12 Angry Men (1957)

Sidney Lumet directed 12 Angry Men, a 1957 American courtroom drama film adapted on Reginald Rose's 1954 teleplay of the same name. The defense and prosecution have finished their arguments, and the jury is preparing to determine whether a young man is guilty or innocent of murdering his father. What starts off as a simple murder case quickly turns into a detective story with a series of clues that raise skepticism, as well as a mini-drama about the jurors' prejudices and preconceptions regarding the trial, the accused, and each other. The action of the play takes place entirely on the stage of the jury room.

The American Film Institute named it the second-best courtroom drama of all time (after 1962's To Kill a Mockingbird) on their AFI's 10 Top 10 list. Many people consider it to be one of the best films ever created. The Library of Congress chose the film for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2007 because it was "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Detailed Information:
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
Starring: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, E.G. Marshall
Release date: April 10, 1957 (Fox Wilshire Theater)
Running time: 96 minutes