Once again, I am at a loss for words. The brilliance of a movie has astounded me once again.
Most people try to avoid older, classic movies (especially black & white ones) purely because they think they’re outdated. To be fair, this is the reason why I’ve read barely any literary classics. Pride & Prejudice? Not a chance mate. However, old movies are different in that they feel like they are still relevant today somehow, and 12 Angry Men is a prime example of that.
Sure, I bet there’s a whole lot of trash out there from the ”golden age” of Hollywood, but I strongly believe there are some films that deserve to still be seen with fresh eyes in the year 2020, and this is one of them.
Once again: Dear God I love Henry Fonda! Between this and Once Upon a Time in the West, he has placed himself next to James Stewart in becoming one of my favourite actors from time passed. After seeing him as the villain in the previously mentioned Western, it was brilliant to see him as the stoic, American good guy, proving that he has the range of any great thespian.
Although 12 Angry Men got off to a slightly slow start, it was clear from the get go that it was building up to something exciting. Like most movies, the first 10-15 minutes were spent setting the scene and introducing its characters, but after that the tension just rose and rose until its climax, making for some outstanding storytelling.
What struck me the most about this feature was that the majority of it is set in a single room. It is so meticulously choreographed and coordinated, despite any film lover knowing how pain-staking it is to film ‘dining room’ scenes. Of course this wasn’t just any old dining table – there was an entire 12-person cast sitting around it. (Yes, they were debating rather than eating, but the sentiment is the same). Whereas most movies show a family of 3 or 4 sat eating their meal together, Sidney Lumet managed to completely conquer capturing all of the twelve men – who were all facing different directions, no less – and do so for two whole hours. I mean… it was 1957! Imagine what he could have achieved with the technology of today if this is what he was doing in the fifties.
Honestly I’ve never felt so fully satisfied by the time a movie ended. It was such a complex ride, but came to an apt and well-wrapped up conclusion. On top of that, each actors’ performance was completely spot on. Lee J. Cobb does an especially good job at playing the ‘bad’ guy, with his menacing, perspiring face doing all the work.
I’d absolutely recommend this to anyone over the age of 15, even if you think you won’t like a black & white movie that was made far before you were even born. Open your mind and give it a go.
12 Angry Men is available to rent on the Google Play store for £2.49. I was fortunate enough to catch it when it aired on the Sony Classic Movie channel, but I promise you it is worth every penny.
TQR Category Ratings:
Performance: 
Cinematography:
Soundtrack:
Costume & Set Design:
Plot:
Overall Rating:
The Quayside Review 
1 Comment