simply one of the greats of cinema

Twelve Angry Men review

By roncoach from suffolk

Twelve Angry Men

Starring Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, E.G. Marshall

Director Sidney Lumet

Genres Drama, Thriller

Run time 112 mins Certificate U

11th May 2011

I've seen the movie many times and never tire of it---everything tells me I should ( I know the ending, it's set in a single drab room, it has no women in the cast : unthinkable !,it's kind of claustrophobic.............) BUT each time I view it, I see a new hidden nuance and I am in awe of how such a film can be so watchable and join the ranks of the greats.

There is a reason so few films are set in one single room for the whole movie : they are doomed to failure. But not this one. So why ? So why should I recommend it hugely to the 3 yak-herders in Mongolia who have never seen it ?

Well, let's try the fiollowing :

1. Viewer ends up thinking he is in the room with the 12 men.

2.The cast is a compendium of outstanding talent, and I do not just mean the always-brilliant Henry Fonda ( Lee J Cobb is probably my 'pick of the bunch' in this particular work of art).

3.Viewer feels hot and damp like the temperature in the room and the weather conditions--strange eh?

4. The tension never lets up for a minute. It starts from the beginning and then just 'takes you away' until you suddenly realise that it's ending.

5.The Black & White photography is so 'correct'.

6.All technical aspects are spot-on, from screenplay to editing.

I could go on, but the above may hopefully provide a douceur.

The achievement of making one of cinema's great films , set in one drab room, is staggering.

This film rightfully takes its place among one of the most interesting, original and tense films ever made---it outshines any Hitchcock memorable moments in parts.

Oh, you've read better reviews than mine---so you're going to watch it anyway ! I wish I was one of the yak-herders seeing it for the first time ( so long as the Mongolian subtitles were as excellent as the rest of the film ).................

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About the reviewer: roncoach

Mad about films-----nearly any genre invented. I firmly believe that , for examples, during the Golden Age of Hollywood ( say 1937-47) or during the Ealing Years in Britain in the 50s ,more good or great films were made, in terms of sheer numbers than before or since. But I also firmly believe that good and great films have been made in every decade over the past 90 years or more right up to the present day. It is just my opinion that far fewer are made in the present era than in earlier eras. But so long as great films , like The King's Speech ( 2010) or Shawshank Redemption (1994) { or even great TV series like "Lost") are made ........the silver screen will always enrich people's lives and add to our cultural heritage. And most of all to our sheer enjoyment ! Not everyone needs to be a film "buff" or include viewing as their favourite hobby......but is there really anyone who does not enjoy a good film at least from time to time ? In another life, I want to be Leslie Halliwell who, during his life, watched just about every movie ever made and passed on his enthusiasm and passion to so many of his readers. After his death, his successors never "got it right" as Mr Halliwell would have wished. Pity. I have made a collection of my 100 "must-see" films -------it is available under one of my profile sections. Of course, some of the list would change every day LOL ! But the one published on this site gives a good idea of the range of my movie "likes". I wonder if my feeling is correct that today's younger generations are far less tolerant of the whole spectrum of movies in terms of when they were produced. I feel that older generations will readily recognise and acknowledge a good or great movie whether it it was made in 1940 or in 2011. But it seems that younger generations do not do that------they are less inclined to even watch a film dated 1940 ( thus missing some all-time greats) , and if by chance they DO see an "oldie" that is genuinely a great film, they are likely to review it as "dated rubbish". I hope that sweeping generalisation is wrong and that younger generations make a point of looking for 5* films from bygone eras and not just trying to search through much dross to find a good or great film from among the current "blockbusters". Yeah, I'll get off the soapbox and go and watch a film......a good one : from 1940 or from 2011. Happy Viewing :)

Titles rented: 175

Favourite actor: Bogey to Bacon; Coop to De Niro; etc

Favourite director: Michael Curtiz