12 Angry Men
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
12 Angry Men is a 1957 drama film directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, Lee J. Cobb. It drew a wide audience and shaped its genre.
Plot
On a hot summer day in the New York County Courthouse, the trial has just concluded of an 18-year-old boy, characterized as a "slum kid", who is accused of killing his abusive father. The judge instructs the jury that if there is reasonable doubt, they must return a verdict of "not guilty". If found guilty by unanimous verdict, the defendant will receive a mandatory death sentence via the electric chair. At first, the case seems clear. A neighbor who lives opposite testifies to having seen the defendant stab his father, as she lay in bed looking out of her window and through the windows of a passing elevated train into the apartment where the killing took place.
Production
Written by Reginald Rose, the film was produced by Orion-Nova Productions. Kenyon Hopkins composed the score. Boris Kaufman handled the cinematography. The film runs 97 minutes. The crew and editing refined every shot.
Reception
On a budget of $397,751, 12 Angry Men grossed $4,360,000 worldwide at the box office. A critic consensus praised its screenplay and score.
Legacy
The film's influence spread across the century; its narrative and tone echo in much later cinema.
See also
References
- "The 100 Greatest Films of All Time". topfilms100. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- Ebert, Roger. The Great Movies. Broadway Books.
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