12 Angry Men



12 Angry Men

Introduction

Twelve Angry Men is a 1957 American film directed by Sidney Lumet produced by Henry Fonda and Reginald Rose, with story and screenplay written originally for TV by Reginald Rose. At first glance it appears to be no more than a simple film, albeit one with a powerful message, about the legal concept of “reasonable doubt.” But the film is not only about doubt and uncertainty; it is also about unconscious motivations, including patricide and filicide. It is about prejudice, indifference, care and concern, ridicule and shame, and the need for the respect and the attention of others— all of which make important appearances in the film. As a backdrop to all of this we also find anger and rage, usually well controlled, but always threatening to break through (Grotstein, 2005). It is also a film that reveals the many pit-171 falls inherent in humanity's search for truth anywhere—something that is clearly relevant to psychoanalysts in the consulting room.

Virtually all the action of '12 Angry Men 'set in the deliberation room, except for the prologue and epilogue. In an hour, and half Lumet is creating a sense of claustrophobia in accordance with the psychology of the characters. The viewer immerses in a story that has little data, but they discover and reveal the different personalities of individuals who will decide if the child lives or dies. One by one they discover his letters, and then we realize those they truly care about the case and take the responsibility that has fallen on them, and all of them are less concerned.

Group Demonstrate

The film has only one main venue—the jury room, where almost all of the action takes place. The action begins outside the courthouse. The camera takes in a shot of enormous Romanesque pillars making up its facade. On the frieze is written, “The Administration of Justice Is the Firmest Pillar of Good Government (Garfinkle, 2005).” We then slowly zoom into a drab courtroom presided over by a bored judge, ill with a cold, who gives his final directions to the jury.

It is also important to note how the film also pays close attention to group dynamics. Among other themes, being on a winning or losing side (and the shame and humiliation of being all alone on the losing side) was important to many in the group, and the tally was followed as closely as a baseball ...