Lee J. Cobb’s performance in this is magnificent. The whole movie, he makes you hate his character for being an obnoxious, ignorant blowhard, and then in less than ten seconds, he makes you forget all of that, and you feel so bad for him. Genius acting.
No special effects, no shooting, no explosions, no car chases, no large sets. One room. Twelve guys sitting and talking. One take. One hour, thirty-six minutes. Not ONE boring moment. What an incredible movie this is.
I was just going to post that I found the CGI lacking and the stunt work laughable. 😁 It did what it intended and did it exceptionally well. I use the above when people complain about lack of character depth and nuanced plot in action movies.
No, there's none of that, but any and every genre, style, approach in filmmaking can produce crap, mediocrity, competent, to brilliant movies in the right hands. There's plenty of movies w/ no action/SFX scenes that are boring as hell w/ lame, wooden acting, too.
Technically it has ONE special effect. The walls of the Jury Room were adjustable, and as the tension mounts apparently the director had those walls moved in. It's a practical effect, of course, but probably counts as much as matte paintings or lens tricks used in some old movies. The camera angles were also changed as the movie progressed too. And the lighting.
Two of the jurors, Martin Balsam and Jack Warden, played newspaper editors in _All the President's Men_ with Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. And Henry Fonda... where to begin? He was nominated for an Oscar (Best Actor) for _The Grapes of Wrath_ , but he didn't win. Jimmy Stewart won for _The Philadelphia Story_ (which I can't quibble with... they're both great performances).
I didn’t know 3 of them: Edward Binns (although, he looks familiar), Joseph Sweeney, and George Voskovec, although I may have seen them in other films. Rest of the cast I knew. I had been watching some 1970’s TV series and saw Robert Webber guest star in one of them. I want to say it was _McMillan & Wife_ but I’m not sure. Edit: I just checked and my hunch was right, Robert Webber was in an episode of _McMillan & Wife_ , I think I watched the series on Tubi where there’s a dedicated live channel and also on-demand video of the series.
Another display of politeness and respect is early in the film; when the elderly gentleman comes out of the rest room, the dark-haired man provides him with a chair from elsewhere in the jury room.
It's just one element of a masterpiece of an ending. Note the way the *movie* treats this final moment, the climax of the film. When Juror 3 finally breaks down and votes not guilty, there's no cheering, no triumph. Even the music is sad. No one takes pleasure in the victory, because sometimes life is like that-you can be exhausted and sad doing the right thing. And yet there's hope for Juror 3, because he *accepts* the kind gesture put forth by Juror 8. He's burnt out his malice, and now it's possible he may begin to heal and become a better man. And all of this without a single line of dialogue.
It's always fascinating that they have just enough "not guilty" from the secret ballot vote that reactors say "oh it's going to be the last one." And then they are surprised when it's the next one. That shows a good understanding of human nature and the rules of storytelling.
Omg, as soon as I saw the movie name in the notification I just had to open it instantly. This has got to be in my top 10 favorite movies of all time. A classic.
Same- needed to see her reaction to this GREAT movie. Jack Klugman has always been a favorite of mine, especially his portrayal of Oscar Madison, in the TV series, “The Odd Couple”.
@@reservoirdude92 I would even dare to say that the cinematography is better than many movies of nowadays. It has such a smart way of using the camera to focus on details. And usually movies this old don't have great camera work or acting. This movie exceeds in that category. The portrayal of the characters is flabbergasting since the beginning, and the character development is insane due to the script and the way the actors performed their roles. Definitely a 10/10 movie.
A side note. As a film maker I studied this film for multiple reasons. One of which was use of lenses. Please note, that the further we progress into the story, the lenses get "longer" in focal length. That gives the shots a more claustrophobic feel along with the growing of tensions in the story. It's a classic way of telling a story visually and this film was the perfect example.
The feeling you got that the room was getting closer and closer is true. They made the room smaller over time and changed the camera angles. The room in many ways is part of the cast...
In France we can't refuse if we are selected to be a juror! Though death penalty was suppressed uner the mandature of President François Miterrand, the maximum penalty is life in prison with 22 years mandatory, or life in prison without these 22 yearls limits, thsi is really LIFE IN PRISON without parole or anything (we had recently 2 serial killers who raped and next murdered young girls all over France during some 20 years )!
I was SO glad you played through the actors names at the end. Just compare the list of actors names in this movie to their IMDB pages. These are some of the finest, most prolific, hardest-working actors of their generation! Obviously, Henry Fonda was a huge star. A household name. But many of these other actors had earned their living and toiled for decades and decades in movies, on the stage, in radio and the early days of television. Oscar winner Martin Balsam was Juror One. He was in many major movies like "Psycho" and "All the President's Men" and "Catch 22" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Oscar nominated Jack Warden (baseball tickets) was in major movies like "From Here to Eternity" and "Heaven Can Wait" and "Being There" and "The Sound and the Fury." E G Marshall (the man who doesn't sweat) worked constantly, his whole life, in film, on television and on the stage. Notable Broadway productions: "The Iceman Cometh" and "Waiting for Godot" and "The Crucible." He won two Emmy awards for playing a defense attorney on television's "The Defenders." He was still working as recently as "Nixon" in 1995, and "Absolute Power" in 1997. He died the next year in 1998. He worked consistently for more than 60 years. Jack Klugman (the juror who grew-up in a slum) won Tony awards for his stage work. He was in the original production of "Gypsy." He won Emmys and made guest appearances in countless television shows like "The Twilight Zone" and "The Fugitive" and "The FBI" and "Ben Casey" and "The Untouchables." He went on to star in two very successful television series of his own "The Odd Couple" and "Quincy, ME." Edward Binns (juror who defended the old man) had a huge career, usually playing cops. He was in the movies "North by Northwest" and "Judgment at Nuremberg" and "Patton" and "The Verdict." He made over 500 appearances in television shows too numerous to list. John Fiedler (the nerdy juror with the high voice) worked consistently for over 50 years in radio, on television and on the stage. He usually played high-strung, nervous characters. Original cast of "Raisin in the Sun" on stage. He appeared in episodes of the original "Star Trek" and "The Twilight Zone" and "Columbo" and "The Golden Girls." He also did a ton of voice acting in cartoons: Disney's "Robin Hood" and "The Rescuers" and "The Fox and the Hound" and most famously as the voice of Piglet in Winnie-the-Pooh. AND OF COURSE.......... the BRILLIANT performance of Lee J. Cobb (the last hold-out juror who rips-up the photo of his son). He was Oscar and Golden Globe nominated. (He should have won an award for this role!) He had a huge career: Oscar nominations for "On the Waterfront" and "The Brothers Karamazov." He was in "Come Blow Your Horn" and "The Three Faces of Eve" and "The Exorcist." Stage work like "I, Don Quixote" and the musical "Man of La Mancha." Countless television shows like "The Virginian" and "Gunsmoke" and "Playhouse 90" and the television play "Death of a Salesman." Huge career. Huge talent. Others.... Ed Begley (loud-mouth bigot juror where everyone turns their backs to him) won an Oscar for "Sweet Bird of Youth." He had a long career in radio, in film and on the stage. George Voskovec (European juror) had a major career in films: "Butterfield 8" and "Uncle Vanya" and "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" and "The Boston Strangler" and "The Iceman Cometh" and "Somewhere in Time." Joseph Sweeney (old man) had a career on the stage. He made his first movie in 1918 and, 39 years later, this movie was his last. He played a butler in "The Philadelphia Story" and was in "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit." He was on television in "Car 54, Where are You?" One of the reasons this movie is so excellent has to do with the astounding depth and breadth of working actor experience and raw talent in this cast. These are the character actors who spent their entire lives and careers developing their craft. Most of these actors were not super-famous names, like Henry Fonda was, but these men worked, and worked, and worked. They earned a living. They succeeded in bringing to life the supporting roles that made radio, stage, film and television productions succeed. I admire these actors for their devotion to acting, and for their tireless work ethic. Excellent work, fellas!!!!!
And the wonderful Joseph Sweeny, born 1884, who had decades of stage work before transitioning to TV I. 1949. He was in the original Studio One television version of 12 Angry Men that started it all. He appeared in many different shows including Star Trek all the way up to his death at the age of 79.
Absolutely! My favorite was juror number 11, the watchmaker. His speech on democracy and how he calls out juror # 7 are fantastic. " What kind of a man are you? " Brilliant.
I have a personal relationship with this movie. I had been dating a girl about a week or so and we decided to have a movie night. I asked if she'd ever seen this film, she hadn't. I warned her, this movie will trigger you to anger and frustration. She knew nothing about it. Not even half way in she was literally yelling at the screen. Long story short, I feel this movie night was what really bonded us. So, here we are a year and a half later and she's my fiance and we're getting married in September. We both pinpoint this particular night, this particular movie, that we had identical personalities.
I first saw this movie when I was in the 8th grade in 1964. It came on Sunday night at 10:30. I was only able to stay up and watch about 30 minutes of it and my parents made me go to bed. The next day my English teacher brought it up and we discussed it as a class. Thank you Mrs. McCalla!!! Like your Mr. Tarrant and so many other teachers, she was also an instructor in how to think and reason.
A college professor showed it to me in an English class. It's been one of my favorite movies ever since. It's amazing how it's all just 12 men talking in a room, yet it's as exciting and suspenseful as any Hollywood blockbuster spectacle.
My favorite line will always be: Juror 10: What are you so polite about?! Juror 11: For the same reason you are not: That's how I was brought up. He just straight up roasted him. Sure you don't want him to be polite any more, slick?
