Movie Review: 12 Angry Men (1957)

I know, I know, I'm reviewing an older movie. But you have to see everything, people, not just those of the MCU. Especially when it comes to gems like this movie from 66 years ago.
At first glance, this movie has all the potential to be completely ignored. An incomplete list of things that theoretically work against the movie:

• It doesn't have choreographed fights or shootouts or car chases.
• They don't show anything but talk all the time.
• There are no pretty or sexually attractive women.
• It's in black and white.
• The action (?) takes place in the same room for 90 of its 96 minutes.
• It has no zombies or superheroes.
• It does not have Dolby sound nor is it suitable for IMAX.

Source: filmaffinity.com/us/film695552.html

12 Angry Men
Year: 1957
Duration: 96 min.
Country: United States
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
Screenplay: Reginald Rose
With: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Ed Begley, Jack Klugman, Jack Warden.

Source: filmaffinity.com/us/filmimages.php?movie_id=695552

And yet this movie, which basically consists of 12 sweaty middle-aged gentlemen (including at least one who's closer to the harp than the guitar) locked in a 7-by-10-foot room for 90 minutes, is one of the best. that have ever been seen.
The first thing is the script, which respects the original story, since both belong to the same person: Reginald Rose, the author of the play on which the film is based, who is also one of the executive producers, In other words, in addition to being in charge of the script, Rose has approved or vetoed the casting decisions and others related to the cut of the film and its quality. In addition, Henry Fonda is the other executive producer and his hand behind the curtain and his knowledge of the actors, essential for the casting, are noticeable.
Speaking of casting, let's go with the list of jurors. In the play they are named according to their number, so let's do the same here. I put a minimum description to differentiate them, I won't say anything else since I don't want to spoil the movie.

Source: filmaffinity.com/us/filmimages.php?movie_id=695552

1. Martin Balsam: president of the jury, conciliator.
2. John Fiedler: employee, fearful.
3. Lee J. Cobb: streetman, pissed off.
4. E.G. Marshall: intellectual, thoughtful.
5. Jack Klugman: boy of humble origins.
6. Edward Binns: simple worker, painter.
7. Jack Warden: sports fan.
8. Henry Fonda: architect, even-tempered.
9. Joseph Sweeney: old, of few words.
10. Ed Begley: grumpy, prejudiced.
11. George Voskovec: immigrant, sincere.
12. Robert Webber: publicist, sociable.

Each and every one of them, tremendous actors, the kind that can tell you more with a gesture than with a thousand words. We've seen them separately in countless movies and TV series, but here we have them together under one roof.

And each actor embodies a man with a defined personality, beliefs, a way of thinking that is not the same as the person sitting next to him. And how! It's about a dozen randomly chosen men, old, young, executives, professionals, workers... Maybe in 2023 that group would be seen as "too white" or criticized for not having a single woman among them, but this was 1957, let's remember. And anyway, race or gender are irrelevant here. What matters is whether the information available is enough to send the defendant to his death.

How serious is the thing? It is a homicide and the penalty is Death. A teenager is accused of having stabbed his father in the middle of an argument. There are one or two witnesses and some circumstantial evidence. The jury meets, a president is chosen and after a very brief deliberation, they proceed to vote. Everyone votes for the defendant's guilt… except Juror 8, who believes there is cause for reasonable doubt and that, with a man's life at stake, all points of view must be considered. Thus begins the debate that has twists and turns, changes of sides and coups, and that is the heart of the film.

Throughout these 90 minutes, the personality of each of the jurors, their motivations, their defects and their pettiness, is revealed, and we end up getting to know them well, despite the fact that we will never know their full names. It is a total enjoyment to see these great actors get sparks without hardly having to get up from their seats or use some other prop material. It is a recommendable film in many ways.

12 Angry Men delivers on all sides: as a good movie to watch alone on a rainy afternoon, but also if you want to share it with your children or with your partner, or if you are looking for a movie to listen to without having to pay constant attention to the screen while you draw or cook, or if you want to give it your 100 percent attention instead. To see and see again.