12 Angry Men is a 1957 film which tells the story of one lone juror who holds out against the other eleven because he believes that the defendant is innocent. It stars Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley and E.G. Marshall.

The first vote is 11-1 and boy, is everyone mad at Henry Fonda's character for being the lone holdout. He says that it is morally wrong (and illegal to, boot) to condemn a man to death while even one juror has a "reasonable doubt". Gradually, Fonda convinces every man on the jury of the defendant's innocence.

The movie was adapted by Reginald Rose from his story, and directed by Sidney Lumet; Boris Kaufman was the cinematographer.

The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.

None of the characters in the film are given a name. They are all identified by juror numbers.

The film was shot in 19 days on a budget of $349,000. It starts with wider lenses above eye level; by the end of the film nearly everyone is shown in closeup using a long lens from a low angle. (Wider lenses give the appearance of greater distance between objects; longer lenses give the appearance of "shortening" distance, while at the same time decreasing depth of field.) Lumet states that his intention was to cause a nearly palpable claustrophobia; and by most accounts he succeeded.

The film was parodied on BBC television in an episode of Hancock's Half Hour, starring Tony Hancock and Sid James.

The screenplay had first been produced on television, on the program Studio One, in 1954. No complete kinescope of that performance has been found.

12 Angry Men was remade for television in 1997, starring George C. Scott, James Gandolfini, Tony Danza, and Jack Lemmon. In this remake, the accused is an Hispanic, while the judge is a woman.

CharacterActor
19571997
Juror #1, the jury foremanMartin BalsamCourtney B. Vance
Juror #2, the quiet bank clerkJohn FiedlerOssie Davis
Juror #3, the angry fatherLee J. CobbGeorge C. Scott
Juror #4, the rational stockbrokerE.G. MarshallArmin Mueller-Stahl
Juror #5, the young man from the slumsJack KlugmanDorian Harewood
Juror #6, the painterEd BinnsJames Gandolfini
Juror #7, the indifferent sports fanJack WardenTony Danza
Juror #8, the dissenterHenry FondaJack Lemmon
Juror #9, the observant old manJoseph SweeneyHume Cronyn
Juror #10, the racistEd BegleyMykelti Williamson
Juror #11, the immigrant watchmakerGeorge VoskovecEdward James Olmos
Juror #12, the advertising executiveRobert WebberWilliam L. Petersen

References

  • Making Movies, by Sidney Lumet. (c) 1995, ISBN 0-679-75660-4