I'm 72 so a note about the Hand-Towels in the Bathroom ( Every Reactor questions them ) . When you pulled a section down it was new and clean, then you pulled agani and the section you used went up into the box! If you pulled and got no cloth the Roll had to be changed!
Right!! There were times when the rolling mechanism was not working, so the used/wet/dirty part hung down - if you saw that, you knew it was used and just avoided it.
I'm 60 and they were still ubiquitous when I was growing up. They were such a regular feature of life back then and are completely gone now, though probably they weren't the best solution as they could get pretty nasty and were not always regularly changed.
I love Juror Nine, the old man. He is super observant, and very empathetic. After he gives a mini-profile of the old eyewitness and his opinion is questioned, his expression of vulnerability and pain just breaks my heart.
I looked him up. Forget his name, but he lived for six more years after this movie...which makes me happy, for some reason! He deserved to bask in the kudos his great performance!
The boy was not innocent. He was “Not Guilty” If he did it or not is irrelevant to the story. He was subjected to how the justice system is supposed to work. Evidence of guilt, not innocence. Great reaction, guys!!!
Right on! The points they considered, ( the knife, eye-witness testimony, the glasses, ) all created reasonable doubt, not guilt or innocence. A classic screenplay!
Nope, they were applying the wrong standard of any possible doubt, not reasonable doubt. Fonda even repeatedly argues "is it possible?" "Is it possible" is "any possible doubt". Nobody could ever be convicted by that standard. I am not comfortable saying I would vote guilty because we didn't see the actual evidence and testimony, but based on what the jury discussed of the evidence, it seems extremely unlikely the kid didn't do it. If I were a juror, I would have notified the judge that the juror played by Fonda had conducted his own research and it likely would be a mistrial.
@@Peter-f2m Care to actually supply some details about what I am that the movie was warning you about and what I need to think about? I made several specific points and you addressed not one nor made any counter points.
@@silikon2 I do t need to prove it to you. Everybody reading my comment will understand. It’s only you who can’t see your own position. Hence my saying you may want to take some time and really evaluate your own position. But I will make one point just to show you how easily your arguments break down. You said that when Henry Fonda brings out the second knife it somehow would warrant a mistrial because “he did his own research” or something to that effect. So what you’re saying is that as a juror… if something the prosecution or witness has stated as fact ….and is blatantly and demonstrably a lie ..and you know this from your own direct personal knowledge …. You the juror can’t use that to evaluate whether you believe the witness is trustworthy. For example- witness states that the sun doesn’t exist Juror knows that to be a lie because they saw the sun setting on their way home from court yesterday Your position- declare a mistrial because juror did their own research SEE WHAT I MEAN… YOUR ARGUMENT IS ABSURD
re: Your comments about the a.c. In 1957 only about 10% of homes and public buildings had air conditioning. Large stores had a little higher percentage, but schools, post offices, courtrooms,etc. had even a lower percentage because of the amount of space that needed to be cooled and the prohibitive cost at that time.
This was Sidney Lumet's first film as director. His later works were Dog Day Afternoon, The Verdict, Fail Safe, The Pawnbroker, Network and Serpico, to name a few. The cast was a who's who of the best actors in the 1950s and Reginald Rose's screenplay was superb. A classic example of true drama.
A perfect example of what Hollywood can't do anymore. Feels REAL. Chaotic. Intense. Intriguing. Hits deep. Stays with you for a lifetime. All because genuine love of storytelling went into this. It wasn't just about making money and pounding out a product and expecting viewers to like it. They gave it everything they had.
You're right about the accused boy being supposed to be Puerto Rican, at the time this film was made, New York was experiencing a second large influx of Puerto Ricans and there was some tension because of that, but they kept it vague because it keeps it relevant and relatable to different people, places, and times. It's part of what makes this movie a masterpiece.
Top Tier Masterpiece - Absolutely! This is a must-watch for everyone. It has exceptional writing, acting, & camera work. There was even a set trick where the walls were slowing moved in over the course of the movie. It made the room smaller to create a claustrophobic feeling for the audience to heighten the tension. As for the camera work -- The camera angle went from above looking down at the actors, to even with their faces, to looking up from below. This also increased that feeling of tension for the audience.
Henry Fonda is Jane Fonda‘s father. He also has a son named Peter Fonda, who is also an actor. Peter has a daughter named Bridget Fonda, who is also an actress.
One of my favorite movies since I saw it in a film class in high school. You couldn't make this movie today. Modern writers just aren't capable of capturing your attention with 12 characters in 1 room for a whole movie.
Yes Henry Fonda is Jane Fonda's father. He's the original not guilty Juror next to foreman (little guy) is the voice of Piglet Jack Klugman also starred in Quincy, M.E. as well as The Odd Couple. The towel thing in the restroom rolls up to bring down a clean section of towel. The towel rolls were replaced regularly and the used ones laundered. Oh. The jury foreman is in Psycho as well. The bigot is Ed Begley, Sr the father of actor Ed Begley, Jr.
What makes this movie time- and placeless is that they never define what group 'them' is, because there will always be a 'them'. At the time they may be Irish, have a specific ethnic background, be from a certain area or a social class. In short, no matter where or when your are, there will always be a 'them'.
I agree 100%. But now having seen numerous reactions to it, the more I think about it the more I think the kid was framed. Being a gang banger himself he probably had a few enemies. And they said he showed the knife to some "friends" after buying it. Or maybe the kid really did it. The point of course is establishing reasonable doubt.
The retractable cloth towels in the bathroom are not reusable. You pull down the clean section in the of the roll, use that and as you pull one end down, the dirty end rolls onto a separate section in the back of the unit.
Great reaction, such a fantastic movie. Henry Fonda did say his job at one point, an architect. I laughed at your reaction to the bathroom towel dispenser. My dad explained it to me once. It's something like 50' of cloth in a loop that's snaked through the machine. Before or after drying your hands, you pull on the cloth, which feeds the old in and the clean out. When completely used, the janitor swaps it for a new spool and launders the old one.
Roller towels were great. They worked a treat. They were SO much better than these stupid air hand-driers which NEVER properly dry your hands but just blow the water up your sleeves.
