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12 Angry Men Overview:

12 Angry Men (1957) was a Drama - Black-and-white Film directed by Sidney Lumet and produced by Henry Fonda, Reginald Rose and George Justin.

SYNOPSIS

This is perhaps the most famous classic-movie courtroom drama. The jurors get their instructions in a murder case and enter a hot, close jury room to begin deliberating. The first count shows only Fonda holding out for acquittal. Then the fireworks begin, fueled by fatigue, heat, and the different personalities and experiences of the jurors. In Lumet's debut, he breaks every rule of cinema action, setting his story in one claustrophobic room and using multiple takes from different angles to provide movement. Originally a teleplay, this was Fonda's only experiment with producing. Remade for cable TV with Jack Lemmon.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

12 Angry Men was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2007.

Academy Awards 1957 --- Ceremony Number 30 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best DirectorSidney LumetNominated
Best PictureHenry Fonda and Reginald Rose, ProducersNominated
Best WritingReginald RoseNominated

12 Angry Men BlogHub Articles:

12 Angry Men – Take 2 – Henry Fonda

I had already written about 12 Angry Men (Sidney Lumet, 1957) on this blog when I wrote about Lee J. Cobb’s paternal roles in this film and in Golden Boy (Rouben Mamoulian, 1939). But there’s another 12 Angry Men’s actor that obviously deserves to be discussed: Henry Fonda, juror #... Read full article


DOUBLE BILL #13: Witness for the Prosecution (1957) and 12 Angry Men (1957)

DOUBLE BILL #13: Witness for the Prosecution (1957) and 12 Angry Men (1957) On April 12, 2018 By CarolIn Uncategorized Courtroom dramas never disappoint. They’re tense, gripping, dramatic and emotional and, more often than not, they grab you by the throat and they do... Read full article


What I Learned from 12 Angry Men

Recently I got the chance to sit down with a group of friends and watch 12 Angry Men together. Many of them had never seen it and hearing their reactions was immense fun for me. But as we talked for a few minutes afterward, I began to realize that really each of these characters represents something... Read full article


What I Learned from 12 Angry Men

Recently I got the chance to sit down with a group of friends and watch 12 Angry Men together. Many of them had never seen it and hearing their reactions was immense fun for me. But as we talked for a few minutes afterward, I began to realize that really each of these characters represents something... Read full article


12 Angry Men (1957)

12 Angry Men Directed by Sidney Lumet Written by Reginald Rose 1957/USA Orion-Nova Pictures Repeat viewing/Netflix rental #333 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Lumet gathered all the great character actors of the 50’s into one room with Henry Fonda and made a stage play work com... Read full article


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12 Angry Men Quotes:

[Juror 8 has convinced everyone to change their votes to 'not guilty' except for Juror 3]
Juror #7: Well, what do we do now?
Juror #8: [to #3] You're alone.
Juror #3: I don't care whether I'm alone or not! It's my right.
Juror #8: It's your right.
Juror #3: Well, what do you want? I say he's guilty.
Juror #8: We want to hear your arguments.
Juror #3: I gave you my arguments!
Juror #8: We're not convinced. We want to hear them again. We have as much time as it takes.
Juror #3: Everything... every single thing that took place in that courtroom, but I mean everything... says he's guilty. What d'ya think? I'm an idiot or somethin'? Why don't cha take that stuff about the old man; the old man who lived there and heard every thing? Or this business about the knife! What, 'cause we found one exactly like it? The old man SAW him. Right there on the stairs. What's the difference how many seconds it was? Every single thing. The knife falling through a hole in his pocket... you can't PROVE he didn't get to the door! Sure, you can take all the time hobblin' around the room, but you can't PROVE it! And what about this business with the El? And the movies! There's a phony deal if I ever heard one. I betcha five thousand dollars I'd remember the movies I saw! I'm tellin' ya: every thing that's gone on has been twisted... and turned. This business with the glasses. How do you know she didn't have 'em on? This woman testified in open court! And what about hearin' the kid yell... huh? I'm tellin' ya, I've got all the facts here...
Juror #3: [He struggles with his notebook, throws it on the table. The photo of him with his son is on top] Here... Ah. Well, that's it - that's the whole case!
[He turns towards the window as the other jurors stare at him]
Juror #3: Well... say something! You lousy bunch of bleedin' hearts. You're not goin' to intimidate me - I'm entitled to my opinion!
[He sees the picture of his son on the table]
Juror #3: Rotten kids... you work your life out! [He grabs the picture and tears it to pieces. He suddenly realizes what he's doing]
Juror #3: [Breaks down] No. Not guilty. Not guilty.

