Sidney Lumet’s 1957 masterpiece, 12 Angry Men,
is still as relevant as ever. Reginald Rose concocted a script so perfect it feels like the backbone for not only cinema, but modern stage plays as well. The themes explored by Lumet and Rose are so layered they cut through any courtroom drama or mystery and simply ask, “Shouldn’t we discuss this?” The setting is simplistic but effective. The cast is large in terms of pivotal speaking roles but small in scope, and what we get is one of the tightest scripts and well-made films of all time.
12 Angry Men Is A Tale As Old As Time
Reginald Rose Brings Perspective & Empathy To The Courtroom
It’s amazing to think about how, when Rose wrote this, he didn’t have years of Law & Order to flip on its head. There were certainly courtroom-based films before and a slew of pulp mysteries to draw from, but the core of the script is not concerned with any of that. Rose writes broadly in the best sense. The nefarious “them” or “those people” can be an allegory for the poor, women, or minorities.
Decades later, countless stage plays of 12 Angry Men and other productions with similar plots are still being made. 12 Angry Men is a movie that has the feel of a book adaptation or play because the material is so pertinent.
Any other actor would be chewing up scenery, but Fonda’s physicality in the scene is graceful, not overt.
The jurors in 12 Angry Men begin as the same character and slowly reveal there’s more on their minds. The film unfolds in a series of conversation starters that all give a different piece of the puzzle. The evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of the prosecution and Fonda’s only course of debate is that the jurors owe the defendant the benefit of the doubt. The script gives everyone their fair shake, but Ed Begley and Lee J. Cobb particularly shine. The juxtaposition of them shouting what seems to be fact and Fonda calmly stating an alternative is the film’s engine.
Location, Location, Location
The Single Setting Is Wonderfully Torturous
Stories that take place in one setting are always tricky. If done correctly, they can evoke a sense of claustrophobia that elevates the stakes. When they aren’t up to par, we’re stuck in one place waiting to leave. The difference is subtle but paramount. 12 Angry Men is so compelling you don’t want the movie to end despite its single location. It’s made all the more impressive because we don’t get the full picture by the end of the film and by then it doesn’t matter. Spending time in the deliberation room and the adjoining bathroom is more than enough.
The film was remade into a made-for-TV movie in 1997. Reginald Rose adapted his own screenplay from 1957.
12 Angry Men has as perfect a cast as we will ever see and it’s all held together by Henry Fonda. He plays the protagonist very passively; he barely raises his voice. Though he is the voice of reason, he is more than capable of intimidating other characters and scene-stealing through sheer focus. When his bombastic counterpart gets a rise out of him, Fonda stabs a knife straight into the table. Any other actor would be chewing up scenery, but Fonda’s physicality in the scene is graceful, not overt.
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Its impact on movies is still being felt today, and it includes arguably the best performances of both Foster and Hopkins’ careers.
12 Angry Men is a certified classic. Despite being released in 1957, the film hasn’t aged a day and probably never will. The music, lighting, and set design are flawless and complement everything we see onscreen, while Fonda is pitch-perfect and his supporting cast represents America’s underlying class disparity. Lumet’s direction is razor-sharp and it seems clear he could see the entire movie in his head before shooting it.
But the true genius is Reginald Rose. The story he formulated is rich and open for interpretation. A film like 12 Angry Men comes around once in a lifetime, and it will remain a blueprint for what a masterpiece looks like.
10/10
12 Angry Men is a 1957 drama centering on twelve jurors in New York City who are deciding the verdict of a murder trial. Eleven of the jurors are set on a guilty verdict, but one stubborn juror slowly starts to change the others’ minds with his careful consideration of the evidence.
- 12 Angry Men has a perfect script
- Lumet gets the best out of every performer
- Henry Fonda is excellent, giving a passive but strong performance
- The use of single location here is brilliant