Difference between revisions of "Twelve Angry Men"
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| − | + | '''Twelve Angry Men''' is a play written by Reginald Rose about the deliberations of a jury in a murder trial. It was originally written for television, and first broadcast in 1954. Rose then adapted his script into a play. A second adaptation was filmed in 1957, starring Henry Fonda, and a third version was filmed in 1997 with Jack Lemmon playing Henry Fonda's role. The 1957 film version, which was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director (Sidney Lumet) and Best Adapted Screenplay, is the most well-known version of the story. | |
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| + | Initially, eleven jurors are ready to convict the defendant but one man wants to talk about it first. The movie follows the process whereby the (initially) lone man persuades his fellow jurors to vote his way by wearing them down through seemingly endless, well-schooled argument: a classic tactic of [[Communist]]s and [[Trotskyist]]s. | ||
Interestingly enough, the audience never finds out whether the defendant is guilty; this further stresses "innocence until proven guilty".<ref>'Most courtroom movies feel it necessary to end with a clear-cut verdict. But "12 Angry Men" never states whether the defendant is innocent or guilty. It is about whether the jury has a reasonable doubt about his guilt.' [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20020929/REVIEWS08/209290301/1023 (Roger Ebert)] </ref> | Interestingly enough, the audience never finds out whether the defendant is guilty; this further stresses "innocence until proven guilty".<ref>'Most courtroom movies feel it necessary to end with a clear-cut verdict. But "12 Angry Men" never states whether the defendant is innocent or guilty. It is about whether the jury has a reasonable doubt about his guilt.' [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20020929/REVIEWS08/209290301/1023 (Roger Ebert)] </ref> | ||
Revision as of 14:22, February 17, 2009
Twelve Angry Men is a play written by Reginald Rose about the deliberations of a jury in a murder trial. It was originally written for television, and first broadcast in 1954. Rose then adapted his script into a play. A second adaptation was filmed in 1957, starring Henry Fonda, and a third version was filmed in 1997 with Jack Lemmon playing Henry Fonda's role. The 1957 film version, which was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director (Sidney Lumet) and Best Adapted Screenplay, is the most well-known version of the story.
Initially, eleven jurors are ready to convict the defendant but one man wants to talk about it first. The movie follows the process whereby the (initially) lone man persuades his fellow jurors to vote his way by wearing them down through seemingly endless, well-schooled argument: a classic tactic of Communists and Trotskyists.
Interestingly enough, the audience never finds out whether the defendant is guilty; this further stresses "innocence until proven guilty".[1]
The movie illustrates three particulars of justice unique to American democracy:
- the defendant does not have to demonstrate his innocence. He is innocent until proved guilty.
- the verdict must be unanimous, since unanimity guards against a miscarriage of justice.
- the defendant can be convicted only in the absence of reasonable doubt on the part of the jury. [1]
External links
- Extensive quotes from the movie showing the tactic by which Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) establishes doubt in the minds of the other jury members.
- ↑ 'Most courtroom movies feel it necessary to end with a clear-cut verdict. But "12 Angry Men" never states whether the defendant is innocent or guilty. It is about whether the jury has a reasonable doubt about his guilt.' (Roger Ebert)