12 Angry Men (1957) | First Time Reaction

Patreon for Early Access: / diegesischad
Step into the intense and claustrophobic world of jury deliberation with Arianna and Maple as they watch "12 Angry Men," a timeless courtroom drama from 1957. Witness as a single dissenting juror in a murder trial sows seeds of doubt among his peers, challenging prejudices and preconceived notions. This film is a masterful exploration of group dynamics, justice, and ethical responsibility. React with Arianna and Maple to the compelling arguments, the shifts in opinion, and the moral dilemmas faced by the jurors. Each moment is charged with tension and psychological intrigue, making every shift in perspective a gripping turn of events. "12 Angry Men" is not just a film about a jury's decision-it's a powerful commentary on the human condition and the complexities of truth and fairness.
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00:00 - Intro
00:10 - Reaction
44:12 - Review

[@softkoala]

the way they slowly introduce evidence as exposition throughout the conversation makes it so engaging. You forget this entire movie takes place in 1 room

[@Paul_Winkle]

You mean not real evidence, more like sth No8 smuggled in cause his case is so just and pure, that he doesnt have to care about laws

[@abemrofchak]

Not even that, I believe they literally push the walls of the set in over time so it feels more and more claustrophobic.

[@lyletuck]

Well, ALMOST the entire movie takes place in 1 room. There's the opening scene outside the courtroom, the scene in the courtroom when we hear the judge's instructions and see the seated jury, and the last scene on the exterior steps of the building. If you count the bathroom as a separate room from the jury's deliberation room, then that's one more to count.

[@softkoala]

@@lyletuck Yep of course. Important scenes as well but you caught what I was getting at Im guessing :D

[@shawnmiller4781]

@@lyletuckI want to say the whole run time outside the “jury room” is right at five minutes of the film

[@peytonalexander5300]

I genuinely think this is a great example of a perfect movie. Not a single wasted moment, frame or line. So timeless, so important. I’m really glad people are still watching it and enjoying it for the first time.

[@lindaliriel]

Agreed, it's one of my favourite movies of all time: absolutely flawless in every way

[@montv291]

When he helps him put on his coat at the end and collect what dignity he has left. Such a powerful moment. Truly one of the greatest films of all time.

[@ianrosenbalm6555]

"The only way to truly strike down an enemy is to lift them up as a friend."

[@silentspark0113]

"It's so much easier to feel angry than any other feeling." Truuuuuueeeee

[@TechnicalHotDog]

See this all the time with people. They will double down on anger rather than risk feeling/showing other emotions. Something bad happens to you? Find someone/something to blame and be angry at to cope

[@StCerberusEngel]

"Anybody can become angry; that is easy. But to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way-that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy." - Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics

[@lesgrice4419]

as George Michael sang "It's hard to love, there's so much to hate"

[@lewstone2]

Use your aggressive feelings, boy! Let the hate flow through you!

[@ramontieso1208]

I would rather a guilty man walk than an innocent man get the chair. I don’t like the idea of a guilty man walking but I can’t say it is “just as bad “

[@Dej24601]

The ethnicity, race, religion, background of the accused is never explicitly stated which helps make it more timeless and applies to any prejudice or bigotry. But it is likely from the quick shot of his face, that he is Puerto Rican, as there was a lot of immigration to New York City at that time and a lot of conflict (see ‘West Side Story’ as an example.)

[@JDP5127]

I hold showing the kid's face as the one failing of the movie. Not that it ruins the movie, but I love the lack of real descriptors of the people involved in the script.

[@PaulWinkle]

They pictured him like an angel, big eyes, very young, must be innocent. However the circumstantial evidence is very hard, no matter what No8 (Fonda) said. Fonda wasn't able to say sth when 2 Jurors clearly stated that: "You mean you are asking us to believe, that someone else did the stabbing with exactly the same kind of knife? The odds are a million to one." Fonda pulling out a second knife like that doesnt prove anything. Fonda was well aware was he was looking for. A mysterious murderer would've the problem to pick the right murder weapon, not a bat, not a gun, not any knife, no for some reason he picked a knife and he picked a very similar looking knife. And ontop of that the boy lost his knife only hours before the murder happened? Come on!

[@ralphpal]

I always tbought he was puerto rican cause of the knife also

[@kirkdarling4120]

Notice that the man (the house painter) who defended the old man had been looking after the old man from the beginning (helping him with his coat, being aware that the old man was in the restroom, et cetera). The old man was willing to extend the deliberation because it was also his opportunity to do something important, just as he said about the old man who had been a witness. Back in those days, movie theaters were air conditioned and most homes and apartments were not. People went to the movies just to get cool and often didn't even bother know what was playing when they went in. So, it wasn't terribly surprising that a "meh" movie could be quickly forgotten.

[@dedcowbowee]

All of our points make sense 👍

[@user-lc8mn5ud1l]

I watched this movie so many times but, thanks to your comment, this is the first time I noticed that house painter guy help the old man with his chair. How did I miss that? He was protective of him right from the start! Cheers.

[@jimmystewart1974]

lee cobbs chracter talks so much about kids being so disrespectful to their elders but he himself didn't gave a single respect to that old juror. but the painting guy proved he was a better father figure by doing it rather than just spelling words.

[@MaMvidS45]

Holy shit, I fuckin love this movie. Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) is a true role model. And Lee J. Cobb as Juror #3 is one of the best performances of the 20th century!