You have to watch the classic movie "The Heiress" with Olivia DE Havilland and Montgomery Clift - it is excellent and based on the novel by Henry James (1880). Also, "His Girl Friday" with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell (1940) True Gems.
One of the most amazing things, to me, about this film is that the ENTIRE MOVIE is exposition, and by the end, you still don't know much more than when it started, but you're still engaged the entire time.
Since you guys loved this one, I strongly recommend you watch Inherit The Wind, another black and white courtroom drama that's still pretty relevant today
I really appreciate you for taking care to not talk over the dialogue! So many reviewers do not understand that someone talking on the screen is important! I look forward to seeing more classic/b&w reviews from you, like maybe the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 best movies of all time. Thank you!!!
Did you notice that none of the characters' names were revealed until the very end, when the two jurors introduced themselves to each other on the way out of court? 12 Angry Men was director Sidney Lumet's first feature film (all of his prior work was for television). Other really good movies by him include The Pawnbroker, Fail Safe, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, The Verdict, and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.
Yeah, from my understanding the cloth towel roll retracts into a separate used roll section inside the back of the box. A commercial cleaning company regularly picks up the used ones for cleaning and replaces it with a clean roll. So the part you pull out is always supposed to be clean and unused, at least since it was last commercially cleaned, or it being a brand new roll.
If you want to see a young Henry Fonda in a very serious role then I highly recommend 'The Grapes of Wrath' from 1939 and if you want to see him in more of a light hearted movie with some dramatic moments mixed in, is set during WW2, is a color movie from the 1950's and also stars James Cagney and a young Jack Lemon I recommend 'Mister Roberts'
This was a play before they made it into this excellent movie. Another classic you might enjoy that was also a long running play first was the Jimmy Stewart movie "Harvey". That is a fun movie. A different one room movie that is not fun was Hitchcock's murder/suspense/psych. movie, "Rope". A Henry Fonda movie that was atypical for him was the western "Once upon a time in the west". He plays a different type of character for him. The 1966 release of "Death of a Salesman" was a great LJ Cobb movie. Good reaction guys you really got ahold of this one.
I ate up your reaction. Thank you. I had the opportunity to participate in this play at a community theater in a small town in 2019. Great experience. I’m not an actor so I chose to be the guard so I could be in it but not have much to do but listen to the others. Incidentally, Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) tells #6 he’s an architect which makes it interesting when he asks for the floor plan of the apartment.
The performance of the actors: legit. The writing of the movie: brilliant, smart. ...I wonder how much they spent to create this classic?_they rented a room, hired 12 main actors, a few secondary actors...and still plying 1/2 century afterward: incredible.
Excellent review and right on point. This is one of my favorite films of all time. It takes place mainly in one room, no special affects required, phenomenal acting, great camera work and cinematography,... I'm also endeared to it's a Wonderful Life which is another all time Favorite.
It was episode of the TV show " STUDIO ONE "(1954,George Voskovec reprise his role ) . In 1997 it was done as a TV movie staring James Gandolfini, Edward James Olmos, and Ossie Davis.
I have a dark plot twist/fan theory. Henry Fonda's character is the devil. He goes around the world, and with kindness and logic, he influences juries to vote "not guilty" just to get as many killers out as he can. But I'm just having fun here. This kid is innocent.
Henry Fonda and Jane Fonda did one movie together. It was his last movie and earned him an academy award. Oddly enough it was about a father and a daughter's strained relationship. It's called, "On Golden Pond."
" 12 Angry Men was remade for television in 1997. Directed by William Friedkin, the remake stars George C. Scott, James Gandolfini, Tony Danza, William Petersen, Ossie Davis, Hume Cronyn, Courtney B. Vance, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Mykelti Williamson, Edward James Olmos, Dorian Harewood, and Jack Lemmon." Not a bad remake, with a few small changes for the times: no smoking and 4 black men in the roles....one of which is the bigot, which makes for an interesting twist. Some great actors in that one too. The name of it changed for later version to be "12 angry Jurors" with the inclusion of women in the roles. None of the are as good as the original though. Just the cast, the atmosphere, everything about the original version is just fantastic. This movie and "Inherit the Wind" are two movies that helped shape me when looking at the news or basic judgments on things in life. Am I looking at things objectively and without bias? Details and information about a subject are very important, and sometimes you might need to step back a bit from a situation and look at it from a different angle. Question things rather than taking them at face value or believing them just because someone else said it was so.
This movie is meaningful on so many levels. It demonstrates 1) how prejudices and biases obscure our perceptions of truth 2) how masculinity WITHOUT emotional maturity is THE definition of toxic masculinity 3) what true masculinity is .... A true man is compassionate, patient, merciful and loving. He is thoughtful in his words and actions. He ACTS when it is necessary and he has the wisdom to know what action is called for in a given situation. I really appreciate your reaction. ✌️
Great reaction guys!!! For more Henry Fonda, check out his last film also co-starring his daughter Jane , called ON GOLDEN POND, it is a heartwarming drama with some hilarious comedic/acerbic lines from Henry's character . Henry got the Oscar for best actor , his co star Katherine Hepburn also got the Oscar for her leading role. You want to talk about a great cast with great acting, this is it. Katherine by any metric is one of the greatest actors ever, winning 4 oscars total.
Another great film with Lee J. Cobb is THE THREE FACES OF EVE (1957). This movie is definitely worthy of watching, though it has been unjustifiably ignored by TH-cam reactors. It stars Joanne Woodward in the leading role (won Best Actress) and is based on a true story of a woman with multiple personalities. Lee J. Cobb plays her psychiatrist, totally different role than this movie or On The Waterfront.
I loved your comment about the justice system - “It works if you put in the effort.” I’ve been on 5 different juries, though only got to deliberations once and this film was in the back of my mind the whole time.
I think I was around 12 the first time I saw this. In the early to mid eighties. I mostly only watched animation and sci-fi at the time However, I recognized Klubman/Quincy/Odd Couple and was grabbed. I couldn't stop watching.
Excellent reaction gentlemen. I'd heard about this movie for decades myself but just watched it a few months ago. Powerful, well written, well acted, well directed. Just goes to show you that a movie can be excellent without the action, special effects or hype. Realize that this was shot mostly in just one room. I could go on and on, but you already know.
