12 Angry Men (1957)

Hello again and sorry for the last minute review. The film is inappropriately named hence my review title as there are actually: 3 angry men, 1 relaxed man, 1 surprisingly cheerful man, 1 idiot, 1 man that couldn't care less, 2 men that lacked emotion and 3 wise men. does that add up to 12? On with the review I guess...

The acting was, in one word, great. Lee J Cobb portrayed Juror 3/very angry man very well with strong emotions and a ridiculously short temper, I would not like to face him in a jury! Jack warden fitted perfectly for Juror 7/ the idiot making himself the perfect outlandish imbecilic character who hadn't matured yet. Henry Fonda (Juror 8/ wise man 1), Joseph Sweeney (Juror 9/ wise man 2) and George Voskovec (Juror 11/ wise man 3) created the perfect contrast to jack warden and also Robert Webber (Juror 12/ the man that couldn't care less). I feel the acting was important as it stopped the film looking like one long rugby soccer room.

I feel the costume department could have made Jack Klugman ( Juror 5/ nice angry man) more scruffy so I wasn't so taken aback when he said he lived in the slums. At least none of the costumes got into Chester races territory! Though I was impressed by other costumes and the use of the hat on Jack Warden to make him seem even more immature.

I was very surprised when I saw the film was a U and whilst watching it felt even more that way and felt it was at least well up in PG territory as I personally wouldn't sit any 2 year old in front of the screen unaccompanied and sacrifice them to the immature language and actions of some of the men. I suppose they were less strict back in the 20th century. My choice of rating is a high PG or low 12A alternatively.

As for the effects....well there is nothing to say as it was shot in one room for around 90% of the film in real time. This gives the team two advantages: the film is cheaper and they avoid criticism from fussy people like me. The room may have been shot in a studio so it was less claustrophobic and the room didn't feel like an oven.

I loved the constant funny and witty screenplay which was made even better as 2 of the angry men kept arguing against themselves and proving themselves wrong. The wise men's lines were somewhat inspirational and great revealing a hidden clues that you will have to find out by watching the film. A very clever job from the director who enticed me with every sentence that was produced.

If you have run out of witty catchphrases or claim that jury's are boring this is the film for you. So turn your TV on! You're in for a treat whoever you are.

Thanks for reading my review ( The previous review was meant to be 5* so sorry to anyone I confused and upset)