It's so refreshing to watch a movie focused on dialog and not special effects. The absence of any kind of background music really focuses attention and adds even more seriousness to the dialog.
@@Corvmatt Or "Fail Safe" from 1964 (they edited just a handful of short outside scenes but the screenplay is for a theatre room and 98% its just in the presidents atomic bunker). Highly recommend, a forgotten treasure, especially now where we are facing a crazy new russian empire
If you're a real film nerd, go and look at the AFI list. It's pretty embarrassing. To be fair, I think they tried to make it a "cultural impact" ranking more than a Best Films list (which is why, say, E.T. is above Apocalypse Now - lol), and the old version had a disproportionate preponderance of silent film.
@@Melancthon7332 I feel like that would stress me out, but it also makes sense that they were looking more at impact than pure quality. I love E.T., it was one of my favorites as a kid, but it's not better than Apocalypse Now by any real measure. Maybe they should refer to their list as something like, 100 movies that shaped American film or something like that.
The actor in the white suit is Henry Fonda, who was the producer of this film. He made a lot of comedies and dramas beginning in the 1930’s, made a lot of westerns especially with John Ford, was a best friend of Jimmy Stewart, father of Jane and Peter Fonda, and starred in several masterpieces including “Fail-Safe” (directed by same man who did this film) and won an Oscar at age 76 for “On Golden Pond.” He mostly played morally and ethically upright individuals but was phenomenal when cast against type as the villain in “Once Upon A Time In The West (1968.)”
@@JabbaTheAmerican "Fail-Safe" is so underappreciated it. Unfortunately, the studio shuffled the release date to AFTER "Dr. Strangelove", and it never recovered.
Good call Ames. One piece of trivia is that throughout the movie the walls got pushed in tighter to raise the claustrophobia. Great old Hollywood technique.
Movie came out almost 70 years ago and is still relevant today. I watched it for the first time in 9th grade 20 years ago and thought it was amazing, so I think it can still translate to the current generation despite its age.
I think this is one of the top 5 best movies ever made. "Suppose you talk us all out of this and the boy really did kill his father?" One of the best lines in the movie.
12 Angry Men (1957). It was based on a teleplay from 1954 but produced as a feature movie for the cinema. The director was Sidney Lumet and one of the producers was Henry Fonda (Juror 8, Not Guilty) the present superstar in the ensemble. The film stands on two factors: Lumet's master direction and the absolutely brilliant cast. In 1957 this was among the Hollywood elites, both old and upcoming. These guys knew how to deliver. Juror 1 (The Foreman): Martin Balsam, Juror 3 (Guilty): Lee J. Cobb. Juror 4 (No Sweat): E. G. Marshall. Juror 7 (Ballgame): Jack Warden. Juror 10 (Loud Mouth): Ed Begley. My personal favorite is Lee J. Cobb, a veteran actor from both the stage and the screen, usually in very potent roles, heavies, angry men.
Juror #3, the angry hothead who was estranged from his son, was played by the great Lee J. Cobb, a revered stage actor who played Willy Loman in the original 1949 Broadway production of Death of a Salesman.
This is proof you don't need epic landscapes, convoluted action sequences or tons of special effects to make a gripping movie. Just put a bunch of good actors in a room with a great script and leave them to their craft.
This was director Sidney Lumet's first feature film. He had done work for television prior to this. Some of his other movies include The Pawnbroker, Fail Safe, Serpico, Murder on the Orient Express, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, The Verdict, and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Dog Day Afternoon is a favorite of mine. Lumet began the movie using camera angles above the jurors' heads, and slowly moved it downwards. He also used more close-ups as the movie went on. The result was an increasing feeling of being in a small space. One thing I like about this movie is how the different characters bring their own experience and perspectives into the jury room with them. The old man understood why another old man would testify the way he did. The guy who lived in a slum knew about how switchblades were used in actual fights. The smallest juror who brought up the question of the kid stabbing downward while being so much shorter than his father. When the bigot finished ranting, the cool-headed juror told him not to open his mouth again. From that point forward, the bigot didn't utter another word. Even when he voted not guilty, he did it by shaking his head. And the look on his face suggested that he knew how wrong he had been, and that he'd been voting to send someone to die who might very well not have done it. Ed Begley was Ed Begley, Jr.'s father. He was in a lot of movies and TV shows, including "Sorry, Wrong Number" and "Hang 'Em High". Juror Number 10 is his best-known role.
Yeah he's one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. It's such a shame the general public doesn't really know his name because his work is so important to cinema.
You are so right about all those cinematographic features applied in this film. It’s not considered a master piece for nothing. Characters, environment, discussions are all used to perfection. And then you add the brilliance of cinematography, lighting and such, and 12 angry men will forever be a film you can watch over and over again.
At 39:41, Juror 10's racist rant, when everyone gets up and turns their backs on him, is definitely one of the BEST emotionally charged part of the film.
The truly great films are timeless, aren't they? Great script, great performances, great directing. I remember the first time I saw it and how impressed I was at the time. Seeing young folks discover classics like these and show exactly the same type of wonder is fantastic!!!!!
Great movie and great reaction. When he took the man's jacket and put it on him, that simple gesture to me is one of the greatest example of compassion displayed in any movie. Chokes me up every time.
I love this movie and have loved it for decades. Henry Fonda was not only the lead actor but also the producer of this film; one that he is most proud of next to "Grapes of Wrath".
@@holddowna I saw some superhero stuff around you. If you've ever seen Superman 2, Juror #4 (E.G. Marshall) plays the President that kneels before Zod.
Juror No8 (Fonda) said "I dont want to change your mind" and "I dont have anything brilliant" and "I only know as much as you do" only to pull out a knife out of his pocket like David Copperfield. What a shady person! BTW smuggling in "evidence" like that and lurching around the crime scene is illegal and would lead to mistrial in real life. I guess Juror No8 is holier than thou and is allowed to break the law, for the greater good I guess. However anything illegal he did, is illegal for a reason!
One thing I noticed after many rewatches is that during the first show of hands Juror 9 (the oldest gentleman) raised his hand in favor of Guilty like everyone else but he was the very last person to raise his hand and he did so very hesitantly, also he was looking towards the foreman when he raised his hand so he was looking away from juror 8 (our "main character") so he didn't see that juror 8 didn't raise his hand, in fact when he looks back and he realizes juror 8 didn't raise his hand you can see a look of confusion on juror 9's face. It's a small thing and I don't even know if it was intentional on the part of the director or the actor but it's definetly in character for him, it shows that from the beggining he had his doubts about the defendant's guilt and his first vote of Guilty was really him just following the crowd, he thought everyone else had voted guilty and didn't want to be the one to stand against the crowd, which just gives his speech after changing his vote that much more weight, in that speech he says that it's not easy to stand against the ridicule of others, that takes courage and juror 9 recognizes that juror 8 had that courage when he himself failed to show that courage.
The consistency of the characters is also amazing. None say anything out of character. Next time you watch, observe the order in which they vote 'guilty' with their hands in that preliminary vote. Some are slower to raise. My favorite line is when the Juror 7 walks away from the table when Juror 9 wants to explain his change, and Juror 8 says, "He can't hear you. HE NEVER WILL." I love how Juror 3 starts with saying "When I was a kid I called my father 'sir.'". Then a few minutes later he's dissing McCardle, Juror 9, a man who is his elder. Overall, i think Juror 11 (watchmaker) has the best lines.
"For the same reason you're not; it's how I was raised." as a response to the snyde comment about why he was acting so polite all the time is such a great response. That one is my favourite in this movie.
A problem I have was when one guy questioned how the other could vote someone guilty because of a game but he did the same thing in the beginning of the movie because everyone else did. Noticed he looked around before raising his hand.
Notice how amazing was final scene, when last juror could not admit that boy is not guilty and trefore his own son is not guilty he was smaller in the frame than everyone faces, and when he broke down he moved closer to the camera filling the whole frame becoming big again in the frame, this camera work is genius
This is one of my absolute favorite movies, a highschool social studies teacher made it required watching for our lesson on the courts. I'm 53 now and it still hits just as hard.
It fascinates me that you haven't seen these faces before, because, for my generation, these faces were all over movies and TV shows. These were some of the best and busiest actors of their day.
One of the best reactions to 12 Angry Men I've seen. Your attention to the creative camera work was refreshing. You understood these characters and their motives and got emotional at the same points I always do. I've watch the movie dozens of times as well as every reaction on TH-cam I can find. One thing you saw on your first watch that I had never noticed was the Women's restroom door. One of the first questions many reactors have when the movie starts is if only men could be on juries back then. You just gave me positive evidence I can present to them that women could be on juries. This one just happened to be all men. Thank you again for your wonderful reaction to one of my favorite movies ever.
Wow! Thanks so much! I love watching movies and sharing them especially when they are very important to others!! Appreciate the super and the support ❤️
I think it is fun that the Juror with the glasses ended up playing Clark Griswold's father in law in Christmas Vacation, the holdout Juror went on to play the cop in The Exorcist, and the Juror that wanted to go to the baseball game was the father in Dirty Work.
This is one of those films that teaches people not to dismiss a film due to it being black and white. Its script is tight, and I can’t imagine cost much to make for its time. It would be nice if we got more smaller films like this.
The problem if it were made today is you would have to find actors who love the art and not want to maximize their salary. You have so many leads and great character actors you are looking at north of $200 million to get that cast today.
