12 Angry Men
The defense and the prosecution have rested and the jury is filing into the jury room to decide if a young Spanish-American is guilty or innocent of murdering his father. What begins as an open and shut case soon becomes a mini-drama of each of the jurors' prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused, and each other.
Audience Sentiment
The final holdout breaks
The knife revelation
The film maintains consistently high praise throughout, with the biggest swing being the gradual build from the methodical evidence examination to the emotional peak of Lee J. Cobb's breakdown
Critics universally praised 12 Angry Men as a masterclass in filmmaking, with particular acclaim for its tight direction, excellent ensemble acting, and intelligent script. The film maintains exceptional quality throughout its runtime, building from strong atmospheric opening to increasingly powerful dramatic moments, culminating in Lee J. Cobb's tour-de-force emotional breakdown.
Full cast
Martin Balsam
Juror 1
John Fiedler
Juror 2
Lee J. Cobb
Juror 3
E.G. Marshall
Juror 4
Jack Klugman
Juror 5
Edward Binns
Juror 6
Jack Warden
Juror 7
Henry Fonda
Juror 8
Joseph Sweeney
Juror 9
Ed Begley
Juror 10
George Voskovec
Juror 11
Robert Webber
Juror 12
Rudy Bond
Judge (uncredited)
Tom Gorman
Stenographer (uncredited)
James Kelly
Guard (uncredited)
Billy Nelson
Court Clerk (uncredited)
Walter Stocker
Man Waiting for Elevator (uncredited)
John Savoca
Defendant (uncredited)
Crew
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