Well Founded Anger

I'm pleased to report that I've found another classic movie that actually lives up to the reputation it has in critics' circles, 12 Angry Men. Starring Henry Fonda, this is the well-known story of a jury deliberating a murder verdict. One man stands alone in favor of acquittal, and must slowly persuade the rest of the jury of his opinion.

One of the most striking things to me about the movie is how well it holds up now, more than 50 years later. The acting seemed to me of a caliber far above most other films of the era I've seen, quite grounded in realism. Though some characters are defined much more strongly than others, each has a juicy moment or two, and the cast makes the most of what they're given.

It's a bit hard to judge the writing, as this formula has been imitated in more television shows and subsequent movies than I could possibly mention. We all know exactly where the plot is going, whether we've actually heard the story or not. But the journey is more compelling than the destination, and pulls you in. It's interesting to see how each juror is turned around. And it's a very effective choice not to identify the characters by name; their actions are far more telling than any bricks of exposition that might have loaded down the first act.

To my mind, though, there is an inherent flaw in the set-up. These are jurors. They personally have nothing at stake in the outcome of the trial. In fact, one of the character states this fact point blank during the movie, much to the drama's detriment. Sure, these men may have arguments that will engage us for these 90 minutes, but when it's all done, no matter what happens, it's not their lives on the line. If the protagonist doesn't persuade anyone else to change his vote, so what? He goes back to his life. The end. This is not to say the movie is without drama; it has its share. But there's a built-in limit to how high the dramatic stakes can get because none of the characters has anything to lose.

It's a flaw in the very recipe itself, yet I don't think a story on this subject could have been crafted any better, and this telling of it remains effective to this day. I rate the movie a B+. If you haven't seen it, and have any interest in films, it's one to put on your list.