@@manueldeabreu1980I think it would be harder to even get a green light. “You mean to tell me this takes place in one room with no action? How do you keep the audience engaged? The algorithm says it’ll flop.” Executives today are pure money men and have never made a film on any level. I highly doubt most are even fans of the product their industry creates. I know there are exceptions, such as the guy running 20th Century Studios right now ironically. Robert Meyer Burnett speaks highly of him.
@@manueldeabreu1980 Speaking of that, I saw yesterday that Ben Affleck is in an upcoming remake of Witness for the Prosecution. I can't imagine that turning out well.
@@manueldeabreu1980 Great big time actors do smaller roles with a smaller pay if the director is known to be talented and the project is greenlit. Just look at Wes Anderson films. Actors don't have a lot to say about projects if they're not producing themselves. It's the studios that are the problem. They put all the eggs in the same basket and superhero films, animations and other huge blockbusters are a big part of the reason why. They want masses to the cinemas. Big budgets, little risk, big victories. Studios have never been motivated by art first and foremost but it's gotten worse and worse the past 20 years.
@@manueldeabreu1980 That's a little unfair. Big name actors take roles in small budget movies for scale all the time; they do it for great writing, to challenge themselves and to work with talented people. Sure, not all of them do it, but a heck of a lot do - successful stars often make big money on big studio projects so that they can afford the time for roles they care about.
I'm so happy you're covering this absolute TITAN of a film!!! More and more people are rediscovering this movie & it warms my heart because its one of the best movies ever made. I first saw this as a sophomore in physics class & its been one of my favorites ever since!! Each and every performance is unique & the story is so captivating & incredibly relevant nearly 70 years later! 🤗😎🔥
This film had a cast heavy with big-name stars ... Henry Fonda, Martin Balsam, Lee J. Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Jack Warden, and Ed Begley. Many of the others were often seen in the movies or on television ... if not big names. The guy with the high-pitched voice, John Fiedler, was a fixture on the Bob Newhart show ... and the voice of Piglet in Winnie the Pooh...among other credits. It was a great script, great photography, great actors. I doubt Hollywood could make this movie today, it would never survive the lack of vision, or all the compromises to make it marketable.
When the film was released in 1957 only three states--Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina--still did not allow women to serve as jurors, so having the jury be comprised of just men was probably an artistic decision. 1957 is also the year that women were finally allowed to sit on federal juries, regardless of which state the trial was held in. Mississippi was the last state where women were not allowed to serve as jurors, which they dropped in 1968. Alabama had done so in 1966 and South Carolina in 1967.
But it was common in that era to routinely excuse women from jury duty if they were caregivers at home, so most women could get out of jury duty pretty easily if they wanted to.
Mississippi... always the last horse outta the gate. They were also the last state to officially outlaw slavery, which they did after Lincoln... the movie (from 2012).🤣
that is correct however in New York at the time only men were required to show up when called for jury duty resulting in male dominated jury pools and many all male juries
All the comments on this point are accurate. Women started serving on juries pretty much as soon as they got the vote, but not everywhere, or on all juries. (There's a 1932 movie called Ladies of the Jury that treated the phenomenon comedically, but also as a reality.) The idea that the demographics of a jury ought to reflect those of its community was not really in the conversation at the time of this movie.
The camera work is also outstanding - see how the focal lens progresses from a wide angle lens at the start to light telephoto range in the middle and telephoto in the end with the detail shots. Which just helps to reflect the ever increasing tension in the room.
The scene that really stuck out to me is when Henry Fonda had no response to the guy that said to him " I'm not one for supposing but I'll give it a try ...Suppose you talk us all out of this and the Kid really is Guilty "
About Lee J. Cobb's performance: his anger is so overwhelming, it's easy to dismiss him as a one-dimensional loudmouth bully. So it's easy to miss how nuanced his performance is. Vulnerability, sadness, empathy, humor, thoughtfulness -- it's all there. It's just perfectly, carefully placed and very, very subtle. A one-man acting masterclass.
I first saw this on a school excursion in the 70s, at the height of 'Star Wars' mania, with a busload of rowdy middle-school tech boys. Black and white? You're kidding. By 10 mins in, you could hear a pin drop. By the end, 50-odd much-chastened adolescent boys filed soberly out, wiser and more mature for the experience. Such is the power of a first-rate script in the hands of first-rate actors and director. Thanks for sharing this, Ames - your usual thoughtful and typically astute response. I guess my only quibble would be that they sound more like actors than typical jurors, but a certain 'staginess' can't be helped. Well done once again, ma'am.
Lee J. Cobb originated the role of Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman" on Broadway in 1949, and also played him in film, teleplay, and radioplay form after that. The character affected him so deeply he had a nervous breakdown while playing him on Broadway. A truly great actor with a huge vocal range...known for his ability to explode with emotion and crumble down to nothing. I love how, at the very, very end, he's the last one walking down the steps...utterly crushed.
The number of incredible actors in this film was amazing. Henry Fonda (Jane Fonda's father), Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, Jack Klugman (later on did the "Odd Couple" series with Tony Randall), Jack Warden (so many incredible films he did), John Fieldler (did so many different shows, even an episode of the Original Star Trek). Another great review Ames!
@@holddowna It's funny because John Fiedler plays such a soft-spoken high-pitched voice guy in this movie, but in the Star Trek episode called "A Wolf In The Fold" he plays a time travelling version of Jack The Ripper and was the most cunning evil MF'er in the entire universe. He did some great acting in that show. lol
@@BillySBC And in "Wolf in the Fold" John Fiedler's character Hengist is exposed as a killer in a courtroom scene of a different sort, a hearing held in the briefing room of the *Enterprise* .
@@gregsager2062 Interesting, I hadn't thought of that, but you're right it was a courtroom situation. John Fiedler was great in that episode, so very much not like the average characters he would play in most of his work.
One of the great films of all time. I never get tired seeing this film with a many elite actors of their generation- the film is always riveting, dramatic, realistic, and essentially filmed in one room
Ah, thank you for wattching this timeless classic. ^^ Do watch "Witness for the Prosecution" from 1957. And also for noticing the gesture in the end, holding his jacket. So many TH-camrs miss this. It is such a kind and powerful moment.
"It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer." - William Blackstone That quote is the foundation of western civic jurisprudence
I've posed this as a multiple choice on internet forums. Many people today think it is better to lock up 10 innocent people than to let one guilty person go free. It's really depressing
@@izzonj I don't believe you. I have never heard one single person ever say that. Here's a question for you. ---- Do you think there are more innocent people sitting in jail, OR are there more victims of crimes committed by known criminals who are arbitrarily released without bond or incarceration onto the streets again?
You can see it by looking at the comments section of news agencies. As soon as someone is arrested, those comments are filled with people assuming guilt. No charges need to be filed and no evidence needs to be presented. It's fucking terrifying.
This is why you’re one of the best creators in the genre of content! I love that you have such a variety of movies and classics rather than just the ones we always see people post videos on.
I loved the full watch along version on Patreon, Ames and was only planning to watch a few minutes of this edited version. Hahaha! So much for those plans! I enjoyed every minute of it! 🤣🤣🤣Such a brilliant script and cast! Henry Fonda was so perfect in this role... calm but compelling! This film really earned its place on the AFI List!!
This film does so much with so little! Basically two small rooms and a cast you see nearly the entire time to go through a single thought experiment, and it grips you the entire time.
So happy to see this reaction. It seems you are working through the AFI list in no particular order which is cool. I have enjoyed the ones I have seen so far. I am hoping you hit some of my favorites. "Lawrence of Arabia", "Rocky", "The Searchers", "To kill a mockingbird", "The Maltese Falcon", and "The Bridge Over The River Kwai" to name a few.
Just one of the best movies ever made. The blocking is immense. Performances immaculate. The more I watch it, the more I think Lee J Cobb’s performance is a marvel, such depth below the bluster.
This movie is one of my favorites. I still can't comprehend why someone thought that a remake could improve this jewel. The acting is superb and the camera work outstanding.
"Supposing we're wrong?" This is the foundation of our justice system. Not to punish the guilty, but to protect the innocent. This film helps to explain the reason we have a trial by jury, and lay the foundation for WHY we presume someone is innocent until proven guilty, and the burden of proof is on the prosecution.
Back in 7th grade we did a roundtable version of this play for my drama club. I was the angry dude and it really was a fascinating role. I didn't understand the nuances of the role then. However, now, having been divorced and at one point having conflict with my son, no longer thank God, I can see how one man can become so bitter. What a fantastically written script!
_"I played the angry dude in 12 Angry Men."_ Well... that really narrows it down, doesn't it?🤣I'm gonna assume you mean the angriest one, Juror #3 (the bitter father).
Love how you picked up on the commensurability between the atmosphere outside the room mimicking the one inside.....Notice how the storm breaks right at the point the vote is 6/6.
I'm a massive fan of character in stories and this has been my favorite movie since I first saw it back in the mid 70s as a 10-12 year old kid. These are some of the best actors of the day and they are all amazing.
This is one of my all time favorites. I must compliment you on your observations and comments. An interesting fact is that the director revealed in an interview that he used different camera lens for different scenes . Some to foreshorten and some to elongate the scene . He did this to have the audience feel uncertain about what they were seeing. Again , thanks .
