3.5/4  the Mellow Dozen
It's definitely one of the best courtroom dramas of all-time. It's also the best Henry Fonda movie I've ever seen. The remake was pretty good as well. But, I think I enjoyed this one more for some reason. Maybe it was because the dude from... (read full)

3/4  One happy viewer
I saw this one night on my local PBS station. I heard of the moive before but never saw it. The name that made me watch the film was "Jack Klugman." I believe one episode of the television show 'Matlock' was taken from this moive. Matl... (read full)

3.5/4  A thought provoking film
A young man (John Savoca), who is a minority, is on trial for the murder of his father, which he says he didn't commit. Both sides have presented their cases, and now it's in the hands of the jury of his peers.

Each men believe that th... (read full)

3/4  Sidney Lumet's breakthrough film
The movie starts out innocent enough, but Lee J. Cobb gives the performance of a life-time. I don't want to give any spoilers, but let's just say I was bawling by the end of the movie. Henry Fonda is pretty good in this, but I felt that it... (read full)

4/4  Nameless, but heartfull.
What a fantastic film! When you realize where it will take place the whole thing, you start to worry. Well, you only need 5 minutes to see that actually you'll be watching a atmospheric, moody, dark and strong masterpiece. Lumet is one of ... (read full)

4/4  I'll kill him! I'LL KILL HIM! - Juror #3
Lemme tell ya a little bit about myself. When I watch movies, I not only go to be entertained but to take something with me when it's finished. Now, MOST of the time it is something of a supernatural natural (almost as if God has opened up... (read full)

3/4  12 Angry Men Quick Review
A great commentary on humanity. Centered around a trial and how personal needs and prejudices drive the opinions and behavior of the jurors, the message is bigger and can be applied to society as a whole. Great acting.

4/4  12 Angry Men Quick Review
This is one of my favorite movies.

3.5/4  12 Angry Men Quick Review
A great drama about how one man can make a difference with standout performances all around - especially from Fonda. The personalities make the film - and they are captured perfectly in the claustrophobic setting. One you have to watch.

4/4  12 Angry Men Quick Review
I admit I need to see this movie again, but when I saw it in high school I was amazed at the performances by Henry Fonda and the way they tell a story through one jury session. A masterful work of art by all! See it.

4/5 Food of thought
  by Gautam De (New Jersey, USA)
Liked this movie. A great and subtle study of the US (or of many country s') judicial system.
Very good and timely plot, meaningful even today.
Henry Fonda is extremely well balanced.
Got support from a very accomplished support cast.
Must watch for serious movie goers.

4/5 BETTER PRICE THAN WALMART
  by N. Powell (NC)
I WAS LOOKING ALL OVER THE PLACE FOR THIS MOVIE: I NEEDED IT FOR A PROJECT FOR SCHOOL. I WENT TO WALMART THINKING THAT THEIR PRICE WOULD BE MUCH CHEAPER...BOY WAS I WRONG. IT HELPS THAT THE MOVIE IS OF A HIGH QUALITY AND IT ARRIVED ON TIME. NICE JOB!

5/5 12 Angry Men (50th Anniversary Edition)
  by MAW Seymour (South Africa)
An excellent video on Team Learning and Dialogue

Pity the DVD does not work in my DVD Player.......?

5/5 Great Movie with Great Permormances
  by J. Malay (Midwest)
"12 Angry Men" is the story of twelve men serving on the jury of the murder trial of a young man accused of killing his father.

The audience sees none of the trial itself, we are with the jurors during the course of their deliberations. We see what makes the system work and what makes it fallable. Each man brings his own conscience and own personal prejudices into the decision making process.

Henry Fonda stands alone as the man demanding that the others look further into what appears to be an open and shut case.

The cast is brilliant: Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, E.G. Marshall, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Klugman, Edward Binns, Jack Warden, Fonda, Ed Begley Sr. and Peter Webber. Twelve men with twelve different personalities making for some great dialogue.

The direction, editing and camera work gives us the tesnion and claustrophobic feel that keeps the film moving. Imagine, drama without special effects.

I highly recommend this American classic to everyone who enjoys intelligent films and great acting.

5/5 A gem! The Lou Gehrig of movies!
  by Salvatore Rossellini
One of the greatest movies of all time!

Actually, you know, *I* wrote an all-lesbian version of this movie
- "12 Angry Women in Pants Suits."

I didn't. Just kidding.

The acting in this movie is superb. Something you might want to do is to compare this version of the movie with the re-make starring Jack Lemmon, George C. Scott and James Gandolfini as the painter. Both versions work from the same script, with a few lines added or deleted, but the difference in the finished products is dramatic -- one version gets an A+, the other one barely a C. That's because the original is better acted, better directed and better photographed.

Let's start with the casting. Sidney Lumet, the director, may be second to only John Huston in his remarkable ability to cast a movie. The physiognomy of each actor is perfect. Talk about *trained* (New York) actors! No movement is wasted, irrelevant or "beside the point." Each actor knows his character inside-out and plays to that characterization with physical and verbal perfection.

You can tell that the acting is "studied" and intelligently thought out, by both the director and the players; but what also comes across is the energy and spontaneity of the performances. There's an expression used about an above-average running back in football
-- "he has a great first step." This is what the actors in this movie have: the ability to energize their character from the split-second they begin their riff. ... Magic! Quicksilver!

Not to belabor how bad the 1997 remake of this movie was, but some genius had the cockeyed idea of casting Tony Danza in the Jack Warden part. This would be like tapping Rocky Marciano on the shoulder, asking him to leave the ring and replacing him with Arnold Stang. ... Tony Danza! Oy vey! ...What in the world did he have to do to get that part? (But let's not ask.)

One big difference between the 1957 version and the 1997 version is that just about everybody in the 1957 version was at the top of his game -- Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Joseph Sweeney, E.G. Marshall, Ed Begley, Jack Warden; young and hungry actors like Jack Klugman, Marty Balsam, John Fiedler, Ed Binns -- the whole remarkably talented wonders! ... By contrast, the 1997 version not only had ringers in it like Tony Danza, but what made matters worse is that the two leads, Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott, were well past their prime; either that or else they were simply "phoning it in."

But back to the 1957 gem, the original. This movie:

-- set in one plain, dull room;

-- with 12 actors;

-- no car chases;

-- no special effects;

-- no shootings;

-- no violence;

-- no romance;

-- no sex;

-- everybody wearing plain, everyday clothes;

-- and shot in black and white

This movie not only holds the interest of the audience but has taken its place among the great movies of all time. And that artistic success, even though the movie wasn't a great commercial success, that artistic success speaks volumes for the actors and the director. That "purity of talent" -- 12 angry, talented men + 1 driven, talented director -- is rare in film history.

I think of this movie as the Lou Gehrig of films. You can rely on it, over and over and over again. I'm fascinated by it and, most important of all, it makes me think about not just the plot but the human condition in general. I need it. It refreshes me.























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