[@PaulWinkle]

I once loved the movie too, but well I grew up. Actually No8 is a trickster. He says things like "I'm not trying to change your mind" or "I dont have anything brilliant" only to pull out minutes later a second knife out of his pocket like Copperfield. This guy knows exactly what he is doing (or the director) from the beginning. BTW that's highly illegal to bring in evidence which wasnt shown in court, it would lead to mistrial for sure and for very good reasons.

[@Bfdidc]

Good performances across the board in this movie, and some well-known actors of the time.

[@hafor2846]

​@@PaulWinkle Why would you expect a good movie to be 100% accurate? That would be the most boring movie ever lol

[@PaulWinkle]

@@Bfdidc Oh the movie is well made, but the message is awful. Yes they put 3 stinkers into the movie, a racist guy, someone who beats his son and a guy who doesnt care. Yes the boy must be innocent cause we have 3 ppl with really bad attitude in the jury. Problem is, any other verdict than guilty is scandalous. Far beyond reasonable doubt he murdered his dad. The movie is full with details that he did it, but we only focus to the other details that are not so clear.

[@zomfies]

​@@PaulWinkleabsolute garbage, my man.

[@michaelestabrook2018]

the little guy with glasses was the voice of piglet in winie the pooh.

[@martensjd]

He was also a killer on Star Trek.

[@HomoErected]

@@martensjdlmao?

[@martensjd]

@@HomoErected I was being serious. John Fiedler played a killer in Star Trek TOS 2x14, "Wolf in the Fold."

[@user-yz1er2vi9w]

He also played the part of Vinnie in the 1968 movie version of The Odd Couple.

[@shawnmiller4781]

@@user-yz1er2vi9wand the lawyer J Noble Daggett in True Grit

[@MattAlbie]

Fonda's baby blues are so powerful not even black and white can disguise them

[@melanie62954]

Since you pointed out Henry Fonda's blue eyes, you MUST watch Once Upon a Time in the West at some point. How his eyes are used will shock you.

[@petercofrancesco9812]

They must be very perceptive since this movie is in b/w

[@henrygonzalez8793]

I was going to make the same point but you beat me to it !! Until OUATITW I didn’t know he had blue eyes.

[@melanie62954]

@@henrygonzalez8793 I don't think I did either! I was a fan for a long time from The Lady Eve and The Grapes of Wrath, but if I'd thought about it I would have assumed he had brown eyes. It was seeing clips from OUATITW that I saw how brilliantly blue his eyes were and knew I had to watch the movie.

[@henrygonzalez8793]

There are a couple of things that threw me off - I didn’t have a color tv as a kid and secondly, I associate blue eyes with people who have blonde or light-colored hair. So watching Fonda in Once Upon a Time... when it came out in 1968 was a bit of a surprise.

[@traho811]

That's a good movie

[@youngThrashbarg]

You just forget that its in black and white, you forget that its a movie. The acting and cinematography is just so good.

[@SidPhoenix2211]

"Abuse the hell outta them and then wonder why they don't call ya for 2 yeahs!" VERY good Juror #3 impression, Maple lol

[@iamthem.a.n.middleagednerd1053]

I don't know if you're a parent, but I am. I have 3 daughters and I'm ashamed to admit but sometimes I yell at them, and my wife too. Life gets overwhelming and frustrating sometimes and we don't always react the way we should. I pray to God my girls forgive me deep down. I love them all more than myself, but life is hard sometimes.

[@EvHervey]

This is my ALL-TIME favorite Black and White movie! I've shown it to dozens of people! Great Choice!

[@magicbrownie1357]

Lee J Cobb and Henry Fonda are both outstanding in this film. Lee J Cobb is also the quintessential gangster in 1957's Oscar winner On the Waterfront, starring Marlon Brando, Carl Malden, Rod Steiger and Eva Marie Saint. Great film. Practically swept the Oscars.

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

Great film! Henry Fonda was the Tom Hanks of the 1940s. Another historic film he starred in I would love to see a reaction to was the 1940 _The Grapes of Wrath_

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

Every juror was played by a well-known experienced character actor who I recognise from many movies and TV shows from the era. It was really a hugely talented cast.

[@jasondierbeck4392]

On the Waterfront is an excellent movie

[@geneeverett7855]

7 of the 12 from future TwilightZones!

[@lewstone2]

“You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender, I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am.”

[@chrisbruneau2156]

This film was way ahead of its time in 1957, as it addressed overcoming our own biases and prejudices. My favorite part is where Fonda helps Lee J Cobb with his coat just to comfort him--he felt pity for a man who had no relationship with his own son. I am a lawyer by trade and have tried over 100 cases. Arianna is right--the system is indeed flawed. Jurors do compromise, they do act on prejudice, and they often don't care at all about the case. As for quality of defense, often the public defenders are not very good. I went to work at a big private firm because I knew I'd get paid far less working for the govt, so its a system that works much better for the wealthy than the poor. At my firm I did several pro bono criminal cases, including defending a few serious felonies--but sadly, it true--not everybody gets a quality defense.

[@avengemybreath3084]

Gee, the system is “flawed”? Why isn’t it perfect like every other human endeavor?

[@jimballard1186]

McCardle may be my favorite movie character of all time. He is such an adorable little dude. I want to adopt him as my grampa and make him proud of me.

[@reservoirdude92]

Wholesome as hell lol

[@bobbrown200]

One of the Best part of this movie is the conversation in the bathroom. "Suppose you talk us out of this: and the kid really did kill his father."

