely be seen by any serious film fan.
  • jmj26
    October 12, 2012
    jmj26
    To most people, this was a clear-cut case. A young man accused of patricide with a gun, a mountain of evidence against him and a jury of 12 people that are more concerned with getting home as early as possible than to serve in the name of justice. After the hearing, the jury was ... read moresent into a small room to come to a singular decision - a simple choice of guilty or not guilty. The vote was cast, hands shot up in agreement to the guilty verdict, yet one man stayed his hand: juror number 8 (Henry Fonda). In the face of incredible unilateral pressure, he was the only one that dared to look closer at what had perspired that fateful night of the crime. At that point the entire room goes up in a furor, the tension rises, the temperature shows no sign of going down and as the sun sets alongside the ensuing discussions, things only get more complex.

    In principle, this set-up is incredibly simple, most of the film happens in one room with a small cast of only 12, all focusing on one set plot point: did the accused perpetrate the crime? The simplicity, however, is only superficial. Every single juror in the room has his own story, his own background, that not only explains what lies behind their decision in the vote, but also highlights the overall character of each juror outside the courtroom. There's the father that's slowly but surely grown distant from his only son; there's the foreigner who's just trying to keep a low profile. One juror is timid, another brash, even another cold and calculating. So what seems to be a room full of like-minded people (with a single exception) progresses into one that is filled with arguments, conflict and turmoil. It's within this battlefield of emotions that the film gets its strength. It may be from its theater-inspired atmosphere or the increased focus on argumentative discourse among (quite) intelligent men, but the film is simply magical. Transforming a jury room into a place of almost palpable excitement is no easy task.

    Yet this is what Sidney Lumet (director) and Reginald Rose (screenwriter) do with relative ease, squeezing every ounce of character from each juror. As mentioned earlier, this resembles as much a theater piece as it does a movie, lending it a touch of proximity that would otherwise have been impossible to achieve. Together with the brilliant acting, the transformation from the mundane to the fascinating (noteably something that Sidney Lumet achieves later on in Dogday Afternoon) is accomplished. Though some actors play far bigger roles than others (the salesman for instance gets only a few lines), no-one feels out of place or inconsequential. The big fish is of course Henry Fonda, who plays the single dissenter who has the gargantuan job of convincing everyone else to take a few steps back to analyze the situation. Oddly enough, though, his character isn't one of brimming self-confidence and a foolproof plan of execution. He often seems unsure and in fact confirms that feeling on more than one occasion - his desire lies in holding a fair trial, not one that is governed by a unilateral verdict on either side. With every step in the deliberation, he ponders about each piece of evidence, its implication and connection to the murder. Even the viewer can't help but feel that everything points to a guilty verdict for the boy. However, like pieces of a puzzle, juror number 8 puts forth simple truths that had been forgotten in the heat of the moment, not to mention the heat of the day. Thanks to the movie's set-up, even the person watching gets to join in (albeit indirectly), putting things in perspective as the tale goes along. Other great performances include that of E.G. Marshall as a stern pragmatist and Lee J. Cobb as a distraught, obstinate father. Lee is particularly memorable, being one of the most interesting jurors in the room and one you get to know incredibly well as time passes.

    Thanks to its mesmerizing script, diverse and talented cast, and contained direction, 12 Angry Men is doubtlessly a classic. In fact, it is one of the prime examples of brilliant filmmaking from its time. Don't doubt whether or not you should see it; the only question is when!
  • blacksheepboy
    June 2, 2012
    blacksheepboy
    An impressive achievement considering it was Lumet's first film, extremely well-written and superbly directed, with many elegant shots and fluid camera movements. Really gripping and audacious, it takes place entirely in a chamber, sustained by a tense, compelling dialogue.
  • garyX
    May 3, 2012
    garyX
    Sidney Lumet's classic courtroom drama is based upon a very simple premise; a jury is sent to deliberate on a capital murder case and one lone juror stands alone against the other eleven arguing that there is reasonable doubt. Virtually the entire film takes place in the same roo... read morem and the characters are a deliberate cross section of different personalities from all walks of life. They even remain unnamed for the length of the film. It's basically a tribute to the American justice system and democracy in general; imagine a more high brow version of Frank Capra without the sentimentality. Slightly reminiscent of Rashomon, it exposes the preconceptions and prejudices behind the attitudes of some of the jurors and their refusal to accept the possibility of a juvenile delinquent's innocence and is fascinatingly told as a kind of detective story in reverse, Fonda gradually dismantling the prosecution's case piece by piece. The character's are all really well written, the dialogue taut and the director's skill is consummate as he creates tension and drama without ever leaving the jury room. It's very stagey and occasionally reminded me of a game of musical chairs for that reason and it may be a little subdued for younger tastes used to fast cuts and gratuitous action, but for me this is still the best courtroom drama ever made.
  • fb1664868775
    March 22, 2012
    fb1664868775
    12 Men, one room, maybe the most exciting and powerful hour and a half of film I've ever seen.
  • imrealgod
    January 24, 2012
    imrealgod
    Not to deny that it's a remarkable classic and I enjoyed it reasonably despite having watched its remake quite a while ago, but I'd have to admit that it's a downhill trip for the last half hour. Nevertheless, highly recommended by all means.
  • pier007
    November 16, 2011
    pier007
    A lesson in cinema and justice.
  • spielberg00
    October 26, 2011
    spielberg00
    Courtroom drama puts a dozen infuriated men in a room together, allows them to factually (and, sometimes, not so factually) bicker about whether or not an eighteen-year-old by is guilty for stabbing his father to death. The film starts off with eleven voting guilty and one votin... read moreg not guilty (all jurors names are avoided), while the rest of the film entails the singled-out juror encouraging the other eleven to see the facts beyond the simple, "It was a murder, the kid is guilty."

