Great acting and the interactions of great actors.

Rating: 10/10 (12 February 2005)

It has been said that an actor's performance can be elevated by the presence of a great actor. The greatness of 12 Angry Men somewhere lays in this theory, times twelve. I would be at a loss to identify who is elevating whom, certainly Lee J. Cobb, Henry Fonda and Ed Beagly Sr. are among the truly greats, to single them out as the pacesetters might minimize the skills and abilities of journeymen like E.G Marshall, Jack Klugmen, Martin Balsom or Jack Warden. Obviously John Fiedler or Robert Webber are not names usually associated with the aforementioned and possibly the proof of this theory however I am reticent to apply this to them, so perfect were they in their individual numeric places.
What movie aficionado can remove from memory the old man's affinity and identification with the stroke victim witness "I believe I know this man better than any of you", his unexpected gesture of support for the Fonda character with his "not guilty" verdict and subsequent explanation as to why. E.G. Marshall's perspiration as he tries to remember a second feature. The broken and silent bigot (Ed Beagly) sitting slumped over and alone. Everything Lee J. Cobb said or did: Knife in hand directed at Fonda's heart, held back by a man who is basically good but threatening still by a lifetime of mistakes and disappointments.
Ninety six continuous minutes of this, one moment no greater, no lesser than the other. No actor's performance eclipsing another's. The director's skillful climactic, anticlimactic meeting on the steps of the courthouse between Davis and McCartel. My apologies to the director, writers and editors, but this movie was made great by the acting. It will never be better than in 12 Angry Men.