Twelve Angry Men Movie Analysis Essay Example

The movie of Twelve Angry Men takes place in a single setting: a New York City jury room in 1957. Twelve jurors are deliberating over whether to execute a young boy who has been accused of murdering his father. Throughout the movie, the backgrounds, and personalities of some of the jurors become apparent. The 1st Juror/Foreman is a football coach, a short, trivial guy who is impressed by his authority and has very formal behavior. The 2nd Juror a quiet and hesitant bank clerk who finds it difficult to express his thoughts for fear of being yelled at by the stronger personality of the room. The 3rd Juror a businessman, very strong, very energetic, and very stubborn man who is not tolerant of opinions other than his own. At the same time, a seriously injured man trying to hide his pain behind a loud voice. The 4th Juror a stockbroker, a German immigrant of wealth and status, he always seems to be a skilled speaker who expresses himself well at all times. His only concern is the facts of the case, often the voice of reason and logic when the battle with others broke out. The 5th Juror a slum young man who equates more with the young man in court than he wants to admit. The 6th Juror a house painter, an honest man who makes slow and careful decisions. He states his opinions honestly and bluntly. The 7th Juror is an enthusiastic fan of baseball and, a loud, flashy, and happy salesman who more important things to do than sit on a jury. Shows his temperament quickly and forms his opinion just as quickly. The 8th Juror is an architect, gentle and thoughtful gentleman. He looks at all aspects of every question and always seeks the truth. A man of compassion and strength. Above all, a man who wants justice and fights for it. The 9th Juror an old man retired. Gentle, mild, long after being conquered by life. He recognizes what he is and tries to be the voice of experience and wisdom in the room. The Juror10th a Car wash owner he is a tyrant, and bigot. He's an angry and bitter guy, almost frustrating at a glance. He harbors deep prejudices against Puerto Ricans. The 11th Juror is a watchmaker who is an immigrant with an accent, a humble and calm man. He is very polite and calm and has a very strong belief in American ideals and the judicial system. The 12th Juror is an advertising executive. He is a smart and intelligent advertising man who is trying to do the right thing but is accustomed to being overwhelmed by people with bigger and brighter ideas. At the beginning of the deliberation, 11 voters pronounced a "guilty" verdict, and only the eighth juror made a "not guilty" verdict. He urged others to commit to at least 60 minutes of deliberation because the defendant’s life is in danger. The jury then began to reassess the evidence provided during the trial, and their discussions became more and more intense. When the eighth juror protested that the assassination weapon, the switchblade was not as primitive as the prosecutor claimed, the ninth juror joined his "not guilty" vote. He was embroiled in doubts about the credibility of an eyewitness, and mainly the fifth juror also changed his vote. The 8th and 3rd jurors almost got into a fight as the debate heated up. The jury was evenly distributed at this point, and when the 7th and 11th jurors (immigrants) protested to being called as a pending jury, tensions between the 7th and 11th jurors grew. As the case was being discussed again, the fifth juror's knowledge of the murder weapon caused other jurors to change their minds. When another eyewitness' testimony began to fall apart during the review, the third juror became the sole supporter. Finally, he had to accept that his animosity toward the defendant arose from his estrangement from his son. When confronted with the truth about his reasons, the third juror changed his mind, and the jury returned a unanimous "not guilty" decision at the end of the movie. The major conflict in the film is the friction between some of the other jurors' preconceptions and the more nuanced commitment to "reasonable doubt" supported by the 8th Juror and—eventually—his allies. The movie’s title, Twelve Angry Men, alludes to the behavior of the jurors, who battle with one another throughout the proceedings. Prejudice, which threatens to destroy the justice system's integrity, is the most consistent and harmful form of rage in the movie. The 8th Juror succeeds in assisting the majority of the other jurors become more thoughtful and fair-minded in their attitudes by standing up for the principle of "reasonable doubt," emphasizing that justice and a commitment to democratic equality are the antidotes to prejudice.