Henry Fonda redefines what it means to be a protagonist in a classic masterpiece

Sidney Lumet’s 1957 masterpiece 12 angry men,
is still as relevant as ever. Reginald Rose has crafted a script so perfect that it feels like the backbone of not only cinema but also modern stage plays. The themes explored by Lumet and Rose are so varied that they go beyond any courtroom drama or mystery and simply ask, “Shouldn’t we be discussing this?” The setup is simplistic but effective. The cast is big in terms of essential roles but small in scope, and what we get is one of the tightest scripts and well-made films ever.

12 Angry Men is a story as old as time

Reginald Rose brings perspective and empathy to the courtroom

It’s amazing to think how, when Rose wrote this, he hadn’t had years of experience. Law and Order turn upside down. There have certainly been courtroom-based films before and a number of popular mysteries to draw from, but the core of the script isn’t concerned with any of that. Rose writes broadly, in the best sense. The nefarious “they” or “those people” could be an allegory for the poor, women or minorities.

Decades later, countless plays by 12 angry men and other productions with similar plots are still being made. 12 angry men It’s a film that feels like an adaptation of a book or play because the material is so relevant.

The jurors in 12 angry men start as the same character and slowly reveal that there is more on their minds. The film unfolds in a series of conversation starters that provide a different piece of the puzzle. The evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of the prosecution and Fonda’s only line of debate is that jurors owe the defendant the benefit of the doubt. The script gives everyone a fair shake, but Ed Begley and Lee J. Cobb particularly shine. The juxtaposition of them shouting what appears to be a fact and Fonda calmly stating an alternative is the film’s driving force.

Location, location, location

The unique setting is wonderfully torturous

Stories that take place in a setting are always complicated. If done correctly, they can evoke a feeling of claustrophobia that increases the risks. When they don’t measure up, we are stuck in one place waiting to get out. The difference is subtle, but fundamental. 12 angry men it’s so compelling that you don’t want the film to end despite its unique location. This is made all the more impressive because we don’t get the full picture until the end of the film, and at that point, it doesn’t matter. Spending time in the deliberation room and adjacent bathroom is more than enough.

12 angry men It has the most perfect cast we’ll ever see and it’s all brought together by Henry Fonda. He plays the protagonist very passively; he barely raises his voice. Although he is the voice of reason, he is more than capable of intimidating other characters and stealing scenes through absolute focus. When his bombastic counterpart angers him, Fonda plunges a knife straight into the table. Any other actor would be chewing the scenery, but Fonda’s physicality in the scene is graceful, not overt.

12 angry men It’s a certified classic. Despite being released in 1957, the film hasn’t aged a day and probably never will. The music, lighting, and set design are impeccable and complement everything we see on screen, while Fonda is perfect and her supporting cast represents the underlying class disparity in America. Lumet’s direction is sharp and it seems clear that he could see the entire film in his head before shooting it.

But the real genius is Reginald Rose. The story he formulated is rich and open to interpretation. A film like 12 angry men it comes once in a lifetime and will remain a model of what a masterpiece will look like.