12 Angry Men Synopsis

12 Angry Men is a captivating courtroom drama that delves deep into the intricacies of justice, prejudice, and moral responsibility. Set in a tense jury room, twelve diverse jurors must confront their biases and preconceptions as they deliberate the fate of a young defendant, highlighting the fragility and importance of the judicial process.

12 Angry Men

Synopsis

The movie­ kicks off with a nearly unanimous verdict of guilty against the accuse­d, the vote being 11-1. He­re, Juror #8 emerge­s differently. This character, brought to life­ by Henry Fonda, doesn’t take the­ evidence at face­ value. He belie­ves a fair trial to be the accuse­d’s right. Juror #8 slowly begins to challenge the­ pre-existing belie­fs of the other jurors. One afte­r the other, the othe­rs start siding with him.

 

  • Taglines: Life is in their hands — Death is on their minds!
  • Genres: Drama, Crime
  • Duration: 96 minutes
  • Year: 1957
  • Rated: Not Rated
  • Metascore: 96

Interesting Facts

  • Written by Reginald Rose in 1954, it served as a source for the movie.
  • The movie took only twelve days to shoot and it cost three hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars.
  • It cost about one hundred thousand dollars to pay Henry Fonda compared to what he got at that time.
  • The film was nominated in the three categories of the Academy Awards namely, Best Picture, Best Director and best Actor (Fonda).
  • In 1998, the motion picture was deemed worthy of preserving in the United States National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.

What Makes the Film Great

12 Angry Men is a classic courtroom drama that is still relevant today. The film is a powerful exploration of the themes of justice, prejudice, and the importance of critical thinking.

 

The film is also notable for its use of realism and naturalism. The film is shot in a single location, and the characters are all ordinary people. This helps to create a sense of realism that makes the film feel relatable to the audience.

The film's best moments

  • The film’s strength lies in its characters. The jurors are all complex and well-developed, and they represent a cross-section of American society. The film’s dialogue is also excellent, and it provides a glimpse into the inner thoughts and motivations of the characters.
  • The climax is also incredibly suspenseful. As the jurors slowly come to the realization that the defendant is innocent, the tension in the room builds to a fever pitch. The film’s ending is both satisfying and thought-provoking, and it leaves the audience with a lot to think about.

Director

  • Director: Sidney Lumet
  • Writer: Reginald Rose

Cast

  • Henry Fonda as Juror #8
  • Lee J. Cobb as Juror #3
  • Ed Begley as Juror #10
  • E.G. Marshall as Juror #4
  • Jack Warden as Juror #9
  • Martin Balsam as Juror #5
  • John Fiedler as Juror #2
  • Jack Klugman as Juror #7
  • Edward Binns as Juror #6
  • Joseph Sweeney as Juror #11
  • George Voskovec as Juror #12

Trailer