Also check out The Verdict- another amazing courtroom drama by the same director, the great Sidney Lumet. (and also featured Mr. Baseball Game acting alongside Paul Bewman)
Yes, it is one of greatest movies around. Amazing acting and writing. Everyone who sees this movie says the same thing about how great it is. Also people who did not grow up watching black and white movies say they had forgotten it was black and white. Great reaction. Henry Fonda did state he was an architect when he was asked in the men's room.
@@RKnights By that time The Italians and Irish were pretty well integrated .... There had been Irish and Italian Mayors in NYC. Puerto Ricans were the Newest Wave!
The time period of the play & film coincided with waves of immigration from Puerto Rico to New York City and resulted in a lot of conflict. Altho the script never gets specific about the ethnicity/religion/nationality - which helps make the story apply to any type of prejudice or bigotry or racism - it is likely that he could be Puerto Rican. (The one quick shot we see of his face doesn’t look Irish, but could be Italian.) The general idea though is to highlight the ongoing problem of prejudice, regardless of the background of the people involved.
Keep watching old black and white movies, when you want to. Growing up in the 60's and 70's that's all we had on TV. I knew all the stars, going back to the 30's.
"Director Sidney Lumet had the actors in "Twelve Angry Men" (1957) all stay in the same room for several hours on end and do their lines over and over without filming them. This was to give them a real taste of what it would be like to be cooped up in a room with the same people. Henry Fonda hired Sidney Lumet to direct,because he had extensive experience in television and had a reputation for staying on schedule and within budget. Because the film failed to make a profit, Fonda never received his deferred salary. Despite this setback, he always regarded this film as one of the three best he ever made. The others being "The Grapes of Wrath" (1940) and "The Ox-Bow Incident" (1942). At the beginning of the film, the cameras are all positioned above eye level and mounted with wide-angle lenses to give the appearance of greater distance between the subjects. As the film progresses the cameras slip down to eye level. By the end of the film, nearly all of it is shot below eye level, in close-up and with telephoto lenses to increase the encroaching sense of claustrophobia. The jurors' entrance into the jury room is filmed in an overhead establishing shot, and the shots become progressively lower and tighter throughout the film, until the verdict is reached. For the closing shot of the jurors leaving the courthouse, they are again filmed from a wide, overhead angle. Lumet claimed that the final shot was filmed through with the widest lens used in the picture, emphasizing the sense of release from the jury room."
This jury is being cooked in that jury room. By pressure and by heat. Sidney Lumet directed this movie, and said that as the movie progresses he actualy had the set-dressers move the walls in closer and tighter, to increase the feeling of pressure on the audience as well.
"Mister Roberts", 1955 is a must. Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon, James Cagney. Another stage play that was brought to the big screen. Military people will see its points well, as will all.
"A Big Hand for the Little Lady" Every time a reactor becomes a Henry Fonda fan. I want them to react to that movie!! And I think you guys will be perfect. I want to see R Knights more than anybody else react to that Henry Fonda hidden gem.
There was the angry juror, the bigot, Mr. baseball, the ad/yes man, Grandpa, the Architect, the robot, the little guy, The Forman, the laborer, Mr. clean/slum and the immigrant. My favorite was juror 9/Grandpa. ;-) I just had the thought that the real killer was in the same gang as the kid, but was jealous that he wasn't the leader, thus to get the kid out of the way he killed the kids father (wiping off the knife, but leaving it), in the hope the kid got arrested and convicted? WoW, was he surprised! ;-)
You’re right about that one juror frowning at the kid in the jury box. I hadn’t noticed how many characters in that shot behave the way they do through the rest of the film. That one guy is *already* checking his watch. Henry Fonda’s character looks deep in thought, and the foreman seems attentive and respectful. Bigot guy looks restless and irritated. Interesting point about the cold. Which I caught just from watching this lol. I assume it made the character even grouchier than usual and maybe more unguarded. But was also wondering about that detail. Because it also didn’t seem to “stop” him in other ways. He kept running around the room yelling. Maybe partly out of irritation and discomfort. But it’s true that his prejudice is a kind of sickness that clouds his thought. It also might say something about his background. He’s type of person who plows through sickness, even if it harms him and even makes others sick.
For Henry Fonda, there are three Westerns he did that were great: Once Upon a Time in the West, The Ox-Bow Incident, and My Darling Clementine. Fail Safe and The Grapes of Wrath are also excellent.
Thank you guys ! Henry Fonda produced this movie. He had just finished acting in Hitchcock’s « The Wrong Man », a movie actually based on true facts, in which an innocent man happens to be the lookalike of the true murderer, maybe he was influenced by this prior role and HAD to be juror #8 ! You should watch him in « The Oxbow Incident », a great judgment movie too. I also recommend « The Third Man », a true classic. Greetings from France 🇫🇷
I remember reading this in high school English class. One of my favorites and I really liked this movie. This is my NEW favorite RKnights episode! 😊😊. Great Reaction. Love ya!
Man I wish I could have watched along with you on this one - It is amazing, no special effects, single room shot, no action but so well written, full of tension & so well acted. Also so glad you did the original & not the remake, it is not as good. Also took me 4 minutes to realise you edited to black & white like the movie. 🤣👍A similar movie that is a must watch (especially now) is 'Inherit the Wind' (1960), another courtroom case, based on a true story & as a teacher really relevant to you Ray. (It has many remakes which shows it had impact)
Now you guys should watch The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), which also starred Henry Fonda and Gentleman's Agreement (1947) and To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), which both starred Gregory Peck. Fantastic Stuff!!!!
Definitely! “Ox-Bow” was one of the very early and still one of the few films to deal with an extremely serious topic. (Won’t say what it is to avoid a spoiler.) It was nominated for Best Picture Oscar but lost to Casablanca. It is a film chosen to be preserved in the Library of Congress for its significance.
One of my favorite Henry Fonda's moivie is Fail-safe. It came out the same year that Dr. Strangelove came out. Starngelove was a comedy, while Fail-safe was a drama. Both dealt with the threat of nuclear war. In my opinion Fail-safe was a much better film.