[@samwallaceart288]

I like #4 the best; the way he keeps calm and argues the facts right to the end, but then accepts the L when his information turned out to be incomplete.

[@Diegesis]

i appreciate that he understands that changing your opinion when given better information isn't an L but in fact a W. that's why he's my favorite too

[@kirkdarling4120]

I've been that guy on a jury.

[@barreloffun10]

Story? ​@@kirkdarling4120

[@Calintares]

He has a weakness which is that he doesn't consider how people might be flawed. That's why he doesn't accept that the boy could've just forgotten in a tense situation, or why the old man and the lady could've be in error with their testimonies. He's very good but he needs juror #9 to cover the things he doesn't observe.

[@kirkdarling4120]

@@Calintares Did you notice when Juror 3 (the angriest man) tried to small talk about his business, juror 4 pointedly ignored him and went back to his newspaper?

[@jazzmaan707]

The actor who played Juror #3, Lee J Cobb, was the one I hated the most, got angry at the most, and really did his job in everyone hate him. To me, he was the best actor in the movie, and at the end, he was the one that I really felt sorry for, as his real struggle was shown. Nearly all the cast went on to become top stars in television and movies, during the 60's-80's. I saw the 1997 remake, and within 5 minutes, I changed the channel, as the acting was bad, even though it had some superstar actors in the cast. It was not really that good.

[@dedcowbowee]

Same 100 percent.

[@smichelle65]

The best thing about the 1997 version is that it introduced me to James Gandolfini

[@dannygjk]

This type of situation puts a high demand on a actor's basic skills. You could put good actors in such a role who wouldn't do a good job on the role.

[@Jeff_Lichtman]

This was director Sidney Lumet's first feature film. He had done work for television prior to this. Some of his other movies include The Pawnbroker, Fail Safe, Serpico, Murder on the Orient Express, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, The Verdict, and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Dog Day Afternoon is a favorite of mine. Lumet began the movie using camera angles above the jurors' heads, and slowly moved it downwards. He also used more close-ups as the movie went on. The result was an increasing feeling of being in a small space. Did you notice that none of the characters' names were revealed until the very end, when the two jurors introduced themselves to each other on the courthouse steps? One thing I like about this movie is how the different characters bring their own experience and perspectives into the jury room with them. The old man understood why another old man would testify the way he did. The guy who lived in a slum knew about how switchblades were used in actual fights. The smallest juror who brought up the question of the kid stabbing downward while being so much shorter than his father. When the bigot finished ranting, the cool-headed juror told him not to open his mouth again. From that point forward, the bigot didn't utter another word. Even when he voted not guilty, he did it by shaking his head. And the look on his face suggested that he knew how wrong he had been, and that he'd been voting to send someone to die who might very well not have done it.

[@wastinelectrons7173]

The old man, was an old man.....hard to believe I'm watching a man that was born in 1884.

[@deithlan]

Holy shit

[@Sig509]

Imagine, that when he was a child / teen he could've easily speak with so many Civil War veterans / people who remembered it. That's crazy when you think about it.

[@haps2019]

So he was 73. Ok.

[@davisworth5114]

My grandmother was born in 1892, she told me when she was a little girl she was playing in the house when she was frightened by the sight of several Indians looking in the window to see what the white folks were doing. She said she remembers the little Indian boys forming ranks and marching around like the soldiers. Both my grandfathers were in The Great War.

[@mikedbigame3398]

Has there ever been a person who has watched 12 Angry Men, and not liked it.... "It's not possible"

[@bbwng54]

This is a great film. From Wikipedia: "At the 30th Academy Awards, it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay. It is regarded by many as one of the greatest films ever made. In 2007, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". Additionally, it was selected as the second-best courtroom drama ever (after 1962's To Kill a Mockingbird) by the American Film Institute for their AFI's 10 Top 10 list"

[@dedcowbowee]

Great reaction, in middle school I had a favorite teacher in American Law and American history who handed the screenplay out and the class read it out loud, then we spent the rest of that day discussing the lessons. I'll never forget that and it's been a very long time,lol.

[@PianoDentist]

This movie along with "inherit the wind" are two of my favorite movies ever. Back in the day where the script sold the movie! The thing is, finding someone not guilty, doesn't mean you think they're innocent. It means you haven't been persuaded that they're guilty, or there's not enough evidence to convict them.

[@x-wing8785]

Imagine what modern Hollywood could achieve if there were still real filmmakers who once made this kind classics.

[@zbennalley]

I was 13 when I saw this film and it totally flipped my world around. It showed me the power of writing structure and how to make an engaging narrative with just 12 men who have different perspectives, motives, prejudices, and ages that takes place in one single room.

[@deenormus1975]

This movie is still to this day unbelievably good. Gives me chills. Henry (I had Peter! thanks, bandit) Fonda is an amazing actor - they all are. And it all happened in one room! No CGI, no beautiful vistas or explosive car chases. No sex, no women(!)…and yet soooo good! Love that u guys enjoyed it, too🤘

[@Madbandit77]

Henry. Peter was his son.

[@deenormus1975]

@@Madbandit77 Ugh, I’m so dumb! Yep, HENRY Fonda. 🙄Peter Fonda🙄…I’m so dumb!😃

[@chaosXP3RT]

I think the problem with court cases is everyone assumes its "Guilty" vs "Innocent". It's not. Its "Guilty" vs "Not Guilty".

