12 Angry Men
 | 50th Anniversary EditionDirected by Sidney Lumet Starring: Martin Balsam, Ed Begley, Edward Binns, Rudy Bond, Lee J. Cobb MGM (Video & DVD), 2008, DVD Customer Rating: 223 reviews Recommend |
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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. — Dave McCoy
Eleven jurors are convinced that the defendant is guilty of murder. The twelfth has no doubt of his innocence. How can this one man steer the others toward the same conclusion? It's a case of seemingly overwhelming evidence against a teenager accused of killing his father in "one of the best pictures ever made" (The Hollywood Reporter).System Requirements:Running Time: 96 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/FIGHTING THE SYSTEM Rating: PG UPC: 027616097101 Manufacturer No: M109710
Title: 12 Angry Men (50th Anniversary Edition)
Sales Rank: 1644 in DVD
Actor: Martin Balsam, Ed Begley, Edward Binns, Rudy Bond, Lee J. Cobb
Director: Sidney Lumet
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD), 2008-03-04, Theatrical Release: 2008-03-04
Format: Black & White, Subtitled, Widescreen, Acpect Ratio 1.66:1
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 96 minutes
Item Dimensions: 1 pounds
Package Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches, 0.15 pounds
- Enjoyable
- There are so many versions of this movie that I figured that I'd start with the original-and I'm glad that I did. For it's time, I think this was probably a very gutsy movie. Strong performances and script. I can see why this has earned its classic status.… More reviews
- BEST COURTROOM DRAMA
- What a great movie
a treasure, no doubt about it
12 men with many differences discussing the fate of a 12 year old boy in a jury room.
if you like good cinema, spend 10$ in this treasure, you won't regret it More reviews
- One of the Best!
- This is truly one of the all-time best movies featuring classic stars and a compelling plot. I use it for teaching argumentative writing and usually convert a few of my (college) students to this genre when they first view it. Excellent acting notwithstanding, the B/W adds to the intensity of the plot and serves to further showcase the characters. The "extra" footage… More reviews
- A Truly Brilliant Film, Extras Could Be Better
- Take 12 great actors, a brilliant script, and basically 1 room. Shoot it in black and white on a $300,000 budget in 20 days, and you have one of the greatest films ever made. Half a century later, this movie stands up as good storytelling without the benefit of special effects, explosions, or a top-40 soundtrack.
I do wish the 50th anniversary DVD had more extras.… More reviews
- Great Thrill without any Action
- Twelve Angry Men is the basic formula for thrills which happen in one single room.Twelve Guys are thrown together to find the guilt of a young boy in a murder trial.All Actors deliver performances that will live forever.The duel (acting) between Henry Fonda and Lee J.Cobb is acting first rate.The film itself is more accurate to problems of our time than… More reviews