The Male Animal, 1941, is my favorite Henry Fonda movie. Not only is it a great comedy, the underlying issues are, as in Twelve Angry Men, still very contemporary. Fonda plays a creative writing professor in a small New England All Male college. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if this performance is why he was cast in TAM. The idea of an all male college is a bit strange these days, but when you take out the controversy of contemporary issues, you first very little has changed. And the eternal battle of academics vs Football. But the main plot is comedy.
fonda said he was an architech. the hat guy was a salesman the bigot had parking garages,the guy that was the leader was a high school coach,the non-sweat guy was a stock broker, there was a watch maker, and the the little guy was a bank teller, the old guy was retired, and 'clark kent' was a ad man, the knockout guy did labor.-missed one!
Hi Guys, great to see you reacting to & enjoying more classic films. Some young people are missing out on wonderful films, performances, actors/actresses, simply because they are in B/W. Unless & until they are all colourised, it is important to try & persuade more of them to checkout what they are missing.. I`m so glad curiosity made me checkout the old classic horror films, I found I enjoyed them & wondered what other classic films were good. I found I also enjoyed the screwball comedies of the `30`s & `40`s for instance. I was lucky that I grew up watching B/W Tv as a kid & got to have colour as a bonus. So I have no trouble watching either, if they are good.
I Love The Point That You See The Jurors Deciding "Guilty" or "Not Guilty" Rather Than "Innocent"... THAT IS WHAT THE FILM IS ABOUT... On a Minor Note: Gaslighting is NOT a Word... IT IS a Psychology Term referring to a specific type of manipulation where the manipulator is trying to get someone else (or a group of people) to question their own reality, memory or perceptions...
Guys, man…so stoked that you guys did this magnificent film!! One of my top ten easily, just a masterclass in filmmaking. Phenomenal cast, excellent script, & the cinematography was beautifully done. I think the black & white added such a great element with the contrast & shadowing that color could not have achieved (much like “It’s a Wonderful Life”). Wish we had quality movies like this today but when the writing is poor, they rely on special effects, needless profanity & sex scenes because the storyline sucks. Oh btw, the negative comments towards the kid were because he was Italian. Think it was juror 10 who said you can’t trust “garlic eaters”….a bigot for sure. I Really enjoyed your commentary, you brought up some great points…thanks again for this. Keep doing the classics! (Ooooh, how about some epics? Here’s a couple of suggestions; “Dr. Zhivago” & “Lawrence of Arabia”😊)
Great reactions, guys. Now that you know the "story," watch it again for the brilliant filmmaking techniques. That opening shot of the jury coming into the room for the first time is a single-take shot that lasts eight minutes! The performances are amazing, and the story is so engrossing that it's easy to lose sight of the visuals when listening intently to the dialogue. A top-five all-time film for me, too! And, for another classic that features two Hollywood acting giants, Spencer Tracy and Fredric March, watch "Inherit the Wind." It follows the trial of a 1920's Tennessee school teacher who gets arrested for teaching evolution in a public school. It's based on a real-life and historically monumental case that ended up before the Supreme Court.
One of my favorite films ever, it is a true must see. There was a remake more recently, I believe in the 90s, it was really good as well. I would recommend to watch it as well.
This movie demonstrates how if you have excellent basics of acting, story, writing and cinematography you can create an amazing film. "I want to hear your arguments." There's a line social media has killed permanently.
There are lots of subtleties in this brilliant script. First, the boy's dead father had been in jail for forgery. Clearly, he would have had other enemies. Secondly, EG Marshall's character pushes very logical arguments, and yet he is prejudiced, for he states early on that the slums are a breeding ground for criminals. Many of his arguments are logically constructed and yet are all constructed to prove the boy's guilt....
I'm 72 so a note about the Hand-Towels in the Bathroom ( Every Reactor questions them ) . When you pulled a section down it was new and clean, then you pulled agani and the section you used went up into the box! If you pulled and got no cloth the Roll had to be changed!
Right!! There were times when the rolling mechanism was not working, so the used/wet/dirty part hung down - if you saw that, you knew it was used and just avoided it.
@@Dej24601 Like the Plague! In Catholic School we ran and told the Sister!
I'm 60 and they were still ubiquitous when I was growing up. They were such a regular feature of life back then and are completely gone now, though probably they weren't the best solution as they could get pretty nasty and were not always regularly changed.
You mean the yunguns don't know how to do basic logic?
Wait till they hear that dinosaurs were still extinct during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.
My dad actually worked for Steiner as an accountant. That was one of the main companies who made those towels.
12 of the best actors ever to grace the stage.
Four Oscar Winners! Other Nominees and Emmy Winners as well!
Creme de la creme of their time! Master class i acting, this movie!
I love Juror Nine, the old man. He is super observant, and very empathetic. After he gives a mini-profile of the old eyewitness and his opinion is questioned, his expression of vulnerability and pain just breaks my heart.
I looked him up. Forget his name, but he lived for six more years after this movie...which makes me happy, for some reason! He deserved to bask in the kudos his great performance!
Lee Cobb was the police detective in The Exorcist.
Even in smaller roles like that he had great screen presence
This is what happens with good writer(s) and good actor(s)
And good Directors
The boy was not innocent. He was “Not Guilty”
If he did it or not is irrelevant to the story. He was subjected to how the justice system is supposed to work. Evidence of guilt, not innocence.
Great reaction, guys!!!
Right on! The points they considered, ( the knife, eye-witness testimony, the glasses, ) all created reasonable doubt, not guilt or innocence. A classic screenplay!
Nope, they were applying the wrong standard of any possible doubt, not reasonable doubt.
Fonda even repeatedly argues "is it possible?" "Is it possible" is "any possible doubt". Nobody could ever be convicted by that standard.
I am not comfortable saying I would vote guilty because we didn't see the actual evidence and testimony, but based on what the jury discussed of the evidence, it seems extremely unlikely the kid didn't do it.
If I were a juror, I would have notified the judge that the juror played by Fonda had conducted his own research and it likely would be a mistrial.
@@silikon2wow. So you are the exact person this movie was warning us against. That’s a lot to think about if I were you.
@@Peter-f2m Care to actually supply some details about what I am that the movie was warning you about and what I need to think about? I made several specific points and you addressed not one nor made any counter points.
