Criterion Collection: 12 Angry Men [Blu-ray] [1957] [US Import]

Description

12 Angry Men, by Sidney Lumet, may be the most radical big-screen courtroom drama in cinema history. A behind-closed-doors look at the American * system as riveting as it is spare, the iconic adaptation of Reginald Roses teleplay stars Henry Fonda as the initially dissenting member of a jury of white men ready to pass judgment on a Puerto Rican teenager charged with murdering his father. What results is a saga of epic proportions that plays out in real time over ninety minutes in one sweltering room. Lumets electrifying snapshot of 1950s America on the verge of change is one of the great feature-film debuts. Review: Five Stars - Good old Criterion. Review: 12 Angry Men Criterion - What can you say that's new about a classic such as this ? One of the finest courtroom dramas ever made,though that is a misnomer because virtually the whole film is set in the cramped,claustrophobic jury room .Henry Fonda leads a cast featuring the best character actors of the day including Lee J.Cobb,Jack Warden and Martin Balsam.But it is Fondas quiet dignified man who comes out on top in the end.This is a Criterion disc so there are the usual wealth of superb extras,the most interesting being the original tv version directed by Franklin J.Schaffner(probably best known for the George C.Scott Patton movie)two years before the film was released.This starred Robert Cummings and a forgotten star from the Hollywood of the thirties,Franchot Tone.Interestingly the tv version features a couple of the actors later to play small roles in the big screen version.It is fascinating to compare the two versions.Finally a word of praise to director Sidney Lumet,who sadly died last year and of course the writer Reginald Rose.The question should you buy this disc ? Well you would be guilty if you did n't ! I rest my case