12 Angry Men [G]

12 jurors are charged with the task of judging whether a young man is guilty of murdering his father. According to 11 members the evidence is all there, but one man has reasonable doubts. Conceding that he neither confirms nor denies the facts against the boy this one man stands up against the rest of his peers and, by simply asking that they discuss and consider the facts deeper, may just be able to swing the judgement; one stubborn juror at a time. 

Admittedly, I have a bit of a fascination with courtroom dramas. I don’t know what it is but there is something about the setting, the simplicities and complexities of the stories, and the characters that fill them that is just intriguing. Just look at some of the great courtroom movies (To Kill a Mockingbird, Anatomy of a Murder, Witness for the Prosecution, Legally Blonde to name a few) and state your case! 

Perhaps the most engaging thing about 12 Angry Men is the fact that it’s not strictly a courtroom piece. The central drama happens on the sidelines; in a locked room between a core cast. Aside from the opening shot where the defendant is seen, and the end where they all fan out from the building, the entire film takes place within this locked room between these twelve gentlemen. It’s a wonderful character study really because so much about these men are revealed; first through their judgements and then through their arguments (some of which are more revealing than others) in such a short and confined space in both setting and time. 

Running a mere hour and a half long, 12 Angry Men is a film that is all about ethical questions, personal morals, and a truly great lot is composited into this relatively small space and cinematic duration. It’s a film that almost openly (all it needs is a few fourth wall breaks to achieve completely) speaks to the audience and challenges them with questions of ‘what do you think?’ 

For the most part we see the characters butting heads and some great performances shining over others, but one thing that I would like to draw attention to is both the opening and closing shots. The opening shot shows the justice building shot from the exterior and a low angle, hinting the gravity of the task the central characters are charged with. By the time we reach a verdict and they all go their separate ways, it’s a low angle exterior shot that we see. The contrasting symmetry is really very beautiful and it’s shots like these, and the lingering fade-overs that segue into new scenes, that make you appreciate this film all the more because it’s not just telling a story about ethics and the power/fragilities of the human mind. The power of this movie lies in its ability to make its audiences think and question the ethics of the central characters as well as their own and that’s an incredible thing. 

Starring Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, Lee J. Cobb, E. G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Edward Binns, Jack Warden, Henry Fonda, Joseph Sweeney, Ed Begley, George Voskovec, and Robert Webber, 12 Angry Men is an intriguing not-so-courtroom piece that really makes you think. Filled with drama, prejudice, ethics, and comedy, it’s a wonderful film and one that I would recommend.