@@silikon2 I do t need to prove it to you. Everybody reading my comment will understand. It’s only you who can’t see your own position. Hence my saying you may want to take some time and really evaluate your own position. But I will make one point just to show you how easily your arguments break down. You said that when Henry Fonda brings out the second knife it somehow would warrant a mistrial because “he did his own research” or something to that effect. So what you’re saying is that as a juror… if something the prosecution or witness has stated as fact ….and is blatantly and demonstrably a lie ..and you know this from your own direct personal knowledge …. You the juror can’t use that to evaluate whether you believe the witness is trustworthy.
For example- witness states that the sun doesn’t exist
Juror knows that to be a lie because they saw the sun setting on their way home from court yesterday
Your position- declare a mistrial because juror did their own research
SEE WHAT I MEAN… YOUR ARGUMENT IS ABSURD
re: Your comments about the a.c. In 1957 only about 10% of homes and public buildings had air conditioning. Large stores had a little higher percentage, but schools, post offices, courtrooms,etc. had even a lower percentage because of the amount of space that needed to be cooled and the prohibitive cost at that time.
Movie theatres were one of the few places you could be certain to find air conditioning. The perfect place to cool off after an argument
This was Sidney Lumet's first film as director. His later works were Dog Day Afternoon, The Verdict, Fail Safe, The Pawnbroker, Network and Serpico, to name a few. The cast was a who's who of the best actors in the 1950s and Reginald Rose's screenplay was superb. A classic example of true drama.
I am a huge black and white movie fan and a great Henry Fonda comedy is The Lady Eve. I loved seeing him and Barbara Stanwyck acting together.
A couple more movies of Henry Fonda's are The Grapes of Wrath, & On Golden Pond
A perfect example of what Hollywood can't do anymore. Feels REAL. Chaotic. Intense. Intriguing. Hits deep. Stays with you for a lifetime. All because genuine love of storytelling went into this. It wasn't just about making money and pounding out a product and expecting viewers to like it. They gave it everything they had.
You're right about the accused boy being supposed to be Puerto Rican, at the time this film was made, New York was experiencing a second large influx of Puerto Ricans and there was some tension because of that, but they kept it vague because it keeps it relevant and relatable to different people, places, and times. It's part of what makes this movie a masterpiece.
Top Tier Masterpiece - Absolutely! This is a must-watch for everyone. It has exceptional writing, acting, & camera work.
There was even a set trick where the walls were slowing moved in over the course of the movie. It made the room smaller to create a claustrophobic feeling for the audience to heighten the tension. As for the camera work -- The camera angle went from above looking down at the actors, to even with their faces, to looking up from below. This also increased that feeling of tension for the audience.
Great reaction guys, thank you.
Another good Lee J Cobb film? "The Excorcist"!
Another good black & white film? "Casablanca" and "Double Indemnity".
“On The Waterfront” with Lee J. Cobb and Marlon Brando is another masterpiece. Black and white. 😊
Henry Fonda is Jane Fonda‘s father. He also has a son named Peter Fonda, who is also an actor. Peter has a daughter named Bridget Fonda, who is also an actress.
One of my favorite movies since I saw it in a film class in high school. You couldn't make this movie today. Modern writers just aren't capable of capturing your attention with 12 characters in 1 room for a whole movie.
I feel like this movie perfectly has the mindset of "I would rather a guilty person be free, than 10 innocent people rot in jail."
Other way around; better to let 10 guilty men go free than to convict a single innocent man.
@@redpillfreedom6692 I always get that mixed up for some reason
Yes Henry Fonda is Jane Fonda's father. He's the original not guilty
Juror next to foreman (little guy) is the voice of Piglet
Jack Klugman also starred in Quincy, M.E. as well as The Odd Couple.
The towel thing in the restroom rolls up to bring down a clean section of towel. The towel rolls were replaced regularly and the used ones laundered.
Oh. The jury foreman is in Psycho as well.
The bigot is Ed Begley, Sr the father of actor Ed Begley, Jr.
Don't forget John Fiedler - the voice of Piglet.
@@rick-says-hello-world couldn't remember his name but I mentioned him.
Jane Fonda - "Barbarella." Now, there's a movie!
Henry Fonda is also the father of actor, Peter Fonda………. The jury Foreman is also in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
But the original " Odd Couple " movie starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau - was superb. I'm surprised it has yet to be discovered by reactors.
What makes this movie time- and placeless is that they never define what group 'them' is, because there will always be a 'them'. At the time they may be Irish, have a specific ethnic background, be from a certain area or a social class. In short, no matter where or when your are, there will always be a 'them'.
I think it’s obvious that the ‘them’ was Spanish.
My favorite part of this movie is that we, the audience, never really know if the kid actually did it.
I agree 100%. But now having seen numerous reactions to it, the more I think about it the more I think the kid was framed. Being a gang banger himself he probably had a few enemies. And they said he showed the knife to some "friends" after buying it. Or maybe the kid really did it. The point of course is establishing reasonable doubt.
But you wouldn't have known it if they had a guilty verdict either.
The retractable cloth towels in the bathroom are not reusable. You pull down the clean section in the of the roll, use that and as you pull one end down, the dirty end rolls onto a separate section in the back of the unit.
Great reaction, such a fantastic movie. Henry Fonda did say his job at one point, an architect. I laughed at your reaction to the bathroom towel dispenser. My dad explained it to me once. It's something like 50' of cloth in a loop that's snaked through the machine. Before or after drying your hands, you pull on the cloth, which feeds the old in and the clean out. When completely used, the janitor swaps it for a new spool and launders the old one.
Roller towels were great. They worked a treat. They were SO much better than these stupid air hand-driers which NEVER properly dry your hands but just blow the water up your sleeves.
I served on a jury and we were all anonymous.
You have to watch the classic movie "The Heiress" with Olivia DE Havilland and Montgomery Clift - it is excellent and based on the novel by Henry James (1880). Also, "His Girl Friday" with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell (1940) True Gems.
I agree. Definitely THE HEIRESS!
This is one of my all time favorite films. Maybe consider "A Face In The Crowd" You'll thank me.
Another single location drama worth reacting to is Sleuth (1972). Starring Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine. Directed by Joseph Mankiewicz.
One of the most amazing things, to me, about this film is that the ENTIRE MOVIE is exposition, and by the end, you still don't know much more than when it started, but you're still engaged the entire time.