    I'm no film-noir fanatic, so you can look at this review as either less predictable or more critical than it should be. The first thirty minutes or so of 12 ANGRY MEN were boring, but if a viewer skipped them, then he or she would not understand one bit of the rest. The last ten to twenty minutes are the best, but then again, if one were to go right to that scene on YouTube, per se, he or she would not understand the brilliance I am referring to. You see, you have to watch ALL of this film to comprehend the marvelousness of it. It's not like there's one big landmark scene that you can watch and love; nothing like the final dance from DIRTY DANCING, or the axe-wielding scene from THE SHINING, for instance.

    If there's one film that makes me want to watch more Henry Fonda films, it's 12 ANGRY MEN. His (mostly) unnamed role is superior, and it stands out above all the other characters, especially that silly old guy who reminds us now of Alan Arkin's character LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, always going off on tangents (on a murder case!?) and making jokes. (Eventually, though, he turns what seems like a bizarre tangent into something creates a unanimous vote, making him a significant character, thank goodness.) Oh, look, that was a tangent itself! Heh. Great film, anyway.
  • fb733768972
    September 10, 2011
    fb733768972
    12 Angry Men is a film with a basic idea that turns into a complex, dialogue-ridden feature film that will have you on the edge of your seat for the full 90 minutes that this brilliant classic surely embraces. Henry Fonda leads a debate with a 12 manned jury on the case of whethe... read morer or not an 18 year-old boy is guilty of murdering his father. Taking place after a courtroom session, these men "angrily" reflect on the statements made by the accused and the defendants as they fight until the bitter end when all the possible facts are on the table. I was pulled into this amazing film and I felt what every man had to say as they made critical points that will make you go back and forth, never truly knowing which side to take, even though you may have a good idea! This classic is one of the smartest written films I have ever seen! 12 Angry Men is magnificent!
  • fb100001050230219
    June 18, 2011
    fb100001050230219
    Incredibly engaging drama with stunning performances all round. A great achievement in filmmaking from the late Sidney Lumet.

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Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
June 30, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

The film leaves a tremendous impact. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
June 26, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Mechanically written, but within its own middlebrow limitations, it delivers the goods. Full Review

Geoff Andrew
June 24, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

A strangely realistic thriller. Full Review

A.H. Weiler
May 20, 2003
A.H. Weiler, New York Times

Although it may sound ungallant, these 12 Angry Men, are all right without distaff glamour. Their dramas are powerful and provocative enough to keep a viewer spellbound. Full Review

Roger Ebert
November 19, 2002
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

This is a film where tension comes from personality conflict, dialogue and body language, not action. Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.
December 12, 2012
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed

The cast is incredible, the writing superb, and the film is unparalleled in its sheer excellence. Full Review

Eric Melin
December 9, 2011
Eric Melin, Scene-Stealers.com

This was Sidney Lumet's first movie and it's as riveting as it was back in the late 50s, when everything was changing. Full Review

James Kendrick
December 2, 2011
James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk

an incisive and gripping film Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
May 12, 2011
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Lumet keeps things tense, sweaty, suspenseful and entertaining despite the contrived story line. Full Review

M. Faust
January 2, 2011
M. Faust, Common Sense Media

Outstanding Henry Fonda jury classic. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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    • Juror #5: Boy oh boy, it's really hot, huh? Pardon me, but don't you ever sweat?
    • Juror #4: No, I don't.
    • Juror #7: You a Yankee fan?
    • Juror #5: No, Baltimore.
    • Juror #7: Baltimore? That's like being hit in the head with a crowbar once a day.
    • Juror #10: Oh, listen, I don't see what all this stuff about the knife has got to do with anything. Somebody saw the kid stab his father, what more do we need? You guys can talk the ears right off my head, you know what I mean? I got three garages of mine going to pot while you're talking! So let's get down and get out of here!
    • Juror #3: That business before when that tall guy, what's-his-name, was trying to bait me? That doesn't prove anything. I'm a pretty excitable person. I mean, where does he come off calling me a public avenger, sadist and everything? Anyone in his right mind would blow his stack. He was just trying to bait me.
    • Juror #4: He did an excellent job.
    • Juror #12: Oh, come on. Nobody can know a thing like that. This isn't an exact science.
    • Juror #8: Look, there was one alleged eye witness to this killing. Someone else claims he heard the killing, saw the boy run out afterwards and there was a lot of circumstantial evidence. But, actually, those two witnesses were the entire case for the prosecution. Supposing they're wrong?
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12 Angry Men (Twelve Angry Men) Trivia

  • A courtroom drama about a man who stands alone in his belief of the innocence of a boy accused of the murder of his father. In order to save the boy he must convince the other jurors to change their hasty decision. (Original)  Answer »
  • Name that Tagline Life is in their hands - Death is on their minds!  Answer »
  • What Movie is this Tagline from? "...it explodes like twelve sticks of dynamite!"   Answer »
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