12 Angry Men DVD Cover

More than likely you have not heard of the director or most of the cast and the screenplay was penned by a predominantly unknown TV writer. They each have had respectable careers and in some cases a distinguished one. There are no big Hollywood stars here and you would be forgiven for scratching your head clean trying to find one and yet they are a part of cinema history. In working together to create 12 Angry Men these unlikely fellows got the ingredients right for magic on film.

Set during a time when only males were allowed to sit on the jury, 12 Angry Men opens to the final moments of a murder case in which an 18 year old ‘ethnic’ boy is accused of murdering his father. The jury is left in a small room to reach a unanimous decision which will either free the boy or send him to the chair. It’s Friday afternoon after a six day trial and it’s the hottest New York day of the year. Overwhelmingly the evidence is stacked against the boy and it comes as no surprise to see eleven of the jurors vote guilty on first count. Only one man has reasonable doubts and the will to stand alone against his peers. Throughout the course of the evening he attempts to convince the rest of the panel that the boy is possibly innocent.

Shot in the confines of a small rectangular room we witness a spectacular character study of the twelve men who are only known by their jury number. They sit around a rectangular table and clash over the facts of the case, their beliefs and values. Each man brings his own set of life experiences and throughout the evening we learn that they are as individual as their numbers. Stupid, impatient, ignorant, bigot, resentful, racist, insecure, inadequate, bully, arrogant, smug, bitter, extrovert, superficial, courageous, patient, calculated, forceful, meek and the rest of the gamut. Without it being too obvious the script ingeniously pitted a broad range of character types in a small room to create heated gripping conflict.

Over the years the script originally penned by Reginald Rose as a teleplay has been adapted to theater, TV and on the big screen numerous times. It is considered a classic studied in film schools all over the world. Theatre productions to this day perform the play and will do so well in to the future. This is all a credit to the original teleplay but also to Henry Fonda, producer and star, who recognised the work and asked Rose to adapt it to a feature length film.

Direction for the film was provided by Sidney Lumet who used the play roots of the script to great effect. Long one frame scenes make for gripping drama which is a credit to the cast and director. Everything is tightly directed and you even pick up bits of information about the jurors from their interactions in the background. Shooting in a small room is obviously limiting but Lumet used this to great effect. The first act gives us a broad view of the room and its occupants with the use of wide angle lenses only to shift to longer lenses and tight shots as the scenes intensify. The gradual change subconsciously creates a claustrophobic feeling. Lumet, with only TV credits at the time, went on to direct other classics such as Serpico in ‘73, Dog Day Afternoon in ‘75 and Network in ‘76. A string of hits anyone would be proud of. He is still directing films and kudos to him for a career over 50 years long.

It is the sum of all the humble parts that create this masterpiece. Frequently making the lists of favourites for movie goers, it continues to impress with age and with each viewing. I can only share my highest recommendation with you. Taking my advice to watch it is up to you.

12 Angry Men (1957) is a post from: itsa FILM thing