12 Excellent Performances

Rating: Null/10 (9 January 2003)

Fonda tried his only attempt at producing with this tense, claustrophobic drama. Though the film was initially not very successful and Fonda did not recoup enough money to draw a salary for it, it was a work close to his heart and has since gained an almost legendary status (only slightly dimmed by the endless mediocre stage versions that pop up everywhere from high schools to church basements.) The story concerns the deliberation of twelve jury members in the case of a Puerto Rican youth accused of knifing his father to death. Fonda picked each of the other jurors from among the best actors that New York City and Hollywood had to offer. Some went on to greater fame. A few are virtually unknown today, but all do a fine job in the film. As the film gets under way, the jurors take a vote which tallies 11 guilty and 1 not guilty (Fonda.) He must attempt to sway the remaining jurors to his viewpoint or risk a hung jury. Each of the jurors fits a certain "type". Some are meek, some loud, some wealthy, some poor, some ethnic, etc... Scoring especially well (though their high volume bombast can be rough on the ears at times) are Cobb, Begley and Warden. However, the quieter ones are no less effective. Marshall is excellent as a carefully behaved upper crust man. Webber is at his most handsome as a snappy ad exec. Fonda underplays his role, allowing the audience to project its feelings onto his familiar face. There is a lot of the expected discussion and rehashing of the evidence, but the film is also punctuated with a few piercing dramatic moments and somehow manages to create and build suspense in a story where there isn't a lot of doubt as to the outcome. The film captures a sort of old world class and respect and dignity (even with the underbelly of life that gets exposed in the story) that is mostly absent from today's movies and today's world. Whenever a man gets agitated, someone politely suggests that he calms down and typically, he does. Today there would have to be a fistfight and all sorts of extra melodrama to keep audiences watching. However, for the patient and appreciative viewer, this film satisfies greatly. An interesting point is made at the end....that after all the deliberation and drama, the jurors never even knew each others' names and from here on will likely never see one another again. It's a thought-provoking and intriguing story with lots to offer. Should be required viewing for anyone about to sit on jury duty as it illustrates the dangers of preconception and going with the flow.