Since you guys loved this one, I strongly recommend you watch Inherit The Wind, another black and white courtroom drama that's still pretty relevant today
I really appreciate you for taking care to not talk over the dialogue! So many reviewers do not understand that someone talking on the screen is important! I look forward to seeing more classic/b&w reviews from you, like maybe the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 best movies of all time. Thank you!!!
Did you notice that none of the characters' names were revealed until the very end, when the two jurors introduced themselves to each other on the way out of court?
12 Angry Men was director Sidney Lumet's first feature film (all of his prior work was for television). Other really good movies by him include The Pawnbroker, Fail Safe, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, The Verdict, and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.
Yeah, from my understanding the cloth towel roll retracts into a separate used roll section inside the back of the box. A commercial cleaning company regularly picks up the used ones for cleaning and replaces it with a clean roll. So the part you pull out is always supposed to be clean and unused, at least since it was last commercially cleaned, or it being a brand new roll.
If you want to see a young Henry Fonda in a very serious role then I highly recommend 'The Grapes of Wrath' from 1939 and if you want to see him in more of a light hearted movie with some dramatic moments mixed in, is set during WW2, is a color movie from the 1950's and also stars James Cagney and a young Jack Lemon I recommend 'Mister Roberts'
This was a play before they made it into this excellent movie. Another classic you might enjoy that was also a long running play first was the Jimmy Stewart movie "Harvey". That is a fun movie. A different one room movie that is not fun was Hitchcock's murder/suspense/psych. movie, "Rope". A Henry Fonda movie that was atypical for him was the western "Once upon a time in the west". He plays a different type of character for him. The 1966 release of "Death of a Salesman" was a great LJ Cobb movie. Good reaction guys you really got ahold of this one.
This film should be seen by every high school student.
Yes. My English teacher checked that box in 1971. Good teacher.
I ate up your reaction. Thank you. I had the opportunity to participate in this play at a community theater in a small town in 2019. Great experience. I’m not an actor so I chose to be the guard so I could be in it but not have much to do but listen to the others.
Incidentally, Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) tells #6 he’s an architect which makes it interesting when he asks for the floor plan of the apartment.
Henry Fonda's character (Davis) said he was an architect.
The performance of the actors: legit.
The writing of the movie: brilliant, smart.
...I wonder how much they spent to create this classic?_they rented a room, hired 12 main actors, a few secondary actors...and still plying 1/2 century afterward: incredible.
2:12 I guess your next classic film should be Gaslight
Excellent review and right on point. This is one of my favorite films of all time. It takes place mainly in one room, no special affects required, phenomenal acting, great camera work and cinematography,... I'm also endeared to it's a Wonderful Life which is another all time Favorite.
It was episode of the TV show " STUDIO ONE "(1954,George Voskovec reprise his role ) . In 1997 it was done as a TV movie staring James Gandolfini, Edward James Olmos, and Ossie Davis.
It also had George C. Scott as Juror #3 (the sadist), Jack Lemmon as Juror #8 (the initial dissenter), and Tony Danza as Juror #7 (baseball fan).
In this case "them" prefers to Puerto Ricans.
I love the line in the movie "Prejudice obscures the truth".
I have a dark plot twist/fan theory.
Henry Fonda's character is the devil. He goes around the world, and with kindness and logic, he influences juries to vote "not guilty" just to get as many killers out as he can.
But I'm just having fun here. This kid is innocent.
Henry Fonda and Jane Fonda did one movie together. It was his last movie and earned him an academy award. Oddly enough it was about a father and a daughter's strained relationship. It's called, "On Golden Pond."
it is a beautiful movie
Henry Fonda was never better than in John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath (1940).
The Manchurian Candidate 1962. You will really appreciate this one.
If you are looking for a classic Fonda film, then watch The Grapes of Wrath. Bring a box of tissues. Never forget the ghost of Tom Joad.
" 12 Angry Men was remade for television in 1997. Directed by William Friedkin, the remake stars George C. Scott, James Gandolfini, Tony Danza, William Petersen, Ossie Davis, Hume Cronyn, Courtney B. Vance, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Mykelti Williamson, Edward James Olmos, Dorian Harewood, and Jack Lemmon."
Not a bad remake, with a few small changes for the times: no smoking and 4 black men in the roles....one of which is the bigot, which makes for an interesting twist. Some great actors in that one too.
The name of it changed for later version to be "12 angry Jurors" with the inclusion of women in the roles.
None of the are as good as the original though. Just the cast, the atmosphere, everything about the original version is just fantastic.
This movie and "Inherit the Wind" are two movies that helped shape me when looking at the news or basic judgments on things in life. Am I looking at things objectively and without bias? Details and information about a subject are very important, and sometimes you might need to step back a bit from a situation and look at it from a different angle. Question things rather than taking them at face value or believing them just because someone else said it was so.
This movie is meaningful on so many levels.
It demonstrates
1) how prejudices and biases obscure our perceptions of truth
2) how masculinity WITHOUT emotional maturity is THE definition of toxic masculinity
3) what true masculinity is ....
A true man is compassionate, patient, merciful and loving. He is thoughtful in his words and actions. He ACTS when it is necessary and he has the wisdom to know what action is called for in a given situation.
I really appreciate your reaction.
✌️
This was directed by Sidney Lumet. I highly recommend seeing other movies by him like Dog Day Afternoon and especially Network.
Great reaction guys!!! For more Henry Fonda, check out his last film also co-starring his daughter Jane , called ON GOLDEN POND, it is a heartwarming drama with some hilarious comedic/acerbic lines from Henry's character . Henry got the Oscar for best actor , his co star Katherine Hepburn also got the Oscar for her leading role. You want to talk about a great cast with great acting, this is it. Katherine by any metric is one of the greatest actors ever, winning 4 oscars total.
Another great film with Lee J. Cobb is THE THREE FACES OF EVE (1957). This movie is definitely worthy of watching, though it has been unjustifiably ignored by TH-cam reactors. It stars Joanne Woodward in the leading role (won Best Actress) and is based on a true story of a woman with multiple personalities. Lee J. Cobb plays her psychiatrist, totally different role than this movie or On The Waterfront.
I loved your comment about the justice system - “It works if you put in the effort.” I’ve been on 5 different juries, though only got to deliberations once and this film was in the back of my mind the whole time.