[@tommarks3726]

I love how your younger generation is giving these classics a chance. I loved how invested both of you ladies got during the movie, it showed you were paying attention. I loved your reaction.

[@Greenwood4727]

the last juror treating the older man, reflected how his kid treated him, so that also helped that kids should respect their elders, but he didnt respect HIS elder.

[@KevinLyda]

Certain folks are very much "do as I say" and very much *not* "do as I do."

[@Chris-filosifer64]

About only men...In the 1930s and 1940s, "middle-class women demanded to serve on juries as a right of equal citizenship. "At this time, the League of Women Voters and the National Woman's Party demanded the right to be considered for jury duty. Although women had gained the right to vote in 1920, they were not given the same obligation to the state as men in serving on a jury. When they were allowed to participate on juries, the women who desired to serve had to do so through voluntary submission. This narrowed the female pool to middle-class women who were strong activists in the women's movement. In 1937, woman federal jurors won official approval and in some states, including California, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania, participation on a jury was compulsory.

[@BornRandy62]

This movie was filmed in 1957. Air Conditioning was still not a wide spread thing. They said it was the hottest day of the year. The places you found air conditioning was department stores which closed at set times (before 8pm) Grocery stores in the cooler section that closed at set times also and Movie Theaters. People went and bought a ticket to keep from melting . Have you ever walked into a beer cooler for the same reason

[@17thknight]

My father-in-law showed me this movie once and the thing that I loved the most about it was that it never actually tells you if the kid is guilty or not guilty. Because ultimately that isn't the point it doesn't actually matter whether or not he did it what matters is whether it's been properly demonstrated that he didn't and the ways that are prejudices play into the justice system

[@StCerberusEngel]

1:58 He's talking about coming down hard on misbehaving kids when they're young so they don't grow up to be a burden on the state. Not locking them up or killing them. He's a "spare the rod, spoil the child" type.

[@DELANOdutch]

The “why I outta!” was on point! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@roywall8169]

Genius is a term used too often. In the case of this movie, it is appropriate. This is an all time great work of art.

[@robertstallings6020]

It’s a great example of what can happen when you bring together some of the finest actors of their era and give them a whip-smart script and a top-notch camera crew.

[@falcychead8198]

I've watched a few reaction videos to this movie. What I love about it is how it always gets people talking, not just about the movie itself but the ideas in it.

[@joelspaulding5964]

No CGI, no big or any special effects. Just a script, acting and good film making.

[@ridl8006]

still... the best part of this classic movie is when Henry Fonda helps Lee J Coob put on his jacket.... and pats him on the shoulder... #class

[@kevinviklen3611]

The great thing about this is that it really doesn’t matter if the kid is guilty or not. It’s all about the process and the responsibilities of the jurors.

[@gazoontight]

The casting of this film is brilliant. All of the actors playing jurors are among the best.

[@62salv]

One of the best movies ever made! Lee J. Cobb was also excellent as the police lieutenant in The Excorcist (1973).

[@dannygjk]

I forgot that was the same actor!

[@dw-fe2ww]

He was excellent in the Exorcist.

[@Jamie_Pritchard]

No special effects, no chase scenes, no explosions, hell, there's not even any colour, but this film is as gripping and edge of your seat exciting as anything made today. It's a classic in the best possible sense.

[@jakegraham4435]

“he can’t hear you, he never will…” 16:35 truly a good motive to live by

[@allyourmoney]

Henry Fonda did more detective work in that room than the cops or defense attorney have probably done in an entire year.

[@placebo5466]

"Abuse the hell outta them and wonder why they don't call for two years" 💀

[@josephkearny5874]

You must watch 1959s classic courtroom drama Anatomy of a Murder in which the audience becomes the juror. It's still relevant 60 years later and would make a great double bill with 12 Angry Men

[@silviabiagini7364]

juror #4 first line is "it's nothing personal", this script is gold

[@scoopplays]

The great Sidney Lumet directorial debut. Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, The Verdict, Network and Prince of the City, etc. most of his movies were filmed in NYC.

[@Marshmallow_Venom]

This is the best reaction to this movie I've seen yet. Nice to see you coming to the same conclusions in the same way and so passionately defending your POVs. Great job!

[@splabbity]

