12 Angry Men

12 Angry Men (1957) - Review
Shame on me that this is the first time I've seen this film. I've intended to watch it for years and even bought it out of the discount DVD bin over a year ago. Better late than never.

The film was done beautifully (Sidney Lumet's first) but watching it made me want to direct it as a play. The story is almost totally driven by dialogue and emotion. What little physical activity there is wouldn't be constrained at all by the stage. Maybe someday.

I've never thought of Henry Fonda as a force of nature, but he certainly was one in this film. He's not so much the star of the film, but it is his calm, persistent insistence that the facts not be taken at face value that provides the impetus for most of the story.

There were some old-timers in this that had me thinking "They don't make 'em like they used to". E.G Marshall, Robert Webber, Jack Warden, Jack Klugman, Lee J. Cobb, and Ed Begley - what a crew! I had never seen Webber as a young man in anything; he was gorgeous - and I like women.

(out of 5)