---
name: "Sidney Lumet"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/sidney-lumet"
fi1m_id: "sidney-lumet"
imdb_id: "nm0001486"
tmdb_id: 39996
wikidata_id: "Q51559"
roles: ["Director"]
born: "25 June 1924"
died: "9 April 2011"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 88
average_as: "director"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-09-24T06:50:12.160685+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Sidney Lumet

## Identity

Sidney Lumet

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/sidney-lumet
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** sidney-lumet
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001486
- **TMDB ID:** 39996
- **Wikidata ID:** Q51559
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Lumet, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q51559, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001486/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/39996

Director. Born 25 June 1924 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Died 9 April 2011.

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Born:** 25 June 1924, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- **Died:** 9 April 2011
- **Active:** 1957–1982
- **Also known as:** 西德尼·吕美特, Сидни Люмет, سیدنی لومت
- **Frequently works with:** [Al Pacino](https://film.one/person/al-pacino.md), [Martin Bregman](https://film.one/person/martin-bregman.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 5 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 88, as director, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 91 (1), 1970s 88 (2), 1980s 84 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 88 to 80 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Crime 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $139m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Lumet, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q51559, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001486/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/39996

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*12 Angry Men*](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md) (91)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Sidney Lumet

> Sidney Lumet makes people arguing about justice gripping because he lets their impatience, pride and uncertainty show. We recommend him for the actors, and for the precise, unobtrusive filmmaking that gives them room to work.

In *12 Angry Men* (1957), Henry Fonda's Juror 8 asks eleven men to reconsider a guilty vote they are ready to let stand. Lumet makes that request enough to hold our attention. We were unsettled by how readily the discussion could have ended, because the other jurors seem so comfortable with their certainty. Fonda gives the questions weight without making patience look easy. That is where Lumet earns our trust: he understands how much effort it takes to get somebody to listen.

Boris Kaufman's cinematography makes the jury room feel oppressively hot while keeping its geography clear. Lumet's long takes let us watch several men at once, then the close-ups make their separate reactions harder to miss. Lee J. Cobb gives Fonda's patience something forceful to contend with, while E.G. Marshall makes certainty seem firmly settled. The actors remain distinct even when they share an opinion, and the framing keeps those differences visible.

That feature debut followed work in live television, and Lumet went on to make New York dramas concerned with institutions and the people caught inside them. *Serpico* (1973) addressed police corruption; *Network* (1976) turned to media satire. *The Verdict* (1982) returned to courtroom questions of conscience and law. His emphasis on rehearsal and ensemble acting suited such material: a dispute needs people whose reasons we can follow, even when we reject them. His final film, *Before the Devil Knows You're Dead* (2007), used a non-linear structure and digital photography for a New York crime story.

The theatricality sometimes held against Lumet is worth taking seriously, but *12 Angry Men* is hardly indifferent to what a camera can do. Its changing groupings keep a confined space interesting without distracting us from the argument. Reginald Rose's screenplay does arrange some disagreements too neatly, and Lumet does not entirely disguise the convenience. The ensemble makes that flaw worth accepting. Start with *12 Angry Men*, even if legal dramas are not usually your choice.

## Biography

Sidney Lumet was an American film director. He was born on 25 June 1924 in Philadelphia and died on 9 April 2011 in New York. He began his career in the theatre as an actor and director before moving into television in the early 1950s.

Lumet made his feature film debut directing *12 Angry Men* (1957). He went on to direct more than 40 films, including *Serpico* (1973), *Murder on the Orient Express* (1974), *Dog Day Afternoon* (1975), *Network* (1976), *The Verdict* (1982) and *Before the Devil Knows You're Dead* (2007). He received Academy Award nominations for Best Director for *12 Angry Men*, *Dog Day Afternoon*, *Network* and *The Verdict*, and was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2005.

*Sources: britannica.com, bfi.org.uk, en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *The Verdict* (1982), Fi1m 84, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/the-verdict.md)
- *Network* (1976), Fi1m 86, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/network.md)
- *Dog Day Afternoon* (1975), Fi1m 90, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/dog-day-afternoon.md)
- *12 Angry Men* (1957), Fi1m 91, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md)