I just gotta say that even though clearly you've watched some fantastic movies on this channel, there are some (starting to grow in numbers to many now) that not only influence your emotions and reactions during your filming but affect you long after. I think these are what makes them classic movies, the force of acting, script, direction, camerawork all add up to something more moving than the typical cinematic experience. This is what I love about you and your channel, when these great classics (in all forms and decades) clearly take a grasp of you and we witness you getting pulled in and just know these feelings stay with you for far longer. You also add to this with noticing the acting and especially the camera work (in this movie alone, several early references to how good the pans are). We are movies 'affect' you and leave a mark on you, and that is much more interesting and beautiful than a regular reaction, it's astounding; so thank you for your reactions, to the editor(s) for their skill in capturing this and keeping the pace despite heavy TH-cam edits (as skilled as editing a movie in the first place, surely) and please continue to mix up new with old and across so many genres, it's a joy to witness each time... and 12 Angry Men being able to influence emotions and leave a mark so many decades later that it s working against vastly different trends, fashions and times, that's a movie experience. Sorry for the long pompus post, but yep, thank you!
Always happy to see folks being exposed to this film for the first time. Sidney Lumet is one of the great directors of all time, and this is one of his best. Another movie by Lumet that I always recommend is Fail Safe from 1964. Other older movies that I suggest that are not from Lumet are To Kill a Mockingbird(1962), Inherit the Wind(1960), and Judgement at Nuremberg(1961)...all three are highly renowned courtroom dramas.
I heartily second all of those films! Also consider "Witness for the Prosecution" and "Anatomy of a Murder". All great courtroom films with some of the greatest actors we have ever ben privileged to watch.
Not only a great classic film, also one of the best to watch people react to. Busts the myth that movies need extreme visuals, quick edits, explosions, etc. Great writing, acting, and directing. (Civil rights and the U.S. Constitution are also characters here. )
It's amazing no matter how many times you see it. Twelve of the greatest actors at the top of their abilities. The cinematography! The blocking! Every frame is so beautifully composed and lit! And one of our greatest playwrights and greatest directors! Look what can be accomplished with one set and a modest budget.
This is a fantastic script and the camera work is top notch. Plus the lighting and sound design. The noise of the fan and the rain. The lack of musical cues, just letting the actors do their thing. It's a very nearly perfect movie. There is one thing I never hear people say much: Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) isn't just fighting for the life of one man, he's fighting for the lives of all the men in the room. Suppose everyone quickly came to a guilty verdict and went in and presented that to the court. They go home and the defendant is given the chair. Years later they might find themselves thinking of the case and some inconsistency might strike them. "Wait... how did the old man hear the yelling over the L-Train? For that matter how did an old man who could barely walk get from his bedroom to the front door as fast as an 18 year old can run down a flight of stairs?" Or maybe some other small thing that seemed "off" about the case will start to nag at them as "reasonable doubt". Juror 8 making them all talk it out and explore the evidence deeply ensured their conscience was clean, regardless of which verdict they delivered.
The strength of this script… I’ve seen this movie dozens of times, the newer one with Jack Lemon dozens of times, I’ve seen it onstage many times… no matter the cast, the script is so damn good
What I love about Ames reviews is she doesn’t go in with a preset notion of what’s good or bad about the movie. She reacts genuinely to what she’s watching and takes note of things like lighting, camera angles and sets. Clearly she has an insight into movies that a lot of other movie reviewers don’t have. She’s there to enjoy the movie, not to trash it. Ames has actually got me to enjoy movies I thought I wouldn’t like by watching her reviews. She is a breath of fresh air in a world full of negativity.
This was such a great movie. What is interesting about it is that while he was found not guilty, we never really know if the defendant was truly guilty or not, what we do know is that the jury did as they were instructed to do and the right thing. The prosecution did not prove their case and the jury had reasonable doubt so they could not in good conscience vote guilty.
The Guy that played the prejudiced juror, Ed Begley is father of Ed Begley Jr., who played in many Films and TV shows. He was Clifford in Better Call Saul. George Voskovec was born in Czech Republic (technically still part of Austria-Hungary at the time). He was half of the famous dramatic duo Werich-Voskovec who ran the Liberated Theatre. He was forced to emigrate twice, first for his anti-fascist works and later for his anti-communist works. He was also detained in 1950s during the McCarthy trials in the US. John Fielder was voice of Piglet in Winnie the Pooh, as others already pointed out.
Every time I watch this movie I am impressed with something new. Truly one of the best scripts of all time. Of course elevated by the incredible actors: every single juror, no matter how small the role in comparison to the others, is just perfectly acted. A masterclass.
Great Reaction to this Classic...... I saw this Presented Muliple Times as a play in High School (Early 1980's)....... Shout out to the Legends in this Movie...... Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Klugman, Martin Balsam, E.G. Marshall, Jack Warden, Ed Begley Director Lumet wrote in an article: "I shot the first third of the movie above eye level, shot the second third at eye level, and the last third from below eye level. In that way, toward the end, the ceiling began to appear. Not only were the walls closing in, the ceiling was as well. The sense of increasing claustrophobia did a lot to raise the tension of the last part of the movie." The kid not remembering the films is a believable statement. Movie houses weren't multi-screen when this movie was made. A cinema showed one or two movies so in the evening you could buy a double feature ticket without ever asking the name of the films. An angry kid wanting to get out of the summer heat buys a double feature ticket and spends the time stewing in anger paying no attention to the films is quite believable. The hand towel machine in the restroom doesn't reuse the same cloth. As you pull it down off the top reel, it wraps around another reel in the bottom. Eventually you pull all the towel off the top reel. At that point, all the used towel is wrapped on the bottom reel and can be removed to be laundered. These still exist today ion some places and there's usually a service company that supplies clean rolls and washes the dirty ones. The "Them" they are refering to in the original script were "Puerto Ricans" who had Immigrated...... Another Classic Movie that takes place in one room, is "Arsenic and Old Lace" It had a long run on Broadway, and the movie was shot using most of the actors from the Broadway Production.....
Fine reaction H.D., I saw this film when I was 12 years old. It was terrifying that your life could hang in the balance of a jury. Now that is high anxiety!
Lee J. Cobb’s performance in this is magnificent. The whole movie, he makes you hate his character for being an obnoxious, ignorant blowhard, and then in less than ten seconds, he makes you forget all of that, and you feel so bad for him. Genius acting.
No special effects, no shooting, no explosions, no car chases, no large sets. One room. Twelve guys sitting and talking. One take. One hour, thirty-six minutes.
Not ONE boring moment.
What an incredible movie this is.
I was just going to post that I found the CGI lacking and the stunt work laughable. 😁
It did what it intended and did it exceptionally well. I use the above when people complain about lack of character depth and nuanced plot in action movies.
No, there's none of that, but any and every genre, style, approach in filmmaking can produce crap, mediocrity, competent, to brilliant movies in the right hands. There's plenty of movies w/ no action/SFX scenes that are boring as hell w/ lame, wooden acting, too.
Not in one take. Just we'll edited.
@@veerabhadraraokoppula Yes. Feels like one take. So well done.
Technically it has ONE special effect. The walls of the Jury Room were adjustable, and as the tension mounts apparently the director had those walls moved in. It's a practical effect, of course, but probably counts as much as matte paintings or lens tricks used in some old movies.
The camera angles were also changed as the movie progressed too. And the lighting.
The entire room is full of classic character actors and lead actors
And all just giving a master class on how not to look like you're acting in a movie.
Saw this movie countless times. Each time as riveting as the first. Real actors .... acting.
Two of the jurors, Martin Balsam and Jack Warden, played newspaper editors in _All the President's Men_ with Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. And Henry Fonda... where to begin? He was nominated for an Oscar (Best Actor) for _The Grapes of Wrath_ , but he didn't win. Jimmy Stewart won for _The Philadelphia Story_ (which I can't quibble with... they're both great performances).
I didn’t know 3 of them: Edward Binns (although, he looks familiar), Joseph Sweeney, and George Voskovec, although I may have seen them in other films. Rest of the cast I knew. I had been watching some 1970’s TV series and saw Robert Webber guest star in one of them. I want to say it was _McMillan & Wife_ but I’m not sure.
Edit: I just checked and my hunch was right, Robert Webber was in an episode of _McMillan & Wife_ , I think I watched the series on Tubi where there’s a dedicated live channel and also on-demand video of the series.
Martin Balsam is such a GREAT actor. All the President's Men and Psycho come immediately to mind.
I'm so glad you noticed the action of helping the last juror with his coat. It's such a kind gesture to someone he'd disagreed with.
Hits extra hard with how polarized our society has become
Another display of politeness and respect is early in the film; when the elderly gentleman comes out of the rest room, the dark-haired man provides him with a chair from elsewhere in the jury room.
Not just disagreed with, but who had been so abusive and threatening to him.
It's just one element of a masterpiece of an ending. Note the way the *movie* treats this final moment, the climax of the film. When Juror 3 finally breaks down and votes not guilty, there's no cheering, no triumph. Even the music is sad. No one takes pleasure in the victory, because sometimes life is like that-you can be exhausted and sad doing the right thing. And yet there's hope for Juror 3, because he *accepts* the kind gesture put forth by Juror 8. He's burnt out his malice, and now it's possible he may begin to heal and become a better man. And all of this without a single line of dialogue.
It's always fascinating that they have just enough "not guilty" from the secret ballot vote that reactors say "oh it's going to be the last one."
And then they are surprised when it's the next one.
That shows a good understanding of human nature and the rules of storytelling.
Omg, as soon as I saw the movie name in the notification I just had to open it instantly. This has got to be in my top 10 favorite movies of all time. A classic.
Same- needed to see her reaction to this GREAT movie.
Jack Klugman has always been a favorite of mine, especially his portrayal of Oscar Madison, in the TV series, “The Odd Couple”.
Same here! I was like "Ames. Watching 12 angry men? Yes please!!"
+1 A true classic. And still as relevant today as it was back when it was made.
