Tuesday 5 September 2023

12 Angry Men (1997 William Friedkin)

Pretty much a word for word remake, for TV (MGM) with Reginald Rose providing a few touches to update it - four of the jurors are now black, and the failed Islamist Mykelti Williamson's rant about the threat of 'spics' and immigrants takes on a doubly disturbing edge.

The new jury are: Courtney Vance, Ossie Davis, George C Scott, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Dorian Harewood, James Gandolfini, Tony Danza, Jack Lemmon (Golden Globe nominated), Hume Cronyn, Williamson, Edward James Olmos and William Petersen.

The fact that it works so well still is down to the brilliance of the original material, which was first broadcast as a live TV play in 1954, then reworked for the stage, before being shot as a feature in 1957. Mix that with a great cast and you still have a winner.

Photographed by Fred Schuler (The King of Comedy, Arthur).



Friedkin died on August 7 so this was something of a tribute.

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