From the screenplay: FOREMAN: 35 years old. Assistant high school football coach. A small, petty man who is at first vary of, and then impressed with the authority he has. Handles himself quite formally. Not overly bright, but dogged. Juror #2: 38 years old. Bank clerk. A meek, hesitant man who finds it difficult to maintain any opinions of his own. Easily swayed and usually adopts the opinion of the last person to idiom he has spoken. Juror #3: 40 years old. Head of messenger service. A very strong, very forceful, extremely opinionated man within whom can be detected a streak of sadism. A humorless man who is intolerant of opinions other than his own, and accustomed to forcing his wishes and views upon others. Juror #4: 50 years old. Stockbroker. A man of wealth and position. A practiced speaker who presents himself well at all times. Seems to feel a little bit above the rest of the Jurors. His only concern is with the facts in this case and he is appalled with the behavior of the others. Constantly preening himself, combing his hair, cleaning his nails, etc. Juror #5: 25 years old. Mechanic. A naive, very frightened young man who takes his obligations in this case very seriously but who finds it difficult to speak up when his elders have the floor. Juror #6: 33 years old. Housepainter. An honest, but dull- witted man who comes upon his decisions slowly and carefully. A man who finds it difficult to create positive opinions, but who must listen to and digest and accept these opinions offered by others which appeal to him moat. Juror #7: 42 years old. Salesman. A loud, flashy, glad-handed sales man type who has more important things to do than to sit on a Jury. He is quick to show temper, quick to form opinions on things about which he knows nothing. He is a bully, and, of course, a coward. Juror #8: 42 years old. Architect. A quiet, thoughtful, gentle man. A man who sees many sides to every question and constantly seeks the truth. A man of strength tempered with compassion. Above all, a man who wants Justice to be done, and will fight to see that it is. Juror #9: 70 years old. Retired. A mild, gentle old man, long since defeated by life, and now merely waiting to die. A man who recognizes himself for what he is, and mourns the days when it would have been possible to be courageous without shielding himself behind his many years. From the way he takes pills whenever he is excited, it is obvious that he has a heart condition. Juror #10: 46 years old. Garage owner. An angry, bitter man. A man who antagonizes almost at sight. A bigot who places no values on any human life save his own. A man who has been nowhere and is going nowhere and knows it deep within him. He has a bad cold and continually blows his nose, sniffs a benzedrine inhaler, etc. Juror #11: 48 years old. Watchmaker. A refugee from Europe who has come to this country in 1941. A man who speaks with an accent and who is ashamed, humble, almost subservient to the people around him, but a man who will honestly seek Justice because he has suffered through so much injustice. Juror #12: 30 years old. Advertising man. A slick, bright advertising man who thinks of human beings in terms of percentages, graphs and polls, and has no real understanding of people. A superficial snob, but trying to be a good fellow. Throughout the film he doodles on a scratch pad.

[@djremedy7680]

I knew that Juror #2 was Piglet (you can hear it), but I had no idea Juror #10 was Ed Begley Jr's dad

[@Madbandit77]

John Fielder (Juror #2) was a great character actor.

[@lewstone2]

🐖

[@fernandod3510]

Great choice to react to, and I love this style of reaction, real friends talking about what they are watching rather than fake over the top reactions a lot of channels do.

[@bareakon]

Hey first time watcher of your videos here. Just wanna say "trial for the death of his heart" is such a poetic takeaway from this movie. And pivoting into a long-form discussion of critical thinking at the end. Definitely gonna watch more from this channel

[@Marc_Fredrick]

The filmmaking is brilliant. When we see the jury enter the room for the first time after leaving the jury box, a single shot starts that lasts almost eight minutes. As the actors move around and interact, the camera moves with them. The first cut is when the foreman says, "Gentleman, at the window. We'd like to get started." The precision it took to pull that off makes it one of the best single-shot scenes in history.

[@dannygjk]

Had to be near perfect direction and coordination by the actors and cameras.

[@paulwheelan1106]

My father introduced me to this film when I was 8. I am 53 now and I watch it once a year. My favourite of all time

[@penfold7455]

If Juror #4 looks familiar, it's because he's played by E.G. Marshall; who is best remembered by your generation as the actor who played Ellen Griswold's dad in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" when he was much older.

[@WILCIN8917]

Thank you young women for tapping into this movie. This is an important movie...This movie is well written directed well acted.!! Life lesson.

[@2tone753]

I am German, 62 years old and a retired police officer. We don't have a jury in court, only professional judges. In my opinion, this has decisive advantages. A good example of this is this outstanding film, which I have seen around 70+ times and which I consider to be one of the best legal films ever. Right from the start, jurors 3 + 10 try to push the decision in a direction that suits them through excessive aggressiveness. Other opinions are put down. No. 3 is actually conducting the trial against his son, who dared to leave the family and does not want to have any contact with his father. This is an "example" of "good" parenting by a father who demands good behavior and behaves "like an ax in the forest." No. 10 is an absolute racist, and fortunately he clearly feels the rejection from the others at a certain point. No. 7 has tickets to a baseball game game even though he knows full well that he is a juror in a murder trial and that it can take a long time to reach a decision. No. 12, an opportunist who doesn't have a clear opinion but follows the "loudest" one. He also has a rather limited mind, which limits his abilities to the formulation of advertising texts. Without no. 8 and a little later also No. 9, which mentions crucial points, the boy would have been sentenced to death. The other jurors, such as No. 2, who is "swimming free" more and more, join No. 8 one by one. If it wasn't for No. 8, the young man wouldn't have had a chance. This film has, over the decades, after its appearance, none of its urgency was lost. An absolute masterpiece with absolute acting talent.

[@Sig509]

Yeah, I am also from EU and the American jury system just scares me. I would prefere to leave the decision to the proffesional judge, who sure, might be mistaken, but he or she would be far more resistant to the trial theatrics than 12 random people from the streets. Sure, we might to have an image of US trials mostly from popculture, or more popular ones of celebrities like the last one with Amber Heard, but lawyers there seems to be putting so much more show than in the different systems. All the drama in ending speak ect. Same with the jury, where as you pointed out a strong personality can dominate other jurors and sway them. I would feel better with a judge only, his/her experience, knowledge of the law, and of simillar cases.

[@avengemybreath3084]

We in the US distrust “experts” and prefer to trust the common sense of ordinary citizens. It can work very well, as depicted in the movie. Of course when the citizenry lacks virtue it doesn’t work, as with democracy.

[@2tone753]

@@avengemybreath3084 It was up to one juror, just one. Are you saying that this is justified by a distrust of experts? Even better (worse), if a dark-skinned defendant faced a group of jurors in the South, how many were NOT white? Even worse, In the time of the founding fathers, a musket could fire 2-4 shots per minute. Today in this country there are people running around with assault rifles and invoking the 2nd Amendment. I call this absolute madness. A country is overshooting itself. That was certainly not the view of the Founding Fathers.