@@reservoirdude92 I would even dare to say that the cinematography is better than many movies of nowadays. It has such a smart way of using the camera to focus on details. And usually movies this old don't have great camera work or acting. This movie exceeds in that category. The portrayal of the characters is flabbergasting since the beginning, and the character development is insane due to the script and the way the actors performed their roles. Definitely a 10/10 movie.
Me too! And I've seen so many reactions to this film. Nearly every one was great, but I knew this one would be because of our host! 😃
A side note. As a film maker I studied this film for multiple reasons. One of which was use of lenses. Please note, that the further we progress into the story, the lenses get "longer" in focal length. That gives the shots a more claustrophobic feel along with the growing of tensions in the story. It's a classic way of telling a story visually and this film was the perfect example.
Would never have spotted that in a million years.cool information,thanks!
I've seen this movie dozens of times. Tears came into my eyes as I saw you watch it the first time. It is one of the greatest movies ever made.
The feeling you got that the room was getting closer and closer is true. They made the room smaller over time and changed the camera angles. The room in many ways is part of the cast...
The camerawork is an absolute masterpiece of cinematography.
There’s a lot of classic films that are “good for the time” but this one is just great for all time.
In France we can't refuse if we are selected to be a juror! Though death penalty was suppressed uner the mandature of President François Miterrand, the maximum penalty is life in prison with 22 years mandatory, or life in prison without these 22 yearls limits, thsi is really LIFE IN PRISON without parole or anything (we had recently 2 serial killers who raped and next murdered young girls all over France during some 20 years )!
Great cast and performances. A true classic. 8:18
I was SO glad you played through the actors names at the end. Just compare the list of actors names in this movie to their IMDB pages. These are some of the finest, most prolific, hardest-working actors of their generation! Obviously, Henry Fonda was a huge star. A household name. But many of these other actors had earned their living and toiled for decades and decades in movies, on the stage, in radio and the early days of television. Oscar winner Martin Balsam was Juror One. He was in many major movies like "Psycho" and "All the President's Men" and "Catch 22" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Oscar nominated Jack Warden (baseball tickets) was in major movies like "From Here to Eternity" and "Heaven Can Wait" and "Being There" and "The Sound and the Fury."
E G Marshall (the man who doesn't sweat) worked constantly, his whole life, in film, on television and on the stage. Notable Broadway productions: "The Iceman Cometh" and "Waiting for Godot" and "The Crucible." He won two Emmy awards for playing a defense attorney on television's "The Defenders." He was still working as recently as "Nixon" in 1995, and "Absolute Power" in 1997. He died the next year in 1998. He worked consistently for more than 60 years.
Jack Klugman (the juror who grew-up in a slum) won Tony awards for his stage work. He was in the original production of "Gypsy." He won Emmys and made guest appearances in countless television shows like "The Twilight Zone" and "The Fugitive" and "The FBI" and "Ben Casey" and "The Untouchables." He went on to star in two very successful television series of his own "The Odd Couple" and "Quincy, ME."
Edward Binns (juror who defended the old man) had a huge career, usually playing cops. He was in the movies "North by Northwest" and "Judgment at Nuremberg" and "Patton" and "The Verdict." He made over 500 appearances in television shows too numerous to list.
John Fiedler (the nerdy juror with the high voice) worked consistently for over 50 years in radio, on television and on the stage. He usually played high-strung, nervous characters. Original cast of "Raisin in the Sun" on stage. He appeared in episodes of the original "Star Trek" and "The Twilight Zone" and "Columbo" and "The Golden Girls." He also did a ton of voice acting in cartoons: Disney's "Robin Hood" and "The Rescuers" and "The Fox and the Hound" and most famously as the voice of Piglet in Winnie-the-Pooh.
AND OF COURSE.......... the BRILLIANT performance of Lee J. Cobb (the last hold-out juror who rips-up the photo of his son). He was Oscar and Golden Globe nominated. (He should have won an award for this role!) He had a huge career: Oscar nominations for "On the Waterfront" and "The Brothers Karamazov." He was in "Come Blow Your Horn" and "The Three Faces of Eve" and "The Exorcist." Stage work like "I, Don Quixote" and the musical "Man of La Mancha." Countless television shows like "The Virginian" and "Gunsmoke" and "Playhouse 90" and the television play "Death of a Salesman." Huge career. Huge talent.
Others.... Ed Begley (loud-mouth bigot juror where everyone turns their backs to him) won an Oscar for "Sweet Bird of Youth." He had a long career in radio, in film and on the stage. George Voskovec (European juror) had a major career in films: "Butterfield 8" and "Uncle Vanya" and "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" and "The Boston Strangler" and "The Iceman Cometh" and "Somewhere in Time." Joseph Sweeney (old man) had a career on the stage. He made his first movie in 1918 and, 39 years later, this movie was his last. He played a butler in "The Philadelphia Story" and was in "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit." He was on television in "Car 54, Where are You?"
One of the reasons this movie is so excellent has to do with the astounding depth and breadth of working actor experience and raw talent in this cast. These are the character actors who spent their entire lives and careers developing their craft. Most of these actors were not super-famous names, like Henry Fonda was, but these men worked, and worked, and worked. They earned a living. They succeeded in bringing to life the supporting roles that made radio, stage, film and television productions succeed. I admire these actors for their devotion to acting, and for their tireless work ethic. Excellent work, fellas!!!!!
And the wonderful Joseph Sweeny, born 1884, who had decades of stage work before transitioning to TV I. 1949.
He was in the original Studio One television version of 12 Angry Men that started it all.
He appeared in many different shows including Star Trek all the way up to his death at the age of 79.
It's acting 101. Every actor gave their best performance.
Absolutely! My favorite was juror number 11, the watchmaker. His speech on democracy and how he calls out juror # 7 are fantastic. " What kind of a man are you? " Brilliant.
This is not "intro to acting". This is a advanced class.
The 3 shouty men are the best.
I have a personal relationship with this movie. I had been dating a girl about a week or so and we decided to have a movie night. I asked if she'd ever seen this film, she hadn't. I warned her, this movie will trigger you to anger and frustration. She knew nothing about it. Not even half way in she was literally yelling at the screen. Long story short, I feel this movie night was what really bonded us. So, here we are a year and a half later and she's my fiance and we're getting married in September. We both pinpoint this particular night, this particular movie, that we had identical personalities.
Excellent choice of film and sounds like you chose your partner correctly 😊☝️
❤❤❤❤❤
And now, the list of people who asked for your love story....
Error 404: Not Found
My most excellent English teacher showed this in High School, 1970. Thank you, Mr. Tarrant -I’ve had it in mind for life, always with me.
Same here but 1992
I saw it for the first time in high school as well in 2002☺️
Also saw it in high school. Round about 2005. Whole class was disinterested when it started, but everyone was engrossed by the end.
I first saw this movie when I was in the 8th grade in 1964. It came on Sunday night at 10:30. I was only able to stay up and watch about 30 minutes of it and my parents made me go to bed. The next day my English teacher brought it up and we discussed it as a class. Thank you Mrs. McCalla!!! Like your Mr. Tarrant and so many other teachers, she was also an instructor in how to think and reason.
A college professor showed it to me in an English class. It's been one of my favorite movies ever since. It's amazing how it's all just 12 men talking in a room, yet it's as exciting and suspenseful as any Hollywood blockbuster spectacle.
My favorite line will always be:
Juror 10: What are you so polite about?!
Juror 11: For the same reason you are not: That's how I was brought up.
He just straight up roasted him. Sure you don't want him to be polite any more, slick?
He DOESN'T want him to be polite anymore. (Just Kidding... 😜)
John Fielder, bald juror with glasses, is the voice of Piglet in Winnie the Pooh.
❤🧡💛💚💙💜🙂
He was also in the movie version of the Odd Couple and a semi regular patient on The Bob Newhart Show.
And in the original True Grit.
OMG totally
I think he was on a couple of Star Trek's
“Listen…”
“I have. Sit down and don’t open your mouth again.”
😂 brutal dialogue.
Matty, just think being told to sit down and shut up. You're a juror whose function is to speak! Brutal, indeed!!!
@@dennisnoack59 brutal but completely warranted. His prejudices have no bearing on the case.
It's so refreshing to watch a movie focused on dialog and not special effects. The absence of any kind of background music really focuses attention and adds even more seriousness to the dialog.
Without one F bomb!
And takes place in just two locations, the jury room and the bathroom :)
Try "The Man From Earth", similar premise: one room, several people, one overarcing topic, just talking, brilliant movie as well.
The rain was the background music
@@Corvmatt Or "Fail Safe" from 1964 (they edited just a handful of short outside scenes but the screenplay is for a theatre room and 98% its just in the presidents atomic bunker). Highly recommend, a forgotten treasure, especially now where we are facing a crazy new russian empire
This is what you get with great writing, great actors at the top of their game and a gripping story.
Plus great direction and cinematography
@@cpete2976 IT WAS SIDNEY LUMET !
@@Fanfanbalibar yes, I know. I just didn't include his name to my post.
AFI is out of their minds having this as low as 87. This is, at worst, a top 20 film and I've got it in my top 5.
Yeah, I had that same thought. It should be way higher than 87!
If you're a real film nerd, go and look at the AFI list. It's pretty embarrassing. To be fair, I think they tried to make it a "cultural impact" ranking more than a Best Films list (which is why, say, E.T. is above Apocalypse Now - lol), and the old version had a disproportionate preponderance of silent film.
@@Melancthon7332 I feel like that would stress me out, but it also makes sense that they were looking more at impact than pure quality. I love E.T., it was one of my favorites as a kid, but it's not better than Apocalypse Now by any real measure.
