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Dec 06, 2016akirakato rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is a 1957 American courtroom drama directed by Sidney Lumet, adapted from a teleplay of the same name by Reginald Rose. The film shows the story of a jury made up of 12 men as they deliberate the guilt or acquittal of a defendant on the basis of reasonable doubt. In the United States, a verdict in most criminal trials by jury must be unanimous. Only one of the jurors goes for not-guilty at the beginning. The different personalities of the jury add intensity and conflict during the stormy discussion. No names are used in the film except for the last scene. It is remarkable that, during 96-minute run time, only one jury room is used in the film except 3 minutes spent in the main courtroom. Yet the film makes you stay at the edge of your seat. Superb are the performances of all the actors. No wonder it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".