values

Rating: 10/10 (11 June 2003)

Of course Twelve Angry Men is about the legal system in the US. Of course it is considered "artsy" in part since it is low budget and filmed in black and white.
But above all it is cinema that has the three basic ingredients of what makes a great movie: a good screenplay, great actors and impeccable photography. Cinema started as filmed theater and IMHO any film should be aware of its origins. As soon as a movie denies its origins totally and turnes into a computer generated roller coaster ride, I don't like it.

I don't say all films should play in just one room. But the "real time" feel should be explored much more often in movies. Hitchcock did it with "Rope" and I think he did it excellently.
Twelve Angry Men is based upon a television play. These were transmitted live (!!!) back in the 1950s because the video tape didn't exist back then - so we can speak of theater. The movie itself has very much the same feel to it. I like the interactiveness between the actors and the "modern theater performance" used back then. In recent movies we can see all too often an actor caring about his/her facial expressions when filmed and caring about the voice at the studio dubbing stage. In this film everything what you see and what you hear looks 100% natural.
I am especially overwhelmed by the values transmitted by the main characters. Honest Hank (Henry Fonda) is of course the most likeable character. E.G. Marshall stands out as well. But it's the great, late Lee J. Cobb who runs away with the movie in his final scene. Very powerful. Watch it!
One of the finest movies ever!