Maybe they should refer to their list as something like, 100 movies that shaped American film or something like that.
I dunno if ranking matters that much just be happy it made the list? Which is a great list
its in my top 20.
My aunt showed me this movie and To Kill A Mockingbird when I was 12 and they both made a huge impression on me.
To Kill a Mockingbird is another great movie.
I hope you didn't let him slip through our fingers!!
They were such great movies, glad you felt their impact !
The actor in the white suit is Henry Fonda, who was the producer of this film. He made a lot of comedies and dramas beginning in the 1930’s, made a lot of westerns especially with John Ford, was a best friend of Jimmy Stewart, father of Jane and Peter Fonda, and starred in several masterpieces including “Fail-Safe” (directed by same man who did this film) and won an Oscar at age 76 for “On Golden Pond.” He mostly played morally and ethically upright individuals but was phenomenal when cast against type as the villain in “Once Upon A Time In The West (1968.)”
Fail-Safe's a movie I'd love to see more reactions to
@@JabbaTheAmerican "Fail-Safe" is so underappreciated it. Unfortunately, the studio shuffled the release date to AFTER "Dr. Strangelove", and it never recovered.
Fonda once said that "Once Upon a Time in the West" was one of his favorites because he got to play the bad guy. And boy, he nailed it.
Don't forget "The Grapes of Wrath"
He also played a villain in the western Firecreek. A great movie!
Good call Ames. One piece of trivia is that throughout the movie the walls got pushed in tighter to raise the claustrophobia. Great old Hollywood technique.
Movie came out almost 70 years ago and is still relevant today. I watched it for the first time in 9th grade 20 years ago and thought it was amazing, so I think it can still translate to the current generation despite its age.
I was born in that hot summer of 1957. Seeing this movie always reminds me that classics never really fade.
One of the top three movies ever made in my opinion. Just 12 guys sitting in a room and talking and it's absolutely spellbinding.
I just made this same comment. This movie is in my Top 3!
I think this is one of the top 5 best movies ever made.
"Suppose you talk us all out of this and the boy really did kill his father?"
One of the best lines in the movie.
12 Angry Men (1957). It was based on a teleplay from 1954 but produced as a feature movie for the cinema. The director was Sidney Lumet and one of the producers was Henry Fonda (Juror 8, Not Guilty) the present superstar in the ensemble. The film stands on two factors: Lumet's master direction and the absolutely brilliant cast. In 1957 this was among the Hollywood elites, both old and upcoming. These guys knew how to deliver. Juror 1 (The Foreman): Martin Balsam, Juror 3 (Guilty): Lee J. Cobb. Juror 4 (No Sweat): E. G. Marshall. Juror 7 (Ballgame): Jack Warden. Juror 10 (Loud Mouth): Ed Begley. My personal favorite is Lee J. Cobb, a veteran actor from both the stage and the screen, usually in very potent roles, heavies, angry men.
Don't forget Jack Klugman, who in the seventies starred at Quincy ME, the very grandpa of CSI shows.
@@yvorfalcon3025 You mean TV's messiest bachelor? From the TV version of The Odd Couple?
@@FloridaMugwumpYou mean the actor tied with Burgess Meredith for starring in the most episodes of the Twilight Zone?
@@FloridaMugwumpCan two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy? I used to love that show.
@@carlabudephane7486. Columbo with Peter Falk? That show premiered in 1971, two years before the Excocist came out.
Juror #3, the angry hothead who was estranged from his son, was played by the great Lee J. Cobb, a revered stage actor who played Willy Loman in the original 1949 Broadway production of Death of a Salesman.
This is proof you don't need epic landscapes, convoluted action sequences or tons of special effects to make a gripping movie. Just put a bunch of good actors in a room with a great script and leave them to their craft.
This was director Sidney Lumet's first feature film. He had done work for television prior to this. Some of his other movies include The Pawnbroker, Fail Safe, Serpico, Murder on the Orient Express, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, The Verdict, and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Dog Day Afternoon is a favorite of mine.
Lumet began the movie using camera angles above the jurors' heads, and slowly moved it downwards. He also used more close-ups as the movie went on. The result was an increasing feeling of being in a small space.
One thing I like about this movie is how the different characters bring their own experience and perspectives into the jury room with them. The old man understood why another old man would testify the way he did. The guy who lived in a slum knew about how switchblades were used in actual fights. The smallest juror who brought up the question of the kid stabbing downward while being so much shorter than his father.
When the bigot finished ranting, the cool-headed juror told him not to open his mouth again. From that point forward, the bigot didn't utter another word. Even when he voted not guilty, he did it by shaking his head. And the look on his face suggested that he knew how wrong he had been, and that he'd been voting to send someone to die who might very well not have done it.
Ed Begley was Ed Begley, Jr.'s father. He was in a lot of movies and TV shows, including "Sorry, Wrong Number" and "Hang 'Em High". Juror Number 10 is his best-known role.
Yeah he's one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. It's such a shame the general public doesn't really know his name because his work is so important to cinema.
@@earlchatterton9133 If you haven't seen the documentary about him, you should check it out. It's called _By Sidney Lumet_ (2015).
OMG! Dog day afternoon and the Verdict ! such great movies !
The fact that people get so emotional over this movie proves how well the actors did.
You are so right about all those cinematographic features applied in this film.
It’s not considered a master piece for nothing.
Characters, environment, discussions are all used to perfection. And then you add the brilliance of cinematography, lighting and such, and 12 angry men will forever be a film you can watch over and over again.
At 39:41, Juror 10's racist rant, when everyone gets up and turns their backs on him, is definitely one of the BEST emotionally charged part of the film.
The truly great films are timeless, aren't they? Great script, great performances, great directing. I remember the first time I saw it and how impressed I was at the time. Seeing young folks discover classics like these and show exactly the same type of wonder is fantastic!!!!!
Great movie and great reaction. When he took the man's jacket and put it on him, that simple gesture to me is one of the greatest example of compassion displayed in any movie. Chokes me up every time.
I love this movie and have loved it for decades. Henry Fonda was not only the lead actor but also the producer of this film; one that he is most proud of next to "Grapes of Wrath".
Love this one Jeffrey!
He was also proud of _The Ox-Bow Incident_ cuz all three films dealt with social justice.
@@holddowna I saw some superhero stuff around you. If you've ever seen Superman 2, Juror #4 (E.G. Marshall) plays the President that kneels before Zod.
I hope you didn't let him slip through our fingers!!
No CGI, no fancy scenes, just pure acting with a great storyline. A classsic for sure.
So good
Juror #8 is no. 28 on AFI:s list from 2003 of 100 heroes. Well deserved.
Juror No8 (Fonda) said "I dont want to change your mind" and "I dont have anything brilliant" and "I only know as much as you do" only to pull out a knife out of his pocket like David Copperfield. What a shady person! BTW smuggling in "evidence" like that and lurching around the crime scene is illegal and would lead to mistrial in real life. I guess Juror No8 is holier than thou and is allowed to break the law, for the greater good I guess. However anything illegal he did, is illegal for a reason!
One thing I noticed after many rewatches is that during the first show of hands Juror 9 (the oldest gentleman) raised his hand in favor of Guilty like everyone else but he was the very last person to raise his hand and he did so very hesitantly, also he was looking towards the foreman when he raised his hand so he was looking away from juror 8 (our "main character") so he didn't see that juror 8 didn't raise his hand, in fact when he looks back and he realizes juror 8 didn't raise his hand you can see a look of confusion on juror 9's face.
It's a small thing and I don't even know if it was intentional on the part of the director or the actor but it's definetly in character for him, it shows that from the beggining he had his doubts about the defendant's guilt and his first vote of Guilty was really him just following the crowd, he thought everyone else had voted guilty and didn't want to be the one to stand against the crowd, which just gives his speech after changing his vote that much more weight, in that speech he says that it's not easy to stand against the ridicule of others, that takes courage and juror 9 recognizes that juror 8 had that courage when he himself failed to show that courage.
The consistency of the characters is also amazing. None say anything out of character.
Next time you watch, observe the order in which they vote 'guilty' with their hands in that preliminary vote. Some are slower to raise.
My favorite line is when the Juror 7 walks away from the table when Juror 9 wants to explain his change, and Juror 8 says, "He can't hear you. HE NEVER WILL."
I love how Juror 3 starts with saying "When I was a kid I called my father 'sir.'". Then a few minutes later he's dissing McCardle, Juror 9, a man who is his elder.
Overall, i think Juror 11 (watchmaker) has the best lines.
The Watchmaker is juror 11. Juror 10 is the racist.
@@seanmonahan thanks. fixed it.
"For the same reason you're not; it's how I was raised." as a response to the snyde comment about why he was acting so polite all the time is such a great response.
That one is my favourite in this movie.
A problem I have was when one guy questioned how the other could vote someone guilty because of a game but he did the same thing in the beginning of the movie because everyone else did. Noticed he looked around before raising his hand.
Notice how amazing was final scene, when last juror could not admit that boy is not guilty and trefore his own son is not guilty he was smaller in the frame than everyone faces, and when he broke down he moved closer to the camera filling the whole frame becoming big again in the frame, this camera work is genius
These 50s-60s character studies are fantastic. Check out "On the waterfront"and "The flight of the Phoenix".
That line about the loud guy, “he can’t hear you. He never will” is a gut punch of truth.
This is one of my absolute favorite movies, a highschool social studies teacher made it required watching for our lesson on the courts. I'm 53 now and it still hits just as hard.
