12 Angry Men ClichÃ© Ridden **1/2

Rating: 7/10 (13 November 2007)

The film may be described as a good one due to the outstanding ensemble cast of actors in it.
I found that the film is definitely liberal-slanted. Conservatives are depicted as bigoted idiots. Henry Fonda, the juror who swayed all eventually, has a liberal, creative mind. He is really able to come up with creative ideas that leads to the acquittal of the defendant. Fonda is the dream juror for every defense attorney, as well as a nightmare for prosecuting attorneys.
Lee J. Cobb steals the film with an outstanding performance as a hateful juror who allows his personal problems with an alienated son to feel that the accused is guilty. Ditto for Jack Warden, who really switched his vote in order to get to that baseball game.
When viewing E.G. Marshall's performance, I could not help think back about his acting in the television series-"The Defenders." He is really the opposite here
Ed Begley really spews out bigoted ideas that most of "these people" aren't any good and think nothing of a life. We are constantly reminded about the downtrodden, the abused child, slum and poverty living in relation to crime and other factors. The film is really a good psychological-sociological drama if anything.
It seems as though the violent thunderstorm signaled a break in the action. When the lights were put on, the fan worked. Why didn't someone in the court tell the jurors about the fan and the light? Especially, as it was a sweltering day.
As the jury foreman, Martin Balsam is supposed to conduct the agenda in order. Instead, he really allows the other jurors to dominate.
Wouldn't you love to see the reaction in court when the verdict was read? How did the accuse react? The judge? The courtroom spectators?