12 Angry Men
Sidney Lumet
© Carlotta Films
A young man from a modest background is accused of murdering his father and faces the death penalty. The jury of twelve men retires to deliberate and immediately proceeds to a vote: eleven vote guilty, but the decision must be unanimous. The juror who voted not guilty (Henry Fonda), when asked to justify his decision, explains that he has doubts and that a man’s life is worth a few hours of discussion. He then sets about convincing them one by one.
Cast : Henry Fonda, Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, Lee J. Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Edward Binns, Jack Warden, Joseph Sweeney, Ed Begley, George Voskovec, Robert Webber
Scenario : Reginald Rose
Cinematography : Boris Kaufman
Editing : Carl Lerner
Music : Kenyon Hopkins
Scenario : Reginald Rose
Cinematography : Boris Kaufman
Editing : Carl Lerner
Music : Kenyon Hopkins
Production : Orion-Nova Productions
Distribution : Carlotta
Distribution : Carlotta
Produced by Henry Fonda, Sidney Lumet’s first film is a masterpiece. A box office flop upon its theatrical release, 12 Angry Men gained recognition thanks to numerous television broadcasts. Respecting a perfect unity of place, time and action, Lumet creates a palpably tense closed-in setting with a minimum of effects: stifling heat, close-ups and restrained violence. Through a cast of characters with clearly defined social backgrounds and personalities, Lumet depicts American society in the late 1950s while denouncing its flaws: prejudice, xenophobia and racism. The film questions the ability of citizens to administer justice and have the power of life and death over their fellow human beings. It won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 1957.