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12 Angry Men (1957)

★★★★★ — 12 Angry Men (1957)

Sidney Lumet made his feature debut with this adaptation of Reginald Rose's 1954 television play, which Rose himself adapted for the screen. Produced independently on a remarkably tight budget of under $400,000 by Henry Fonda (who also stars, though not in the top billing listed here) and Reginald Rose through their Orion-Nova company, the film was largely shot in a single Manhattan courtroom set over just twenty days. It arrived in the mid-1950s, a period when television drama was producing some of the sharpest writing in American fiction, and Rose's script carried that heritage with it. Despite strong critical reception and three Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay), it performed modestly at the box office, though its reputation has grown considerably in the decades since.

What can I say that hasn't already been said? 12 Angry Men is easily one of the greatest films ever made. The strangest thing is that there is very little in the way of action in the film at all. We're effectively spectators for a discussion amongst 12 men but it's utterly captivating. The writing is flawless, timeless and succinct and the acting is absolute perfection. The benchmark for which so many others movies are judged.

Rating: ★★★★★ | Year: 1957 | Watched: 2025-04-07

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Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Fantastic Planet (1973)

Viy (1967)

Alice in Wonderland (1951)