Juror #9: Hey... what's your name?
Juror #8: Davis.
Juror #9: My name's McCardle.
[pause]
Juror #9: Well, so long.
Juror #8: So long.

Juror #8: Look, there was one alleged eye witness to this killing. Someone else claims he heard the killing, saw the boy run out afterwards and there was a lot of circumstantial evidence. But, actually, those two witnesses were the entire case for the prosecution. Supposing they're wrong?
Juror #12: What do you mean, supposing they're wrong? What's the point of having witnesses at all?
Juror #8: Could they be wrong?
Juror #12: What are you trying to say? Those people sat on the stand under oath.
Juror #8: They're only people. People make mistakes. Could they be wrong?
Juror #12: Well, no, I don't think so.
Juror #8: Do you 'know' so?
Juror #12: Oh, come on. Nobody can know a thing like that. This isn't an exact science.
Juror #8: That's right, it isn't.

Juror #8: I just want to talk.
Juror #7: Well, what's there to talk about? Eleven men in here think he's guilty. No one had to think about it twice except you.
Juror #10: I want to to ask you something: do you believe his story?
Juror #8: I don't know whether I believe it or not - maybe I don't.
Juror #7: So how come you vote not guilty?
Juror #8: Well, there were eleven votes for guilty. It's not easy to raise my hand and send a boy off to die without talking about it first.
Juror #7: Well now, who says it's easy?
Juror #8: No one.
Juror #7: What, just because I voted fast? I honestly think the guy's guilty. Couldn't change my mind if you talked for a hundred years.
Juror #8: I'm not trying to change your mind. It's just that... we're talking about somebody's life here. We can't decide it in five minutes. Supposing we're wrong?
Juror #7: Supposing we're wrong! Supposing this whole building should fall down on my head. You can suppose anything!
Juror #8: That's right.

[Juror #9 has pointed out that the woman witness across the street had marks on her nose indicating she normally wore glasses]
Juror #8: [to Juror #4] Do you wear glasses when you go to bed?
Juror #4: No. I don't. No one wears eyeglasses to bed.
Juror #8: It's logical to assume that she wasn't wearing them when she was in bed. Tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep.
Juror #3: How do you know?
Juror #8: I don't know - I'm guessing! I'm also guessing that she probably didn't put her glasses on when she turned to look casually out of the window. And she, herself, testified the killing took place just as she looked out. The lights went off a split second later - she couldn't have had time to put them on then. Here's another guess: maybe she honestly thought she saw the boy kill his father - I say she only saw a blur.
Juror #3: How do you know WHAT she saw? How does he know all that? How do you know what kind of glasses she wore? Maybe they were sunglasses. Maybe she was far-sighted. What do you know about it?
Juror #8: I only know the woman's eyesight is in question now.
Juror #11: She had to be able to identify a person sixty feet away - at night - without glasses.
Juror #2: You can't send someone off to die on evidence like that!
Juror #3: Oh, don't give me that.
Juror #8: Don't you think the woman might have made a mistake?
Juror #3: No.
Juror #8: It's not POSSIBLE?
Juror #3: No, it's not possible!
Juror #3: [Juror #8 goes to Juror #12] Is it possible?
Juror #12: [nods] Not guilty.
Juror #8: [#8 goes to #10] Do you think he's guilty?
[#10 shakes his head 'no']
Juror #3: I think he's guilty!
Juror #8: [#8 goes to #4] Do you?
Juror #4: No. I'm convinced. Not guilty.
Juror #3: What's the matter with you?
Juror #4: I have a reasonable doubt, now.
Juror #9: Eleven to one!
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12 Angry Men Facts
Upon its release, the film generated enough buzz to warrant a spread in Life magazine.

Debut of John Fiedler.

In 1957, United Artists distributed this film on a double bill with Five Steps to Danger starring Ruth Roman and Sterling Hayden.

The film received a personal recommendation from Eleanor Roosevelt.

Lee J. Cobb's character insults Juror #12 by calling him "The Boy in the Gray Flannel Suit." One year before the release of 12 Angry Men Cobb starred in The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, which also featured Joseph Sweeney (Juror #9).

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