[@avengemybreath3084]

@@2tone753 I’m glad you prefer the EU, since you live there. In my view there are many pros and cons to both systems. And yes distrust of elites and self-appointed experts is quite justified in many cases, including in judicial contexts. Btw, there is no meaningful distinction between what you are calling an “assault rifle” and any other semi-automatic rifle.

[@2tone753]

@@avengemybreath3084 You allow me to point out that, as a German, I am virtually an expert (which I am by no means proud of) in the field of “assault rifles”. My father had the “pleasure” of being “allowed” to work on the “Eastern Front”. Discussions about whether one thing is called this and another that way only distract from that they have a weapon that can take several people from life to death in a very short time. Yes, and as a now retired police officer, I was able to approach a lot of people without having to worry that there was an asshole in the car with a gun drawn. My point is that the USA seems to have decided to reduce their population by 50% in 20 years. I would very much regret it because I enjoyed being a guest in the USA several times. I like people alive better than people dead (as a result of a crime).

[@clownzzz4837]

Henry Fonda was one of my favorite actors growing up, especially his westerns. He made a lot of great movies in his lifetime. Thanks for the reaction.

[@Shintareth]

Henry Fonda was and is a friggin LEGEND!! 😤 Love this movie!!

[@izzonj]

This was indeed written as a stage piece, and was first performed as a TV play.

[@acbridge4th999]

This was the magic of storytelling, 95% of the movie in that 1 room. The 6'2" Henry Fonda in "The Oxbow Incident" is another excellent movie.

[@themadmallard]

The angry part is also that jury duty had a reputation of being a deeply frustrating and undesirable place to be. For anyone who hasn't served on a jury, its a major disruption of your life. The selection process, the waiting, the questioning, and if you get to a trial can disrupt your life for weeks at a time. For these men, in what clearly looks like a big city for the 50s, they will likely have already been taken up no less than a week without pay from their day jobs already, probably longer.

[@TTM9691]

The one thing that has gotten a bit lost in the mists of time: back then, movie theaters played double features, with a cartoon, a newsreel, a short of some kind.....so people would just pay their ticket and walk in and the show would already be going on. And they wouldn't kick you out, you could stay there all day long watching the movies over and over. Plus theatres would rotate the movies within days, not weeks. So not knowing what was playing would not be as far fetched back then as it would be now. My uncle tells me often how he and his friends would just "go to the movies" and watch whatever was playing, the novelty was the whole movie theatre experience, the actual films being just one element of it. Or you'd go to see the main feature, but wouldn't care about the second one, which was usually a low-budget, no-big-stars affair.

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

34:16 "I love this!" Same. To me (born in the decade this film was made) this was how people reacted to blatant racial slurs in a more civilized era. They refused to engage. I think today, when we are trained by social media to always engage, this guy's racist rant would have resulted in a more protracted performative argument, ultimately futile because he is an equal member of the jury and they are all stuck in a room together. There was certainly more racism in the 1950s, but debate was more productive.

[@davisworth5114]

No, there is much more racism today, and the culprits are black. I was born in 1946, grew up in Seattle, and never saw a single racial incident until I was threatened by some black thugs when I was driving through the CD the day after I returned home from Vietnam. You are ignorant.

[@EATherridan]

How angry that one character makes you shows how good the writing and acting here is.

[@davidhutchinson5233]

I saw this movie years ago. Coming home with my girl after partying. Early 90s I think. We put on the TV thinking another cute black and white movie but were literally taken aback at how truly excellent this movie really is. Thank you for your reaction ladies.

[@thecockerel86]

saw this a million years ago as a kid and it still holds up all these years later. a true classic.

[@JackOiswatching]

This was an instant click, seeing Arianna and Maple dig into this story and these characters is a real treat.

[@AnimeAftermath]

0:45 - "That's like twelve people there. Are those the 12 Angry Men?" Ummmmmm.... Wow.

[@johannesvalterdivizzini1523]

I was born that hot summer of 1957. I've watched 12 Angry Men quite a few times, and I'm still astonished how excellent it is. And I'm delighted that it still has such dramatic impact.

[@BoboftheOldeWays]

34:50 - one of my all time favorite movie moments. I love how even the abusive father (Juror 3) isn't having any of this racist crap. Considering the time this movie came out, and that the accused killer is a young Puerto Rican boy, this moment would have landed like a hammer blow with audiences of the day. Also, I love how Juror 4, the glasses man, seems disgusted to be on the same side as the racist and the abusive father, but can't let his own obsession with the facts go until the bitter end.

[@kirkdarling4120]

Not a problem with being obsessed with the facts, but when presented with a logical argument, he was willing to let it go.

[@Mantis_Toboggan_MD.]

A court case and a murder case in particular, is the appropriate time to be engaged in an "obsession with the facts"

[@Mantis_Toboggan_MD.]

Something else to consider about the female witness and her "glasses" - Neither lawyer asked her if she wore glasses - Neither lawyer asked her what those marks were on her nose. So for all we know those marks were not made by wearing glasses..... maybe they were birth marks? dirt marks? freckles.... Who knows maybe there weren't any marks at all? The point is that she was not questioned about it under oath so the jury members are just presuming that those marks on her nose were from wearing glasses. - Even if the marks were from wearing glasses, maybe they were only reading glasses and her eyesight was fine apart from that? According to her testimony she got a good look at the boy in the act of stabbing his father. It is not the jury's job to re-try the whole case. It is their job to reach a verdict based on the evidence that they have been presented with. It is not their job to speculate on wether an eyewitness did or didn't wear glasses

[@davisworth5114]

Really glad you weren't on the jury, they were looking for reasonable doubt, OK? Reading glasses don't leave permanent marks on your nose!