It fascinates me that you haven't seen these faces before, because, for my generation, these faces were all over movies and TV shows. These were some of the best and busiest actors of their day.
"So gentle yet so powerful" - that's the Henry Fonda special.
Which makes his performance in "Once Upon a Time in the West" all the more shocking,
@@peterireland4344 Yes but it was meant to be so (Sergio Leone must have decidedf upon that !)
One of the best reactions to 12 Angry Men I've seen. Your attention to the creative camera work was refreshing. You understood these characters and their motives and got emotional at the same points I always do. I've watch the movie dozens of times as well as every reaction on TH-cam I can find. One thing you saw on your first watch that I had never noticed was the Women's restroom door. One of the first questions many reactors have when the movie starts is if only men could be on juries back then. You just gave me positive evidence I can present to them that women could be on juries. This one just happened to be all men.
Thank you again for your wonderful reaction to one of my favorite movies ever.
Wow! Thanks so much! I love watching movies and sharing them especially when they are very important to others!! Appreciate the super and the support ❤️
"Rear Window" 1954
Oh yeah
Greatest film ever.
I think it is fun that the Juror with the glasses ended up playing Clark Griswold's father in law in Christmas Vacation, the holdout Juror went on to play the cop in The Exorcist, and the Juror that wanted to go to the baseball game was the father in Dirty Work.
This is one of those films that teaches people not to dismiss a film due to it being black and white.
Its script is tight, and I can’t imagine cost much to make for its time. It would be nice if we got more smaller films like this.
The problem if it were made today is you would have to find actors who love the art and not want to maximize their salary. You have so many leads and great character actors you are looking at north of $200 million to get that cast today.
@@manueldeabreu1980I think it would be harder to even get a green light. “You mean to tell me this takes place in one room with no action? How do you keep the audience engaged? The algorithm says it’ll flop.”
Executives today are pure money men and have never made a film on any level. I highly doubt most are even fans of the product their industry creates. I know there are exceptions, such as the guy running 20th Century Studios right now ironically. Robert Meyer Burnett speaks highly of him.
@@manueldeabreu1980 Speaking of that, I saw yesterday that Ben Affleck is in an upcoming remake of Witness for the Prosecution. I can't imagine that turning out well.
@@manueldeabreu1980 Great big time actors do smaller roles with a smaller pay if the director is known to be talented and the project is greenlit. Just look at Wes Anderson films. Actors don't have a lot to say about projects if they're not producing themselves. It's the studios that are the problem. They put all the eggs in the same basket and superhero films, animations and other huge blockbusters are a big part of the reason why. They want masses to the cinemas. Big budgets, little risk, big victories. Studios have never been motivated by art first and foremost but it's gotten worse and worse the past 20 years.
@@manueldeabreu1980 That's a little unfair. Big name actors take roles in small budget movies for scale all the time; they do it for great writing, to challenge themselves and to work with talented people. Sure, not all of them do it, but a heck of a lot do - successful stars often make big money on big studio projects so that they can afford the time for roles they care about.
Some of the best and genuine actors in history came from this era!!!!
I'm so happy you're covering this absolute TITAN of a film!!! More and more people are rediscovering this movie & it warms my heart because its one of the best movies ever made. I first saw this as a sophomore in physics class & its been one of my favorites ever since!! Each and every performance is unique & the story is so captivating & incredibly relevant nearly 70 years later! 🤗😎🔥
This film had a cast heavy with big-name stars ... Henry Fonda, Martin Balsam, Lee J. Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Jack Warden, and Ed Begley. Many of the others were often seen in the movies or on television ... if not big names. The guy with the high-pitched voice, John Fiedler, was a fixture on the Bob Newhart show ... and the voice of Piglet in Winnie the Pooh...among other credits. It was a great script, great photography, great actors. I doubt Hollywood could make this movie today, it would never survive the lack of vision, or all the compromises to make it marketable.
When the film was released in 1957 only three states--Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina--still did not allow women to serve as jurors, so having the jury be comprised of just men was probably an artistic decision. 1957 is also the year that women were finally allowed to sit on federal juries, regardless of which state the trial was held in. Mississippi was the last state where women were not allowed to serve as jurors, which they dropped in 1968. Alabama had done so in 1966 and South Carolina in 1967.
Well you know, women.... j/k
But it was common in that era to routinely excuse women from jury duty if they were caregivers at home, so most women could get out of jury duty pretty easily if they wanted to.
Mississippi... always the last horse outta the gate. They were also the last state to officially outlaw slavery, which they did after Lincoln... the movie (from 2012).🤣
that is correct however in New York at the time only men were required to show up when called for jury duty resulting in male dominated jury pools and many all male juries
All the comments on this point are accurate. Women started serving on juries pretty much as soon as they got the vote, but not everywhere, or on all juries. (There's a 1932 movie called Ladies of the Jury that treated the phenomenon comedically, but also as a reality.) The idea that the demographics of a jury ought to reflect those of its community was not really in the conversation at the time of this movie.
The camera work is also outstanding - see how the focal lens progresses from a wide angle lens at the start to light telephoto range in the middle and telephoto in the end with the detail shots. Which just helps to reflect the ever increasing tension in the room.
The scene that really stuck out to me is when Henry Fonda had no response to the guy that said to him " I'm not one for supposing but I'll give it a try ...Suppose you talk us all out of this and the Kid really is Guilty "
About Lee J. Cobb's performance: his anger is so overwhelming, it's easy to dismiss him as a one-dimensional loudmouth bully. So it's easy to miss how nuanced his performance is. Vulnerability, sadness, empathy, humor, thoughtfulness -- it's all there. It's just perfectly, carefully placed and very, very subtle. A one-man acting masterclass.
I first saw this on a school excursion in the 70s, at the height of 'Star Wars' mania, with a busload of rowdy middle-school tech boys. Black and white? You're kidding. By 10 mins in, you could hear a pin drop. By the end, 50-odd much-chastened adolescent boys filed soberly out, wiser and more mature for the experience. Such is the power of a first-rate script in the hands of first-rate actors and director. Thanks for sharing this, Ames - your usual thoughtful and typically astute response. I guess my only quibble would be that they sound more like actors than typical jurors, but a certain 'staginess' can't be helped. Well done once again, ma'am.
Lee J. Cobb originated the role of Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman" on Broadway in 1949, and also played him in film, teleplay, and radioplay form after that. The character affected him so deeply he had a nervous breakdown while playing him on Broadway. A truly great actor with a huge vocal range...known for his ability to explode with emotion and crumble down to nothing. I love how, at the very, very end, he's the last one walking down the steps...utterly crushed.
Lee J. Cobb was such a great actor. He blows Brando off the screen in 'On the Waterfront'.
The number of incredible actors in this film was amazing. Henry Fonda (Jane Fonda's father), Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, Jack Klugman (later on did the "Odd Couple" series with Tony Randall), Jack Warden (so many incredible films he did), John Fieldler (did so many different shows, even an episode of the Original Star Trek). Another great review Ames!
Thanks BILLY!!!
@@holddowna It's funny because John Fiedler plays such a soft-spoken high-pitched voice guy in this movie, but in the Star Trek episode called "A Wolf In The Fold" he plays a time travelling version of Jack The Ripper and was the most cunning evil MF'er in the entire universe. He did some great acting in that show. lol
@@BillySBCthat's where I first saw him. I saw that eoisode as a kid and it scared me.
@@BillySBC And in "Wolf in the Fold" John Fiedler's character Hengist is exposed as a killer in a courtroom scene of a different sort, a hearing held in the briefing room of the *Enterprise* .
@@gregsager2062 Interesting, I hadn't thought of that, but you're right it was a courtroom situation. John Fiedler was great in that episode, so very much not like the average characters he would play in most of his work.
"love this guy" - Henry Fonda always plays the "love this guy" part.
Not always....
Especially in Once Upon a Time in the West.
@@migmit Was literally about to say that lol.
@@migmit Firecreek is another one. A great western with Jimmy Stewart in the "love this guy" part.
One of the great films of all time. I never get tired seeing this film with a many elite actors of their generation- the film is always riveting, dramatic, realistic, and essentially filmed in one room
Ah, thank you for wattching this timeless classic. ^^ Do watch "Witness for the Prosecution" from 1957.
And also for noticing the gesture in the end, holding his jacket. So many TH-camrs miss this. It is such a kind and powerful moment.
"It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer."
- William Blackstone
That quote is the foundation of western civic jurisprudence
The problem is that there is no such thing as "western civic jurisprudence" anymore.
I've posed this as a multiple choice on internet forums. Many people today think it is better to lock up 10 innocent people than to let one guilty person go free. It's really depressing
@@izzonj I don't believe you. I have never heard one single person ever say that. Here's a question for you. ---- Do you think there are more innocent people sitting in jail, OR are there more victims of crimes committed by known criminals who are arbitrarily released without bond or incarceration onto the streets again?
@jeffreiland7463 you haven't spent time online with far-right nutjobs.
You can see it by looking at the comments section of news agencies.
As soon as someone is arrested, those comments are filled with people assuming guilt.
No charges need to be filed and no evidence needs to be presented.
It's fucking terrifying.
This is why you’re one of the best creators in the genre of content! I love that you have such a variety of movies and classics rather than just the ones we always see people post videos on.
I loved the full watch along version on Patreon, Ames and was only planning to watch a few minutes of this edited version. Hahaha! So much for those plans! I enjoyed every minute of it! 🤣🤣🤣Such a brilliant script and cast! Henry Fonda was so perfect in this role... calm but compelling! This film really earned its place on the AFI List!!