During the scene with "Mr. Baseball", "Davis" said he was an Architect.
I think I was around 12 the first time I saw this. In the early to mid eighties.
I mostly only watched animation and sci-fi at the time
However, I recognized Klubman/Quincy/Odd Couple and was grabbed.
I couldn't stop watching.
Excellent reaction gentlemen. I'd heard about this movie for decades myself but just watched it a few months ago. Powerful, well written, well acted, well directed. Just goes to show you that a movie can be excellent without the action, special effects or hype. Realize that this was shot mostly in just one room. I could go on and on, but you already know.
Also check out The Verdict- another amazing courtroom drama by the same director, the great Sidney Lumet. (and also featured Mr. Baseball Game acting alongside Paul Bewman)
Yes, it is one of greatest movies around. Amazing acting and writing. Everyone who sees this movie says the same thing about how great it is. Also people who did not grow up watching black and white movies say they had forgotten it was black and white. Great reaction. Henry Fonda did state he was an architect when he was asked in the men's room.
"They" and "Them" at that time in NYC were most likely Puerto Ricans .... Think "West Side Story"!
I thought that, but I think it can still be Irish or Italian
@@RKnights By that time The Italians and Irish were pretty well integrated .... There had been Irish and Italian Mayors in NYC. Puerto Ricans were the Newest Wave!
The time period of the play & film coincided with waves of immigration from Puerto Rico to New York City and resulted in a lot of conflict. Altho the script never gets specific about the ethnicity/religion/nationality - which helps make the story apply to any type of prejudice or bigotry or racism - it is likely that he could be Puerto Rican. (The one quick shot we see of his face doesn’t look Irish, but could be Italian.) The general idea though is to highlight the ongoing problem of prejudice, regardless of the background of the people involved.
@@RKnightsyep, the comments pointed to Italians, hence the comment “bunch of garlic eaters” by juror 10
Keep watching old black and white movies, when you want to. Growing up in the 60's and 70's that's all we had on TV. I knew all the stars, going back to the 30's.
I usually do a handful of classics during the summer
As in "12 Oclock High"
"Director Sidney Lumet had the actors in "Twelve Angry Men" (1957) all stay in the same room for several hours on end and do their lines over and over without filming them. This was to give them a real taste of what it would be like to be cooped up in a room with the same people.
Henry Fonda hired Sidney Lumet to direct,because he had extensive experience in television and had a reputation for staying on schedule and within budget. Because the film failed to make a profit, Fonda never received his deferred salary. Despite this setback, he always regarded this film as one of the three best he ever made. The others being "The Grapes of Wrath" (1940) and "The Ox-Bow Incident" (1942).
At the beginning of the film, the cameras are all positioned above eye level and mounted with wide-angle lenses to give the appearance of greater distance between the subjects. As the film progresses the cameras slip down to eye level. By the end of the film, nearly all of it is shot below eye level, in close-up and with telephoto lenses to increase the encroaching sense of claustrophobia.
The jurors' entrance into the jury room is filmed in an overhead establishing shot, and the shots become progressively lower and tighter throughout the film, until the verdict is reached. For the closing shot of the jurors leaving the courthouse, they are again filmed from a wide, overhead angle. Lumet claimed that the final shot was filmed through with the widest lens used in the picture, emphasizing the sense of release from the jury room."
Great Job Guys .. am still watching you!
Much love John
This jury is being cooked in that jury room. By pressure and by heat. Sidney Lumet directed this movie, and said that as the movie progresses he actualy had the set-dressers move the walls in closer and tighter, to increase the feeling of pressure on the audience as well.
"Mister Roberts", 1955 is a must. Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon, James Cagney. Another stage play that was brought to the big screen. Military people will see its points well, as will all.
Even a reup you guy’s reaction is my favorite
One of the great films of the 1950's it was the late sixties when I first saw it on TV it left a lasting impression on me.
"A Big Hand for the Little Lady"
Every time a reactor becomes a Henry Fonda fan. I want them to react to that movie!! And I think you guys will be perfect. I want to see R Knights more than anybody else react to that Henry Fonda hidden gem.
Great reaction, fellas ❤ from NM
It is a classic film with classic iconic Hollywood actors.
Simple films sometimes have the best story of humanity. Thx
Everyone of these men were angry at one point in the film.
There was the angry juror, the bigot, Mr. baseball, the ad/yes man, Grandpa, the Architect, the robot, the little guy, The Forman, the laborer, Mr. clean/slum and the immigrant.
My favorite was juror 9/Grandpa. ;-)
I just had the thought that the real killer was in the same gang as the kid, but was jealous that he wasn't the leader, thus to get the kid out of the way he killed the kids father (wiping off the knife, but leaving it), in the hope the kid got arrested and convicted?
WoW, was he surprised! ;-)
the realities of 1957 public bathrooms
You’re right about that one juror frowning at the kid in the jury box. I hadn’t noticed how many characters in that shot behave the way they do through the rest of the film. That one guy is *already* checking his watch. Henry Fonda’s character looks deep in thought, and the foreman seems attentive and respectful. Bigot guy looks restless and irritated.
Interesting point about the cold. Which I caught just from watching this lol. I assume it made the character even grouchier than usual and maybe more unguarded. But was also wondering about that detail. Because it also didn’t seem to “stop” him in other ways. He kept running around the room yelling. Maybe partly out of irritation and discomfort. But it’s true that his prejudice is a kind of sickness that clouds his thought. It also might say something about his background. He’s type of person who plows through sickness, even if it harms him and even makes others sick.
UGH...YT's copyright BS is so terrible...but I am gonna like and comment to match what I did on the original. 👍
Thank you boss :-)
For Henry Fonda, there are three Westerns he did that were great: Once Upon a Time in the West, The Ox-Bow Incident, and My Darling Clementine. Fail Safe and The Grapes of Wrath are also excellent.
Thank you guys !
Henry Fonda produced this movie. He had just finished acting in Hitchcock’s « The Wrong Man », a movie actually based on true facts, in which an innocent man happens to be the lookalike of the true murderer, maybe he was influenced by this prior role and HAD to be juror #8 !
You should watch him in « The Oxbow Incident », a great judgment movie too.
