Twleve Angry Men

12 Angry Men

1957

Director: Sidney Lumet

Writer: Reginald Rose

96 Minutes

What is justice? What is reasonable doubt? What if a young man’s life hung on your decision of guilty or not guilty?

Shot in one room for twenty days for 350,000 dollars to get a film that is apart of every top 100 best film list and regarded by law and business schools as a model for conflict resolution.

But why is this film one of the greats? Why does audiences love this film?

Because the main character, Juror#8 (Henry Fonda), has honor. Because when faced against the odds and the majority of angry men, he raises his hand and said, “I don’t know.”

Because he was a hero.

His heroics were not on the battlefield or in an operating room. He stood in a room with eleven other men and dissected an open-and-shut case to prove doubt. It’s not that he thought the accused wasn’t guilty. It’s not that he had a point.

He just didn’t know.

In the scene above, Juror#8 and Juror#9 meet outside on the courthouse steps. The verdict has been returned. Case is over. And these two can leave with a clear conscious knowing they were the first two to stand up and say, “not guilty.”

But before going their separate ways, Juror#9 asks for Juror#8’s name.

“Davis”
“McCardle”

That sign of respect is the entire film.

Davis led these angry men to a not guilty verdict and saved a young man’s life. He was innocent until proved guilty, yet without Davis leading the charge, no one would have questioned it. All the evidence was against him. All the remaining jurors were ready to convict.

But it took a hero to rise up and say, “I don’t know.”

In the end, it’s that type of honor that makes this film enjoyable. It’s that type of honor that explains what is right and what is wrong, not only in the courtroom, but in life. And it’s that type of honor that can only be exchanged with a handshake and a first name.

Davis.