12 angry men

[Emma Raducanu]

Love this film. Could watch it every rainy afternoon. With that in mind, could anyone recommend film of a similar vibe. Sorry, I'm pissed. But I always think, whenever I watch 12 angry men, there must be something else to watch. Don't wanna watch this for the 300th time.

[Shit Good Nose]

You could do a lot worse than William Friedkin's made-for-TV remake, which is genuinely decent.

Alternatively, Lumet's other "men in a room talking" masterpiece Fail-Safe will suffice.  Dr Strangelove played deadly fucking seriously.  There is also, coincidentally, a half decent made-for-TV remake of Fail-Safe which was broadcast live as it was performed.  From memory poor old Sam Elliott was the only one who flubbed.

[Keebleman]

It's a brilliantly structured script.  The original TV version - less than an hour long - is on YouTube.  Will have to give that a look.

I've always felt that a big irony with the film is

Spoiler alert

that the doubts raised don't really constitute 'reasonable' doubts at all - the kid probably did it!

[close]

[the science eel]

It's a brilliantly structured script.  The original TV version - less than an hour long - is on YouTube.  Will have to give that a look.

I've always felt that a big irony with the film is

Spoiler alert

that the doubts raised don't really constitute 'reasonable' doubts at all - the kid probably did it!

[close]

oh, I don't know about THAT!

[shagatha crustie]

Never seen this. Think about watching it sometimes but then when it comes to the crunch never can quite be arsed. I'd it good as everyone says? I mean is it really all that.

[Captain Z]

12 Monkeys

Never seen this. Think about watching it sometimes but then when it comes to the crunch never can quite be arsed. I'd it good as everyone says? I mean is it really all that.

I would say probably yes. I'm not massively 'into films' like I am with music, but I've been making an effort over the last few years to catch up on some of these reputable classics, and this was definitely an enjoyable one.

[Puce Moment]

The restricted location?

[the science eel]

Never seen this. Think about watching it sometimes but then when it comes to the crunch never can quite be arsed. I'd it good as everyone says? I mean is it really all that.

It's my favourite film. It's rivetting throughout - Lumet's direction has a lot to do with it - and it leaves you knocked out. Its simplicity is key.

I was never completely convinced by Fonda but the rest are stellar. Particularly Lee J. Cobb.

The basic premise is a little shaky but once you're in it, you don't care.

[Brundle-Fly]

Love this film. Could watch it every rainy afternoon. With that in mind, could anyone recommend film of a similar vibe. Sorry, I'm pissed. But I always think, whenever I watch 12 angry men, there must be something else to watch. Don't wanna watch this for the 300th time.

You might enjoy Inherit The Wind (1960)  Based on the events of the evolution vs creationism monkey trial of 1925. I think it's brilliant and like 12 Angry Men,(1957) a terrific ensemble cast.

[Emma Raducanu]

Inherit the wind is on its way, thanks :)

SGN, "You could do a lot worse than William Friedkin's made-for-TV remake, which is genuinely decent."

Is it the same script played by different people?

The rest are stellar. Particularly Lee J. Cobb.

Agreed, he's brilliant. I wanted to know more about him and read in a bio "Cobb joined the politically progressive Group Theater in 1935 and made a name for himself in Clifford Odets' politically liberal dramas Waiting for Lefty". I'd like to see that :)

[Shit Good Nose]

SGN, "You could do a lot worse than William Friedkin's made-for-TV remake, which is genuinely decent."

Is it the same script played by different people?

It's based on Reginald Rose's original teleplay rather than his script for Lumet's film, but it's broadly the same.  It's just interesting with a completely different set of actors in a more modern setting, and George C Scott (in the Lee J Cobb role) is amazing, as is the whole cast.  Even Tony Danza gives it a good go.

[the science eel]

Gandolfini and Lemmon too, if I remember correctly.

[Shit Good Nose]

Gandolfini and Lemmon too, if I remember correctly.

Yep.  Lemmon is in the Fonda role.

[the science eel]

You rarely read quotes taken from the film, which surprises me just a little. But there are some wonderful examples.

'yer horn works - now check yer lights!'

'I grew up around garbage dumps - maybe you can still smell it on me'

'it's not POSSIBLE he could have heard it!'

'you're a pretty smart fella, aren't you?'

'you lousy bunch of bleedin' hearts - you aren't gonna intimidate ME!'


Fuck, I love it.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Yep.  Lemmon is in the Fonda role.

Lemon fondant.
I was thinking about the film just the other day. Legal thrillers are ten a penny, but they're usually about the lawyers. I wonder if the premise could be applied to a series, with a different trial each time, or if it's  too limited.

[bgmnts]

I found a videotape titled 12 Angry Men in your mum's collection.

I daren't watch it.

[Keebleman]

I was thinking about the film just the other day. Legal thrillers are ten a penny, but they're usually about the lawyers. I wonder if the premise could be applied to a series, with a different trial each time, or if it's  too limited.

The BBC had a series in the 80s called Jury in which each episode focused on a different member of the jury.  It was hopeless: twelve boring, cliched, stand-alone dramas which had little or nothing to do with the actual trial.

[Ignatius_S]

The original version for television was done for the Studio One anthology series, which is worth checking out - going from memory, most if not all (such as 12 Angry Men) were broadcast live and the range of material, simply astonishing.

One I particularly recommend is The Laugh Maker, about a writer doing a profile on a comedian and finding how the public and private side of them is poles apart. The latter is played by Jackie Gleason, at that time a huge television comedian, and the former by Art Carney, who played second banana on Gleason's shows. Both are fantastic but given Gleason's reputation for not being the easiest person to work with, there might be an element of life imitating art...

[Ignatius_S]

It's based on Reginald Rose's original teleplay rather than his script for Lumet's film, but it's broadly the same.  It's just interesting with a completely different set of actors in a more modern setting, and George C Scott (in the Lee J Cobb role) is amazing, as is the whole cast.  Even Tony Danza gives it a good go.

Yeah, it's really interesting to see a different cast - and as you say, they do a great job.

[Shit Good Nose]

Yeah, it's really interesting to see a different cast - and as you say, they do a great job.

Less good is the Russian adaptation by Nikita Mikhalikov (of Burnt By the Sun and Unfinished Piece For Mechanical Piano fame) - overlong and overclever.

[the science eel]

Love this film. Could watch it every rainy afternoon. With that in mind, could anyone recommend film of a similar vibe.

On The Waterfront, if you haven't seen it already. I mean, it's very different in many ways but if you're after something with a similar vibe - it's similarly 'heavy', from the same era, deals with crime as its main theme, and also features Lee J Cobb and Martin Balsam.