I also recommend « The Third Man », a true classic.
Greetings from France 🇫🇷
I remember reading this in high school English class. One of my favorites and I really liked this movie. This is my NEW favorite RKnights episode! 😊😊. Great Reaction. Love ya!
Thanks cuz, I love this movie.
Man I wish I could have watched along with you on this one - It is amazing, no special effects, single room shot, no action but so well written, full of tension & so well acted.
Also so glad you did the original & not the remake, it is not as good. Also took me 4 minutes to realise you edited to black & white like the movie. 🤣👍A similar movie that is a must watch (especially now) is 'Inherit the Wind' (1960), another courtroom case, based on a true story & as a teacher really relevant to you Ray. (It has many remakes which shows it had impact)
Now you guys should watch The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), which also starred Henry Fonda and Gentleman's Agreement (1947) and To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), which both starred Gregory Peck. Fantastic Stuff!!!!
I would also recommend Once upon a time in the West to see a different portrayal of Henry Fonda as an actor
Definitely! “Ox-Bow” was one of the very early and still one of the few films to deal with an extremely serious topic. (Won’t say what it is to avoid a spoiler.) It was nominated for Best Picture Oscar but lost to Casablanca. It is a film chosen to be preserved in the Library of Congress for its significance.
Nice choices
I love them all.
Don't forget FAIL- SAFE. with Henry Fonda.
Ox-Bow is so underrated. It needs to be reacted to.
One of my favorite Henry Fonda's moivie is Fail-safe. It came out the same year that Dr. Strangelove came out. Starngelove was a comedy, while Fail-safe was a drama. Both dealt with the threat of nuclear war. In my opinion Fail-safe was a much better film.
The Male Animal, 1941, is my favorite Henry Fonda movie. Not only is it a great comedy, the underlying issues are, as in Twelve Angry Men, still very contemporary. Fonda plays a creative writing professor in a small New England All Male college. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if this performance is why he was cast in TAM. The idea of an all male college is a bit strange these days, but when you take out the controversy of contemporary issues, you first very little has changed. And the eternal battle of academics vs Football. But the main plot is comedy.
Ed Begley played the old racist, his son Ed Begley Jr was In Better Call Saul, he ran the law firm Saul worked for briefly
fonda said he was an architech. the hat guy was a salesman the bigot had parking garages,the guy that was the leader was a high school coach,the non-sweat guy was a stock broker, there was a watch maker, and the the little guy was a bank teller, the old guy was retired, and 'clark kent' was a ad man, the knockout guy did labor.-missed one!
Hi Guys, great to see you reacting to & enjoying more classic films. Some young people are missing out on wonderful films, performances, actors/actresses, simply because they are in B/W. Unless & until they are all colourised, it is important to try & persuade more of them to checkout what they are missing..
I`m so glad curiosity made me checkout the old classic horror films, I found I enjoyed them & wondered what other classic films were good. I found I also enjoyed the screwball comedies of the `30`s & `40`s for instance. I was lucky that I grew up watching B/W Tv as a kid & got to have colour as a bonus. So I have no trouble watching either, if they are good.
I've been watching TAM since I was a teenager in the 70s. I still see things I missed so many times!
I Love The Point That You See The Jurors Deciding "Guilty" or "Not Guilty" Rather Than "Innocent"... THAT IS WHAT THE FILM IS ABOUT...
On a Minor Note: Gaslighting is NOT a Word... IT IS a Psychology Term referring to a specific type of manipulation where the manipulator is trying to get someone else (or a group of people) to question their own reality, memory or perceptions...
Clark Kent wannabe was Zefram Cochrane in Star Trek ToS. One episode.
One of the best films ever made.
I suggest Rope by Alfred Hitchcock or for Scifi Enemy Mine.
Fail Safe from 1964 is another great B&W Fonda movie.
Guys, man…so stoked that you guys did this magnificent film!! One of my top ten easily, just a masterclass in filmmaking. Phenomenal cast, excellent script, & the cinematography was beautifully done. I think the black & white added such a great element with the contrast & shadowing that color could not have achieved (much like “It’s a Wonderful Life”). Wish we had quality movies like this today but when the writing is poor, they rely on special effects, needless profanity & sex scenes because the storyline sucks. Oh btw, the negative comments towards the kid were because he was Italian. Think it was juror 10 who said you can’t trust “garlic eaters”….a bigot for sure.
I Really enjoyed your commentary, you brought up some great points…thanks again for this. Keep doing the classics!
(Ooooh, how about some epics? Here’s a couple of suggestions; “Dr. Zhivago” & “Lawrence of Arabia”😊)
Great reactions, guys. Now that you know the "story," watch it again for the brilliant filmmaking techniques. That opening shot of the jury coming into the room for the first time is a single-take shot that lasts eight minutes! The performances are amazing, and the story is so engrossing that it's easy to lose sight of the visuals when listening intently to the dialogue. A top-five all-time film for me, too!
And, for another classic that features two Hollywood acting giants, Spencer Tracy and Fredric March, watch "Inherit the Wind." It follows the trial of a 1920's Tennessee school teacher who gets arrested for teaching evolution in a public school. It's based on a real-life and historically monumental case that ended up before the Supreme Court.
How good is Lee J. Cobb in this movie!!!
He was always amazing
Don't let him slip through our fingers!!
If you'd like to check out some outstanding Henry Fonda films you need to see "Fail safe" and "Mr. Roberts"
One of my favorite films ever, it is a true must see.
There was a remake more recently, I believe in the 90s, it was really good as well. I would recommend to watch it as well.
The small guy with glasses was voice of ""PIGLET" In "WINNIE THE POOH"
This movie demonstrates how if you have excellent basics of acting, story, writing and cinematography you can create an amazing film.
"I want to hear your arguments."
There's a line social media has killed permanently.
There are lots of subtleties in this brilliant script. First, the boy's dead father had been in jail for forgery. Clearly, he would have had other enemies. Secondly, EG Marshall's character pushes very logical arguments, and yet he is prejudiced, for he states early on that the slums are a breeding ground for criminals. Many of his arguments are logically constructed and yet are all constructed to prove the boy's guilt....
Apparently "Oh boom holy cow" is the new "iconic".
In the fifties few buildings had central air conditioning, especially old courthouses.