## Complete filmography (85)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *In Her Skin* (2009), Consulting Producer
- *Before the Devil Knows You're Dead* (2007), Director
- *Find Me Guilty* (2006), Director, Screenplay
- *Rachel, When the Lord* (2004), Director
- *The Manchurian Candidate* (2004), as Political Pundit
- *Strip Search* (2004), Director
- *100 Centre Street* (2001), series, Director, Executive Producer, Writer
- *Gloria* (1999), Director
- *Critical Care* (1997), Director, Producer
- *Night Falls on Manhattan* (1997), Screenplay, Director
- *Guilty as Sin* (1993), Director
- *A Stranger Among Us* (1992), Director
- *Q & A* (1990), Screenplay, Director
- *Family Business* (1989), Director
- *Running on Empty* (1988), Director
- *The Morning After* (1986), Director
- *Power* (1986), Director
- *Garbo Talks* (1984), Director
- *Daniel* (1983), Director, Executive Producer
- *The Verdict* (1982), Director — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-verdict.md)
- *Deathtrap* (1982), Director
- *Prince of the City* (1981), Screenplay, Director
- *Just Tell Me What You Want* (1980), Director, Producer
- *The Wiz* (1978), Director
- *Equus* (1977), Director
- *Network* (1976), Director — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/network.md)
- *Dog Day Afternoon* (1975), Director — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/dog-day-afternoon.md)
- *Murder on the Orient Express* (1974), Director
- *Lovin' Molly* (1974), Director
- *Serpico* (1973), Director
- *The Offence* (1973), Director
- *Child's Play* (1972), Director
- *The Anderson Tapes* (1971), Director
- *King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis* (1970), Director
- *Last of the Mobile Hot Shots* (1970), Director, Producer
- *The Appointment* (1969), Director
- *The Sea Gull* (1968), Director, Producer
- *Bye Bye Braverman* (1968), Director, Producer
- *The Deadly Affair* (1967), Producer, Director
- *The Group* (1966), Director
- *The Hill* (1965), Director
- *The Pawnbroker* (1965), Director
- *Fail Safe* (1964), Director, Executive Producer
- *Long Day's Journey Into Night* (1962), Director
- *A View from the Bridge* (1962), Director
- *Play of the Week: Rashomon* (1960), Director
- *The Iceman Cometh* (1960), series, Director
- *John Brown's Raid* (1960), Director
- *The Dybbuk* (1960), Director
- *Beyond the Time Barrier* (1960), Casting Director
- *The Fugitive Kind* (1960), Director
- *Playhouse 90: The Hiding Place* (1960), Director
- *Play of the Week* (1959), series, Director
- *NBC Sunday Showcase* (1959), series, Director
- *Sunday Showcase* (1959), Director
- *That Kind of Woman* (1959), Director
- *All the King's Men* (1958), Director
- *Stage Struck* (1958), Director
- *Three Plays by Tennessee Williams* (1958), Director
- *Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates* (1958), Director
- *The Seven Lively Arts* (1957), series, Director
- *DuPont Show of the Month* (1957), series, Director
- *Mr. Broadway* (1957), Director, Producer
- *12 Angry Men* (1957), Director — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md)
- *Playhouse 90* (1956), series, Director
- *Tragedy in a Temporary Town* (1956), Director
- *The Alcoa Hour* (1955), series, Director
- *Frontier* (1955), series, Director
- *Star Stage* (1955), series, Director
- *The Challenge* (1955), Director
- *Producers' Showcase* (1954), series, Director
- *The Elgin Hour* (1954), series, Director
- *The Best of Broadway* (1954), series, Director
- *The United States Steel Hour* (1953), series, Director
- *You Are There* (1953), series, Director
- *CBS Television Workshop* (1952), series, Director
- *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, Director
- *Goodyear Television Playhouse* (1951), series, Director
- *Casey, Crime Photographer* (1951), series, Director
- *Danger* (1950), series, Director
- *Mama* (1949), series, Director
- *Studio One* (1948), series, Director
- *Kraft Television Theatre* (1947), series, Director
- *The 400 Million* (1939), as Additional Voice (voice)
- *One Third of a Nation* (1939), as Joey Rogers

