A popular jury of twelve men must decide the fate of an 18-year-old man accused of parricide. Depending on the jury’s verdict, the accused may be sentenced to death or acquitted on the basis of reasonable doubt. In the hope of speeding up the trial, eleven of them found him guilty. Only one juror, number 8, expresses exactly a reasonable doubt about the guilt of a young man and will do everything to avoid the death penalty…
A play written by Reginald Rose, 12 Angry Men has been adapted many times around the world. But the version signed by Sidney Lumet remains the absolute standard of experimental film.
Produced by Henry Fonda – who initiated the project – and shot entirely in New York in record time (just under 21 days), 12 Angry Men is the first feature from Lumet, a director who belongs to the live-action school and who previously only worked. on American television.
Here he gives us a model of austerity in his staging, where the actors and the audience are chained to the point of suffocation, in a room measuring 5m by 7m that has not lost any of its sharpness, the film also thrives on tense shifts involving an extraordinary cast. Henry Fonda, of course, in Juror 8. But also supported by Lee J Cobb, Ed Bagley, Jack Warden and Martin Balsam.
Moreover, you have given this wonder an average of 4.56 out of 5. A near-perfect score for a work that remains as powerful as ever 67 years after its release, one of the greatest films in cinema history that “we never tire of. view or revisit.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
