12 Angry Men (1957) | |
| Director(s) | Sidney Lumet |
| Producer(s) | Henry Fonda, George Justin (associate), Reginald Rose |
| Top Genres | Drama |
| Top Topics | Based on Play, Courtroom, Justice, Prejudice |
Featured Cast:
12 Angry Men Overview:
12 Angry Men (1957) was a Drama - Black-and-white Film directed by Sidney Lumet and produced by Henry Fonda, Reginald Rose and George Justin.
SYNOPSIS
This is perhaps the most famous classic-movie courtroom drama. The jurors get their instructions in a murder case and enter a hot, close jury room to begin deliberating. The first count shows only Fonda holding out for acquittal. Then the fireworks begin, fueled by fatigue, heat, and the different personalities and experiences of the jurors. In Lumet's debut, he breaks every rule of cinema action, setting his story in one claustrophobic room and using multiple takes from different angles to provide movement. Originally a teleplay, this was Fonda's only experiment with producing. Remade for cable TV with Jack Lemmon.
(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).
.12 Angry Men was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2007.
Academy Awards 1957 --- Ceremony Number 30 (source: AMPAS)
| Award | Recipient | Result |
| Best Director | Sidney Lumet | Nominated |
| Best Picture | Henry Fonda and Reginald Rose, Producers | Nominated |
| Best Writing | Reginald Rose | Nominated |
BlogHub Articles:
All 12 Angry Men, Ranked
By Carol Martinheira on Jul 30, 2026 From The Old Hollywood GardenAll 12 Angry Men, Ranked On July 30, 2026 By CarolIn Uncategorized Image from alexonfilm.com Six years ago, I did a thing here. For 2020, the series of posts was very simple: I ranked the 12 Angry Men in order of my personal preference, from January to December, one... Read full article
12 Angry Men – Take 2 – Henry Fonda
By Virginie Pronovost on Feb 2, 2019 From The Wonderful World of CinemaI had already written about 12 Angry Men (Sidney Lumet, 1957) on this blog when I wrote about Lee J. Cobb’s paternal roles in this film and in Golden Boy (Rouben Mamoulian, 1939). But there’s another 12 Angry Men’s actor that obviously deserves to be discussed: Henry Fonda, juror #... Read full article
DOUBLE BILL #13: Witness for the Prosecution (1957) and 12 Angry Men (1957)
By Carol Martinheira on Apr 12, 2018 From The Old Hollywood GardenDOUBLE BILL #13: Witness for the Prosecution (1957) and 12 Angry Men (1957) On April 12, 2018 By CarolIn Uncategorized Courtroom dramas never disappoint. They?re tense, gripping, dramatic and emotional and, more often than not, they grab you by the throat and they don?... Read full article
What I Learned from 12 Angry Men (1)
By 4 Star Film Fan on Oct 16, 2016 From 4 Star FilmsRecently I got the chance to sit down with a group of friends and watch 12 Angry Men together. Many of them had never seen it and hearing their reactions was immense fun for me. But as we talked for a few minutes afterward, I began to realize that really each of these characters represents something... Read full article
What I Learned from 12 Angry Men (2)
By 4 Star Film Fan on Oct 16, 2016 From 4 Star FilmsRecently I got the chance to sit down with a group of friends and watch 12 Angry Men together. Many of them had never seen it and hearing their reactions was immense fun for me. But as we talked for a few minutes afterward, I began to realize that really each of these characters represents something... Read full article
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Quotes from
Juror #3: He said twenty seconds.
Juror #8: He said fifteen!
Juror #3: He said twenty seconds! What are you tryin' to distort...
Juror #9: He said fifteen.
Juror #3: How does he know how long fifteen seconds is? You can't judge a thing like that.
Juror #9: He said fifteen seconds. He was very positive about it.
Juror #3: He was an old man. Half the time he was confused. How could he be positive about anything!
[realizes what he's just admitted]
Juror #8: Look, there was one alleged eye witness to this killing. Someone else claims he heard the killing, saw the boy run out afterwards and there was a lot of circumstantial evidence. But, actually, those two witnesses were the entire case for the prosecution. Supposing they're wrong?
Juror #12: What do you mean, supposing they're wrong? What's the point of having witnesses at all?
Juror #8: Could they be wrong?
Juror #12: What are you trying to say? Those people sat on the stand under oath.
Juror #8: They're only people. People make mistakes. Could they be wrong?
Juror #12: Well, no, I don't think so.
Juror #8: Do you 'know' so?
Juror #12: Oh, come on. Nobody can know a thing like that. This isn't an exact science.
Juror #8: That's right, it isn't.
Juror #2: It's hard to put into words. I just think he's guilty. I thought it was obvious from the word, 'Go'. Nobody proved otherwise.
Juror #8: Nobody has to prove otherwise. The burden of proof is on the prosecution. The defendant doesn't even have to open his mouth. That's in the Constitution.
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Facts about
Despite numerous critical accolades, the film was not a box office success on first release.
The film received a personal recommendation from Eleanor Roosevelt.
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