[@Mantis_Toboggan_MD.]

@@davisworth5114 How do we know these marks even existed?

[@MrRizzo1961]

Great movie. It was first a New York play on Broadway. No swearing fight scenes, chase scenes, and big special effects or explosions. Low budget. Who said you have to spend millions/ billions. To get a good movie.✌️❤️

[@kenschortgenjr7540]

Some interesting RL things about the time period this movie came out (1957). 1. It was only 3 years after the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education ending segregation 2. It was only 37 years, or about a generation, from the largest immigration movement in US history (1900 - 1920). And unskilled immigrants from Southern Europe made up the bulk of those coming in, and as noted lived in the slums of big cities like NYC. So there was still ALOT of prejudice not just of blacks, but of Italians, Irish, Jews, Russians, etc... who lived in the inner cities. 3. The old man - Joseph Sweeney (juror #9) was born in 1884 and was 73 years old when he did this movie.

[@lewstone2]

Did Trump build a wall across the Atlantic Ocean to keep them out?

[@kenschortgenjr7540]

@@lewstone2 No, but immigrants came in legally through Ellis Island and lawful ports of entry. (Which they could today, but don't have the patience to both get in line and fulfill the process)

[@lewstone2]

@@kenschortgenjr7540 maybe you're unaware but back then immigration was a much quicker and easier process. Today it can take up to a decade with the help of an immigration lawyer, back then you just had to show up.

[@kenschortgenjr7540]

@@lewstone2 Very true, however 100 years ago we had just tamed the West and a number of empty states were needing to be settled and filled. Today however, the nation is 360 million people and both state and federal budgets are insolvent. Added to this the majority of illegals coming over want and demand welfare, which is something they DIDNT get when they came over in the 1900s - 1920s. Immigrants coming over illegally offer unskilled cheap labor at best, which if you look at last month's jobs report was nearly all the new jobs created while citizens lost jobs.

[@starlightperkins330]

I love "Hank" Henry Fonda. He also plays a leading role in another film with a controversial plot line, "The Oxbow Incident". An interesting piece of trivia about an event that helped to shape the conscience of a very young Henry Fonda and would traumatize him for life. Fonda as a child witnessed the lynching of Will Brown (an African-American) in 1919 Omaha Nebraska. He would later state, "my hands were wet and there were tears in my eyes. All I could think of was that young black man dangling at the end of a rope."

[@kellyturner920]

This set was torn down and rebuilt three times during filming - each time it was rebuilt smaller so that it FELT claustrophobic as filming went on.

[@lanagievski1540]

One of the tightest scripts I’ve ever come across. The blocking and framing alone is enough to make this film legendary.

[@greglbennett]

Absolute classic. A masterclass in writing and acting

[@greggpangle4385]

One of the greatest movies ever made. It was originally a play. I wish this was shown in schools.

[@AudioVile]

When I saw that someone your age(s) were reacting to this... I had to comment and compliment. I won't watch the whole reaction. I've seen this movie at least 5 or 6 times. I find it very profound that many of the same issues and prejudices that existed in the 50s still exist today. This movie is one year older than I am! I was born in '58. This was released in '57. I hope you enjoyed this. I'm not sure if you noticed how many future famous actors made their debut (or were very young) in this classic! Henry Fonda, Ed Begley, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman to name a few. You mentioned "are those the 12 angry men?" Yes. A jury has 12 members. That was the foundation of the plot AND the title. Pretty deep, in my opinion!

[@joeparker9516]

I have watched this movie probably 20 or more times. And I love the way they each work through their own issues, and each others. I have sat on a "mock" jury, but never the real thing. There is a process where each juror is questioned by the prosecutor, the defender, and the judge; to ensure they are IMPARTIAL. Of these 12, I believe that MAYBE six would have made it to a real jury. Now, compare this to the situation that former President is now facing? Do you believe that the jurors that have been impaneled in two or three days, are honestly impartial? And that doesn't even address the judges positions of potential bias. This is why I absolutely LOVE this movie. Bias, distrust, bigotry, stupidity, malice, these were all present in this movie. Can anyone explain how they are NOT, in President T's case? Just asking. Diegesis, thank you for sharing this with us, and your own journey of discovery. Have a blessed day.

[@godusopp2752]

I found this movie scrolling youtube during like early days od the covid lockdown from school and i was shocked at how good it was, its one of my favorites ever

[@wozing]

I think it's really awesome how the juror who has problems with his kids and is operating off of emotion says in the beginning, "I'm glad you're not one of those that's swayed by emotion." And the same juror who says, "I don't have to tell you why I changed my vote," later confronts the baseball fan about why he changed his vote. The old man talks about an old man never feeling important, then is the most important factor in turning the juror with the glasses, who was arguably the toughest juror to convince. I wouldn't say they convinced the last guy, he just needed to vent so he could see clearly. The bigoted, prejudiced juror was guilty of all the things "them" were "known for." So many cool character arcs in this script. Many of the characters were most critical about things of which they, themselves, were ashamed. It's so well-written.

