A tour-de-force in group dynamics

Rating: 10/10 (16 July 2008)

This film is highly recommended for anyone interested in group dynamics. The 12 characters are not caricatures: their complex motivations and thought processes are skilfully played out in an very dramatic--and yet highly plausible--plot, and this is certainly no mean feat. Analyzing this film can provide hours of fascination.
The formidable cast gives virtuoso performances, particularly from Peter Fonda, Lee Cobb, and E.J. Marshall. The exchanges that take place in this small room--giving the feel more of a stage play than a movie--will stay with the viewer for many years. This film clearly deserves its current (July 2008) rank of 11 on IMDb's Top 250 List. The later remake does not do it justice--this is undoubtedly the version to watch.