Many of these actors are giants in Hollywood. This was a Broadway play that’s still played from time to time.
This film does so much with so little! Basically two small rooms and a cast you see nearly the entire time to go through a single thought experiment, and it grips you the entire time.
So happy to see this reaction. It seems you are working through the AFI list in no particular order which is cool. I have enjoyed the ones I have seen so far. I am hoping you hit some of my favorites. "Lawrence of Arabia", "Rocky", "The Searchers", "To kill a mockingbird", "The Maltese Falcon", and "The Bridge Over The River Kwai" to name a few.
Just one of the best movies ever made. The blocking is immense. Performances immaculate. The more I watch it, the more I think Lee J Cobb’s performance is a marvel, such depth below the bluster.
This movie is one of my favorites. I still can't comprehend why someone thought that a remake could improve this jewel. The acting is superb and the camera work outstanding.
"Supposing we're wrong?"
This is the foundation of our justice system. Not to punish the guilty, but to protect the innocent. This film helps to explain the reason we have a trial by jury, and lay the foundation for WHY we presume someone is innocent until proven guilty, and the burden of proof is on the prosecution.
Agreed. It's better to let ten guilty men go free than imprison one innocent man. That's Blackstone's Ratio.
One of my 10 all time favorite movies ever made. Every performance is phenomenal.
Back in 7th grade we did a roundtable version of this play for my drama club. I was the angry dude and it really was a fascinating role. I didn't understand the nuances of the role then. However, now, having been divorced and at one point having conflict with my son, no longer thank God, I can see how one man can become so bitter. What a fantastically written script!
_"I played the angry dude in 12 Angry Men."_
Well... that really narrows it down, doesn't it?🤣I'm gonna assume you mean the angriest one, Juror #3 (the bitter father).
Love how you picked up on the commensurability between the atmosphere outside the room mimicking the one inside.....Notice how the storm breaks right at the point the vote is 6/6.
I'm a massive fan of character in stories and this has been my favorite movie since I first saw it back in the mid 70s as a 10-12 year old kid.
These are some of the best actors of the day and they are all amazing.
This is one of my all time favorites. I must compliment you on your observations and comments.
An interesting fact is that the director revealed in an interview that he used different camera lens for different scenes . Some to foreshorten and some to elongate the scene . He did this to have the audience feel uncertain about what they were seeing.
Again , thanks .
I love the Exchange:
What are you so polite about?
For the same reason you're not. It's the way I was brought up.
16:47 - Blew the case wide open with that one move. Always loved that moment!
Awesome that you're watching movies B&W movies. Some fantastic movies in your future.
12 Angry Men always makes me think.
I just gotta say that even though clearly you've watched some fantastic movies on this channel, there are some (starting to grow in numbers to many now) that not only influence your emotions and reactions during your filming but affect you long after. I think these are what makes them classic movies, the force of acting, script, direction, camerawork all add up to something more moving than the typical cinematic experience.
This is what I love about you and your channel, when these great classics (in all forms and decades) clearly take a grasp of you and we witness you getting pulled in and just know these feelings stay with you for far longer. You also add to this with noticing the acting and especially the camera work (in this movie alone, several early references to how good the pans are).
We are movies 'affect' you and leave a mark on you, and that is much more interesting and beautiful than a regular reaction, it's astounding; so thank you for your reactions, to the editor(s) for their skill in capturing this and keeping the pace despite heavy TH-cam edits (as skilled as editing a movie in the first place, surely) and please continue to mix up new with old and across so many genres, it's a joy to witness each time... and 12 Angry Men being able to influence emotions and leave a mark so many decades later that it s working against vastly different trends, fashions and times, that's a movie experience.
Sorry for the long pompus post, but yep, thank you!
Always happy to see folks being exposed to this film for the first time.
Sidney Lumet is one of the great directors of all time, and this is one of his best.
Another movie by Lumet that I always recommend is Fail Safe from 1964. Other older movies that I suggest that are not from Lumet are To Kill a Mockingbird(1962), Inherit the Wind(1960), and Judgement at Nuremberg(1961)...all three are highly renowned courtroom dramas.
Thanks for your comment...I have seen all the movies you mentioned...Henry Fonda in Fail Safe when I saw it as a kid was amazing and scary
I heartily second all of those films! Also consider "Witness for the Prosecution" and "Anatomy of a Murder". All great courtroom films with some of the greatest actors we have ever ben privileged to watch.
Another great courtroom drama directed by Sidney Lumet is The Verdict with Paul Newman and Jack Warden (the juror with the tickets to the ballgame).
I completely forgot that Jack Klugman was one of the jurors. He was one of the greatest character actors of all time. So glad you enjoyed this movie.
It's incredible that this was the first film Sidney Lumet ever directed!
yes making this was Henry Fonda's idea & he wanted Lumet "because of the way he worked with actors"
A Masterclass on Acting, Shots and Narrative Storytelling
One tightly made film that borders on perfection.
Totally
Not only a great classic film, also one of the best to watch people react to. Busts the myth that movies need extreme visuals, quick edits, explosions, etc. Great writing, acting, and directing. (Civil rights and the U.S. Constitution are also characters here. )
Brilliant movie, and Lee J. Cobb was phenomenal as usual.
It's amazing no matter how many times you see it. Twelve of the greatest actors at the top of their abilities. The cinematography! The blocking! Every frame is so beautifully composed and lit! And one of our greatest playwrights and greatest directors! Look what can be accomplished with one set and a modest budget.
I always go back and forth between this and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for best movie I have seen.
This is a fantastic script and the camera work is top notch. Plus the lighting and sound design. The noise of the fan and the rain. The lack of musical cues, just letting the actors do their thing. It's a very nearly perfect movie.
There is one thing I never hear people say much: Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) isn't just fighting for the life of one man, he's fighting for the lives of all the men in the room. Suppose everyone quickly came to a guilty verdict and went in and presented that to the court. They go home and the defendant is given the chair. Years later they might find themselves thinking of the case and some inconsistency might strike them. "Wait... how did the old man hear the yelling over the L-Train? For that matter how did an old man who could barely walk get from his bedroom to the front door as fast as an 18 year old can run down a flight of stairs?" Or maybe some other small thing that seemed "off" about the case will start to nag at them as "reasonable doubt". Juror 8 making them all talk it out and explore the evidence deeply ensured their conscience was clean, regardless of which verdict they delivered.
The strength of this script… I’ve seen this movie dozens of times, the newer one with Jack Lemon dozens of times, I’ve seen it onstage many times… no matter the cast, the script is so damn good
Very good observation about the room getting closer, since they literally made the set tighter throughout the film.
Seriously good catch
What I love about Ames reviews is she doesn’t go in with a preset notion of what’s good or bad about the movie. She reacts genuinely to what she’s watching and takes note of things like lighting, camera angles and sets. Clearly she has an insight into movies that a lot of other movie reviewers don’t have. She’s there to enjoy the movie, not to trash it. Ames has actually got me to enjoy movies I thought I wouldn’t like by watching her reviews. She is a breath of fresh air in a world full of negativity.
This was such a great movie. What is interesting about it is that while he was found not guilty, we never really know if the defendant was truly guilty or not, what we do know is that the jury did as they were instructed to do and the right thing. The prosecution did not prove their case and the jury had reasonable doubt so they could not in good conscience vote guilty.
The Guy that played the prejudiced juror, Ed Begley is father of Ed Begley Jr., who played in many Films and TV shows. He was Clifford in Better Call Saul.
George Voskovec was born in Czech Republic (technically still part of Austria-Hungary at the time). He was half of the famous dramatic duo Werich-Voskovec who ran the Liberated Theatre. He was forced to emigrate twice, first for his anti-fascist works and later for his anti-communist works. He was also detained in 1950s during the McCarthy trials in the US.
John Fielder was voice of Piglet in Winnie the Pooh, as others already pointed out.
Every time I watch this movie I am impressed with something new. Truly one of the best scripts of all time. Of course elevated by the incredible actors: every single juror, no matter how small the role in comparison to the others, is just perfectly acted. A masterclass.
Great Reaction to this Classic......
I saw this Presented Muliple Times as a play in High School (Early 1980's).......
Shout out to the Legends in this Movie...... Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Klugman, Martin Balsam, E.G. Marshall, Jack Warden, Ed Begley
Director Lumet wrote in an article: "I shot the first third of the movie above eye level, shot the second third at eye level, and the last third from below eye level. In that way, toward the end, the ceiling began to appear. Not only were the walls closing in, the ceiling was as well. The sense of increasing claustrophobia did a lot to raise the tension of the last part of the movie."
The kid not remembering the films is a believable statement. Movie houses weren't multi-screen when this movie was made. A cinema showed one or two movies so in the evening you could buy a double feature ticket without ever asking the name of the films. An angry kid wanting to get out of the summer heat buys a double feature ticket and spends the time stewing in anger paying no attention to the films is quite believable.
The hand towel machine in the restroom doesn't reuse the same cloth. As you pull it down off the top reel, it wraps around another reel in the bottom. Eventually you pull all the towel off the top reel. At that point, all the used towel is wrapped on the bottom reel and can be removed to be laundered. These still exist today ion some places and there's usually a service company that supplies clean rolls and washes the dirty ones.
The "Them" they are refering to in the original script were "Puerto Ricans" who had Immigrated......
Another Classic Movie that takes place in one room, is "Arsenic and Old Lace" It had a long run on Broadway, and the movie was shot using most of the actors from the Broadway Production.....
Fine reaction H.D., I saw this film when I was 12 years old. It was terrifying that your life could hang in the balance of a jury. Now that is high anxiety!