1) One of the most intense, sobering, masterful, and hard-hitting films of the 1950s.
2) The intensely intimate close-ups of each of the actors could that resemble something out of a Cassavetes film, if he would have made a courtroom film.
3) Henry Fonda's intelligent, and brilliant performance as the 12th juror.
Cheat:
4) Sidney Lumet's timeless entrance into film history.
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By Steven November 22, 2011 05:48 PM
1. The intimacy and theatricality of being in one room.
2. The ensemble cast and the way these men interact with each other.
3. The development of where one simple act can lead 11 other different men to really think about the case.
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By Kracker November 22, 2011 10:09 PM
Ugh cop-out set of reasons from Criterion
1. Forever changed the way we look at our judicial system
2. Forever the greatest courtroom drama ever made
3. ..and it doesn't even take place in the courtroom
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By James M. Martin January 18, 2012 06:29 PM
Of course there is the archetypical basic good guy so often and so nobly played by Hank Fonda, but there is also a supporting cast that invented the word, "ensemble." Each character is delineated with such keen eye to social place and prejudices and biases that come with the territory. But the real star of the movie is the cinematographer, who choreographed the camera movements with the late and very great Sid Lumet in such a way that one never tires for a moment of thinking if one is not watching a stage play. One bad performance and we would be reminded constantly. How Lumet pulled this off is one of the great debut stories in cinema.
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By poughkeepsiejohn January 21, 2012 09:19 PM
1) Sidney Lumet's remarkable directorial debut.
2) As excellent an ensemble cast as you're likely to find.
3) Sometimes, maybe not often, but sometimes, justice can be done.
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By Don February 25, 2012 01:45 PM
I have sat on two juries, and this film was always on my mind, especially on the last one. It was a double shooting where both victims survived and testified. The trial lasted one day, but deliberations lasted three. During the deliberations, it became obvious that the police had faked some of the evidence, in a ham fisted attempt to sway the jury. The jury room was almost as tense as this one, at times. The voting started at 6 to 6, but ended at 11 to 1 for acquittal. The last guy just couldn't set aside his feelings as a victim of an armed robbery.
This story has impacted my life since I read the Reginald Rose play in high school, in 1964, and have seen the film more than a dozen times. It does not get better than this.
“Speaking as a fellow Adam, you, sir, make me ashamed to share the same name. Obviously another pretentious contrarian. What's the matter, more than 500 people know who PTA is, so you don't like him . . .”
“Thanks, Vincent.
I saw this film for the first time, actually, and I thought it was very eerie, haunting, and chilling. It's like a slasher film without the slashing, a horror movie without the . . .”
6 comments
By David Hollingsworth
November 22, 2011
05:07 PM
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By Steven
November 22, 2011
05:48 PM
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By Kracker
November 22, 2011
10:09 PM
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By James M. Martin
January 18, 2012
06:29 PM
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By poughkeepsiejohn
January 21, 2012
09:19 PM
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By Don
February 25, 2012
01:45 PM
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