TWELVE ANGRY MEN

Introduction:
Twelve angry men, by American playwright Reginald rose, was originally written for television,
and it was broadcast live on cbss show studio one in 1954. Rose expanded the play for the stage
and a new version was published in 1955. Two years later, in 1957, rose wrote the screenplay for
a film version, which he co-produced with actor, Henry Fonda, who also played the pivotal role
of juror #8. Sydney Lumet directed the film and it was nominated for academy awards for best
picture, best director and best writing, screenplay based on material from another medium, and
an edgar allan poe award for best motion picture screenplay from mystery writers of america. In
1997, the cable channel showtime released the made-for-television movie of twelve angry men,
directed by william friedkin, and starring jack lemmon as juror #8, with george c. Scott, hume
cronyn, james gandonfini, and tony danza. Reginald rose produced an updated screenplay for this
version. The play has subsequently been updated and revived; for example, in a production by
the roundabout theatre company at the american airlines theatre in new york city in 2004.
Twelve angry men was inspired by reginald roses experience of jury duty on a case in new york
city. At first he had been reluctant to serve on a jury, but he wrote, the moment i walked into the
courtroom and found myself facing a strange man, whose fate was suddenly more or less in my
hands, my entire attitude changed. The internet movie database quotes roses memories of this
experience: it was such an impressive, solemn setting in a great big woodpaneled courtroom,
with a silver-haired judge, it knocked me out. I was overwhelmed. I was on a jury for a
manslaughter case, and we got into this terrific, furious, eight-hour argument in the jury room. I
was writing one-hour dramas for studio one then, and i thought, wow, what a setting for a
drama.

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The result is a tense, engrossing drama in which eleven jurors believe the defendant in a capital
murder trial is guilty, while one juror stands up courageously for what he believes is justice and
tries to persuade the others to his way of thinking.

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Analysis:
From this movie 12 Angry men we analyses that it;
Twelve Angry Men paints a portrait of a small portion of American society in the mid1950s.
Worldwide, economies had recovered from the Great Depression of the late 1920s and
1930s, and America had emerged victorious and strong from the Second World War.
The challenges facing American society were no longer to do with basic survival, but
instead about negotiating Americas place in a global political environment.
America was engaged in an ongoing conflict with the Soviet Union (the Cold War) which
continued for many decades.
This was a struggle for political and economic dominance between two very powerful
nations, and was not always military, but often social, political and economic.
At the same time, the nation was entering into an internal struggle, the Civil Rights
Movement, which was concerned with ending racial discrimination and promoting
freedom, respect and equality.
It presents a situation of domestic conflict which echoes this backdrop of social and
political conflict in 1950s America.
In Twelve Angry Men, not only are there clashes of individual personality and belief, but
there are glimpses of the class conflicts and philosophical challenges facing workingclass Americans.
An exploration of the legal system, 12 Angry Men does not so much critique as attempt
to humanize the American constitutional judicial process for people.
Conformity occurs through normative social influence, informational social influence and
lastly through social impact and majority influences. Twelve Angry Men highlights the
efficacy of these theories.
Attitude and persuasion theory are both found within the film Twelve Angry Men.
Characters and plot highlight the central and peripheral theories of attitude change and
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give credence to the impact of source theory in persuasion. Route and source are
elements, which strongly influence attitude.
Theories of group process including: groupthink, group polarization, social loafing, social
compensation and social facilitation are exemplified in the movie Twelve Angry Men.
The impact of group process is potentially damaging and in the context of a jury must be
mitigated to ensure fairness and adherence to values.

Comments:
The film 12 Angry Men exemplifies many social psychology theories. This tense,
compelling film, features a group of jurors who must decide the guilt or innocence of an accused
murder. Initially eleven of the twelve jurors vote guilty. Gradually, through heated discussion,
the jurors are swayed to a not-guilty decision. Upon examination, the film highlights social
psychology theories in areas of conformity, attitude change and group process.
Twelve Angry Men, was released at a time when political upheaval and social justice
was fomenting. In an era of social, scientific and moral expansion, Twelve Angry Men, seems
to mirror the growing sentiments of the United States in the late fifties. The films illumination
of several social psychological theories provides a basis for critical examination and a forum for
understanding attitudes, group process and conformity. An awareness of the limiting nature and
possible danger of many of these social psychological theories is beneficial and necessary.

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