Life is in their hands. Death is on their minds.|Apr. 10, 1957|USA|97 Min.|Approved
Genre: Drama
Description: The 1957 film *12 Angry Men* tells the gripping story of a jury tasked with deciding the fate of an 18-year-old boy accused of murdering his father. Set in a tense jury room at the New York County Courthouse, the judge emphasizes that a guilty verdict must be unanimous and carries the death penalty. The case initially appears straightforward: a neighbor claims to have witnessed the crime, another heard threats and saw the defendant flee, and the murder weapon matches a knife the boy allegedly owned but claimed to have lost.
As deliberations begin, all jurors vote guilty except Juror 8, who insists on discussing the case further. He raises doubts about the witnesses’ testimonies and challenges the uniqueness of the murder weapon by presenting an identical knife. Despite resistance, he advocates for a secret ballot, which reveals a single not-guilty vote. Juror 9, moved by Juror 8’s reasoning, changes his stance, sparking further debate. The film masterfully explores themes of justice, prejudice, and the importance of questioning assumptions.
Cast director: Sidney Lumet
Cast actor: Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, Lee J. Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Edward Binns, Jack Warden, Henry Fonda, Joseph Sweeney, Ed Begley
Original name: 12 Angry Men