One Man's Life, Another Man's Doubts

 There Is No Doubt

12 Angry Men
(1957) – Twelve jurors must decide if a young man is guilty of
capital murder. What seems obvious at first is slowly worn away
until something closer to the truth is found.

Directed by Sidney Lumet

Starring Henry
Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Martin Balsam, Jack Warden, Jack Klugman, Ed Begley, John Fiedler

Why I Liked It –
An incredible ensemble cast delivers.

I’m going to
call this a “Maltese Falcon Review”. A couple years ago, I
discovered that I had never done a full review of the noir classic.
It’s a movie I love and think is a must-see for movie lovers. I
even own a copy! My assumption was “Of course, I’ve reviewed
it!”

Only I hadn’t.

Well, it turns
out there is I have not added a LONG list of movies that I love to the review list. I’m going to work through the year
getting caught up (which won’t happen by year’s end) while still
exploring new titles.

“12 Angry Men”
is as claustrophobic a movie as it may be possible to create. The
title characters are locked in a room on a stifling hot summer day in
New York City. They are the jury in the murder trial of an 18-year-old charged with the stabbing death of his father. There’s an
unusual weapon, a history of violence, and two witnesses making up an
apparently open and shut case. Eleven of the jurors see it that way
from the start, but one man (Fonda) has doubts. They examine the facts before them and reveal as much about
themselves as the case before them.

This is ensemble
acting at its finest. While Henry Fonda leads the way, there is not
a weak performance anywhere around him. How obvious are the “facts”
of the case? Watch the judge at the very beginning of the movie as
he charges the jury. It’s one of only two scenes (beginning and
end) that take place outside the juror’s room. Martin Balsam as
the long-suffering foreman, Lee J. Cobb as the juror who can’t shed
his personal pain, John Fiedler in one of his classic quiet little
man roles, E.G. Marshall as the juror who likes facts and order, Jack
Klugman showing his abilities to create a quiet intensity as a juror
who knows the defendants world all too well, Jack Warden is the
wisecracking salesman who is trying to get to a Yankees game. Ed
Begley’s juror is trapped by a hatred of people that aren’t like him, and
the defendant is one of “those people”. Then add in some lesser-known actors, all of whom keep up with the “names”. George
Voskovec is an immigrant watchmaker who loves the American justice
system. Robert Webber is a glib advertising exec who faces a
decision that can’t be dealt with superficially. Joseph Sweeney is
the oldest character who brings his special insight to the case.
Last but not least, is Edward Binns, a blue-collar guy in a room full
of suits. Accustomed to letting his boss do the thinking, he will
contribute an important detail to the final decision. Every single
character contributes to the growing pressure in the room and the
final solution. Each actor creates a character that is compelling
and believable.

The final effect
is stunning, viewing after viewing. I know, from the first instant,
where the jury is headed. MI remembered most of the points discussed and was just as surprised as the characters when they revealed the key moment. The final scene
is a favorite. Neither the writers nor director Sidney Lumet over thought that scene. They let it be natural and perfect in its human
awkwardness.

This is one of
those movies I watch for the umpteenth time and still think “Why
don’t I watch this more often?”

“12 Angry Men”
is one of those movies that I recommend to everyone. If you love
great drama, great movies, great performances, this movie must be on
your lifetime movie list.

Rating – *****
Must See