[@acecombatter6620]

Finally! A movie. And a great one at that.

[@kh884488]

The film is just 12 people in a room for almost the whole film, but it is absolutely brilliant. There are 3 things I especially love about this film: First, the relationship of the viewers to the film to the jury exactly resembles the relationship of the jurors to the case -- Aside from a brief look at the defendant, all we, the audience, know about the case is what the jurors tell us, so we, the audience become the jury of the jurors. Second, I love how the camera plays a subtle, but very active role in the film. During the racist rant, everyone backs away from the speaker -- even the camera. Third, the motivations of the jurors are all quite varied. Some want to do the right thing and some are just lazy -- it shows that the quality of justice that society has is the product of all the components that go into it. I'm so happy to see younger audiences watching this excellent classic. It's 2/3 of a century old, but still relevant today.

[@long-timesci-fienthusiast9626]

It`s always good to see more people enjoying this film. :) I have a suggestion for you, please consider reacting to (The Thin Man), it`s a Comedy/Mystery from 1934. It stars William Powell, Myrna Loy & a little mischievous dog. It is the 1st of a series of 6 Thin Man films.

[@mckeldin1961]

What a fabulous reaction! I love this movie, and watching an involved reaction to it is almost like seeing it for the first time. Thank you!

[@MrDevintcoleman]

I’m in the middle of jury duty right now!!! Perfect timing.

[@MrDevintcoleman]

Also, you do have assigned seats in the jury room haha My biggest takeaway so far is that it’s a weird experience being in a room with a judge, and bailiffs, and attorneys, but you, the jurors, are the most important people in the room. The weight of it is palpable.

[@Elephant2024-wi2li]

Definitely one of the best of the courtroom genre movies in that period. Phenomenal performances. Would also recommend 'Judgment at Nuremberg' & 'Inherit the Wind.'

[@EponymousRex]

The best part of this movie is that they never proved him innocent, but there was a reasonable doubt. Love you girls!

[@mikeprovencherii4198]

I love this movie so much. One of my favorite things is how they never actually tell you if the kid is guilty or not, because that's not even remotely the point.

[@dionysiacosmos]

This movie became public domain in the late 1970s when I was a teenager. The local TV stations started showing it frequently after that when they needed to fill an empty time slot. It probably came on when I was curled up on the floor sketching or making a collage or something. I had become fascinated with reruns of Perry Mason, a courtroom TV drama years before so if I'd seen the write up in The TV Guide, I might even have flipped the channel to it casually. Oh course I was drawn all the way in very quickly. I'm in my sixties now and it's still irresistible. Lucky for us my husband had fallen in love too, about when I did. TCM often shows it at midnight. I can't tell you how often one of us, not quite ready to go to bed, flipped the channels to kill a little time and ended up on 12 Angry Men, saying to ourselves we'd watch a little of it before going to sleep. It was always a lie. No matter when we joined it we always finished it. And I say we, because if the other one of us was awake we always ended up watching it together. The thing is there's always so many little things to catch. Congratulations on noticing that Juror # 10, Ed Beagley, said he had lived among the people he kept vilifying, in the slums, all his life, so quickly. He's obviously been getting positive feedback from whoever he considers his peers, but put him in a room with men of broader experience and he's genuinely shocked about how they turn away from him. Even Juror # 4, E G Marshall, who had been agreeing with him earlier about people from slums being potentially dangerous didn't follow him anywhere near that far. It's just not how people in Western Civilization want to perceive themselves. Americans particularly. For fun watch it sometime, focusing on Juror # 7, Jack Warden's little physical tricks and jokes. Maybe he has so much trouble articulating his thoughts in the case he has nothing to sell. He's pulling in something in excess of $120,000 a year, in adjusted dollars, selling marmalade. If someone had put the case into terms he could understand, within his frame of reference, he may have done better in the situation. He's not stupid or evil it's just like with Juror# 11, he's really lost at sea. He understands the ballgame. # 11 knows middle management meetings at an advertising agency. They're occupying their minds and speech were they're comfortable. The foreman, Juror # 1, Martin Balsom, is a high school football coach, who spends his time herding teenage boys. I wonder how many boys who watched this wished he could on his team. So many layers! Always challenging and always fun.

[@alonzocoyethea6148]

The Fonda blue eyes were passed on to his kids, Jane and Peter, who both had-Oscar-Winning films of thier own .I can't believe Fonda held back this AFI top- 100 film's release because he felt audiences wouldn't like it..Of course, when it came out to appreciative audiences and critics, he admitted he was wrong. And Director Sidney Lumet would rack up the Oscars in the 70's and 80;s with movies starring Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Paul Newman And Robert Redford. Fun reactions, ladies!

[@Madbandit77]

Lumet earned Oscar nominations, not wins. He did get an honorary Oscar, however.

[@eddie_77]

You just watched a classic. Notice all the camera angles and how the camera zooms to their faces, that's awesome cinema. For a 50s movie, this was fantastic.

[@alexandrorocca7142]

What possessed some people to do a remake of this masterpiece is beyond me. This film is all about the acting and it couldn't be done better. Shooting in black and white was less expensive, but I think that they did it primarily for artistic reasons.

[@davidkelly2355]

The man in the white suit was Henry Fonda ( father of Jane Fonda) he is really like the character he portrayed in the film in real life. He was a co- producer of the film

[@alexconte4339]

I was introduced to this film when I was 13. By the time I went to art school, the breakdown of film made it even better ❤