## Gallery

- ![Sidney Lumet](https://film.one/media/person/59314/gallery-0704069f2207.jpg) Sidney Lumet — gdcgraphics at https://www.flickr.com/photos/gdcgraphics/, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/SidneyLumet07TIFF.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Publicity photo for the American documentary film King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970). Original caption: ".mw-parser-output .smallcaps{font-va](https://film.one/media/person/59314/gallery-d15075394c52.jpg) Publicity photo for the American documentary film King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970). Original caption: ".mw-parser-output .smallcaps{font-va — Photographer unknown. Published and distributed by Maron Films., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/King_A_Filmed_Record_publicity_photo_%28%22Director_Prepares_for_King_Film%22%29.jpg/1280px-King_A_Filmed_Record_publicity_photo_%28%22Director_Prepares_for_King_Film%22%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Publicity photo for the American documentary film King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970). Original caption: ".mw-parser-output .smallcaps{font-va](https://film.one/media/person/59314/gallery-9058f9e562b9.jpg) Publicity photo for the American documentary film King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970). Original caption: ".mw-parser-output .smallcaps{font-va — Photographer unknown. Published and distributed by Maron Films., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/King_A_Filmed_Record_publicity_photo_%28%22Director_Prepares_for_King_Film%22_-_crop%29.jpg/1280px-King_A_Filmed_Record_publicity_photo_%28%22Director_Prepares_for_King_Film%22_-_crop%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Publicity photo for the American documentary film King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970). Original caption: ".mw-parser-output .smallcaps{font-va](https://film.one/media/person/59314/gallery-a5b57b5a8d6c.jpg) Publicity photo for the American documentary film King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970). Original caption: ".mw-parser-output .smallcaps{font-va — Photographer unknown. Published and distributed by Maron Films., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/King_A_Filmed_Record_publicity_photo_%28%22Trio_Prepares_for_King_Tribute%22%29.jpg/1280px-King_A_Filmed_Record_publicity_photo_%28%22Trio_Prepares_for_King_Tribute%22%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Sidney Lumet](https://film.one/media/person/59314/gallery-0cc8c7c06a34.jpg) Sidney Lumet — Image via TMDB
- ![Sidney Lumet](https://film.one/media/person/59314/gallery-bb2059dbc7c4.jpg) Sidney Lumet — Image via TMDB
- ![Sidney Lumet](https://film.one/media/person/59314/gallery-3eee5bcda03c.jpg) Sidney Lumet — Image via TMDB
- ![Publicity photo for the American documentary film King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970). Original caption: ".mw-parser-output .smallcaps{font-va](https://film.one/media/person/59314/gallery-03ad041853de.jpg) Publicity photo for the American documentary film King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970). Original caption: ".mw-parser-output .smallcaps{font-va — Photographer unknown. Published and distributed by Maron Films., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/King_A_Filmed_Record_publicity_photo_%28%22Trio_Prepares_for_King_Tribute%22_-_crop%29.jpg/1280px-King_A_Filmed_Record_publicity_photo_%28%22Trio_Prepares_for_King_Tribute%22_-_crop%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Publicity photo for the American documentary film King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970). Left to right: producer Ely Landau, actress Ruby Dee, a](https://film.one/media/person/59314/gallery-247019574953.jpg) Publicity photo for the American documentary film King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970). Left to right: producer Ely Landau, actress Ruby Dee, a — Photographer unknown. Published and distributed by Maron Films., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/King_A_Filmed_Record_publicity_photo_%28Landau%2C_Dee%2C_Newman%2C_Lumet%29.jpg/1280px-King_A_Filmed_Record_publicity_photo_%28Landau%2C_Dee%2C_Newman%2C_Lumet%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Sidney Lumet](https://film.one/media/person/59314/gallery-5dee0e18d7e6.jpg) Sidney Lumet — Image via TMDB
- ![Sidney Lumet](https://film.one/media/person/59314/gallery-18d1d0bdaa7a.jpg) Sidney Lumet — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won, 5 nominated

- 2005: Academy Awards (won)
- 1983: Best Director (nominated), for *The Verdict*
- 1982: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *Prince of the City*
- 1977: Best Director (nominated), for *Network*
- 1976: Best Director (nominated), for *Dog Day Afternoon*
- 1958: Best Director (nominated), for *12 Angry Men*

### Golden Globes — 1 won

- 1977: Golden Globe Awards (won)

### Berlin International Film Festival — 1 won

- 1957: Golden Bear (won)

### Other awards — 11 won

- Kinema Junpo Award 2009: Kinema Junpo Award (won)
- Nastro d'Argento for Best Non-European Foreign Film 2008: Nastro d'Argento for Best Non-European Foreign Film (won), for *Before the Devil Knows You're Dead*
- Academy Honorary Award 2005: Academy Honorary Award (won)
- National Board of Review Award for Best Director 1982: National Board of Review Award for Best Director (won)
- New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director 1981: New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director (won)
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director 1976: Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director (won)
- Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Foreign Film 1960: Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Foreign Film (won)
- Bodil Award for Best American Film 1960: Bodil Award for Best American Film (won)
- Kinema Junpo Award 1960: Kinema Junpo Award (won)
- Silver Shell for Best Director 1960: Silver Shell for Best Director (won)
- Nastro d'argento for best non-Italian film 1958: Nastro d'argento for best non-Italian film (won), for *12 Angry Men*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/sidney-lumet