Twelve Angry Men is an American courtroom drama written by Reginald Rose about the deliberations of a jury at a homicide trial. It was broadcast initially as a television play in 1954. It was adapted for the stage the following year, and for the screen in 1957. Since then it has been the subject of numerous remakes, adaptations, and tributes.
The play explores the deliberations of a jury of a homicide trial, in which a dozen "men with ties and a coat" decide the fate of a teenager accused of murdering his abusive father. In the beginning, they are nearly unanimous in concluding the youth is guilty, influenced by their own background and upbringing.[1] One man dissents, declaring him "not guilty", and he sows a seed of reasonable doubt. Eventually, he convinces the other jurors to look beyond their own personal bias and support a unanimous "not guilty" verdict.[1]
Actors perform the mixed-gender version "12 Angry Jurors" at a community theatre in North Carolina.
Twelve Angry Men was first adapted to the stage from Rose's teleplay by Sherman L. Sergel in San Francisco in 1955.[2]
Following the film's release, the stage rights were sold, and foreign language versions were written. In 1958, Andre Obey's French version was a hit in Paris, and Horst Budjuhn[de]'s German version played in Munich and Frankfort. Rose retained British rights for himself and planned his own stage adaptation for Broadway in 1960, though this did not materialize.[3]
Sergel's adaptation continued to be performed by amateur theaters.[4] It is still frequently performed, often as Twelve Angry Women and Twelve Angry Jurors, with all-women or mixed gender casts.[5][6]
Rose's version made its London West End debut in 1964. A 1996 production directed by Harold Pinter transferred to the West End,[7] and it was revived again in 2013.[8]
In June–July 2022, Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis presented a world-premiere musical adaptation based on Reginald Rose's teleplay called Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical, with a book by David Simpatico and music and lyrics by Michael Holland.[12][13]
In 2007, Russian film director Nikita Mikhalkov completed 12, his remake of the film. The jury of the 64th Venice Film Festival assigned its special prize to this remake "to acknowledge the consistent brilliance of Nikita Mikhalkov's body of work".[14]
12 Angry Lebanese is a 2009 documentary film that chronicles efforts to stage an adaptation of Twelve Angry Men with inmates inside Beirut's Roumieh Prison.[15]
In 2014, Chinese film director Xu Ang remade it as 12 Citizens. It was shown at the 2014 Rome Film Festival on October 19, 2014[16] and was released in China on May 15, 2015.[17]
The jury foreman, somewhat preoccupied with his duties; proves to be accommodating to others. An assistant high school football coach. Tends to attempt to prevent heated arguments. The ninth to vote "not guilty".
A meek and unpretentious bank clerk who is at first domineered by others but finds his voice as the discussion goes on. The fifth to vote "not guilty".
A rational stockbroker, unflappable, calm, and analytical. He remains among the most neutral of the jurors, examining the case through facts and not bias. The eleventh to vote "not guilty".
An indecisive advertising executive who is easily swayed by the others. Originally the eighth to vote "not guilty" before changing back and forth three times.
The cast of the 2007 Russian film adaptation, 12, directed by Nikita Michalkov:
The first animated homage to Twelve Angry Men was Hanna-Barbera's The Flintstones, also TV's first prime time animated series. In the sixth-season episode "Disorder in the Court", Fred (Alan Reed) is the foreman and believes the defendant is innocent even though (in a twist original) it is obvious that he is guilty. Fred changes his vote and when he announces the guilty verdict in court, the defendant—called "The Mangler" (Henry Corden)—threatens Fred with revenge when released from prison.
A fifth-season episode of the BBC TV series Hancock's Half Hour called "Twelve Angry Men" is a parody of the original film with the central concept being reversed. Hancock spends the episode trying to convince the jury that a man caught red-handed stealing some jewelry is innocent when he is clearly guilty.
An episode of the TV series The Dick Van Dyke Show, aired March 7, 1962, and entitled "One Angry Man". In this episode, Rob Petrie is summoned to do jury duty; as in the movie, Petrie is the stand-out believing the defendant (Sue Ane Langdon) to be innocent, among the other jurors who wish to rapidly send the defendant to jail so they can return to their respective occupations. Throughout the episode, numerous references to the names of the actors and characters of the 1957 movie are mentioned.
The Newhart episode "Twelve Annoyed Men...and Women" features main character Dick Loudon as foreman of a jury that is set to convict a bird thief, until one holdout votes "not guilty". The lone dissenter reveals that he voted for acquittal only because he wanted to spend more time with the members of the jury.
The animated television series Pepper Ann features an episode titled "One Angry Woman". Pepper Ann's mother Lydia is called into jury duty for a case involving a supposed spitter. The events play out similarly to the original, complete with certain lines spoofed and altered for the episode.
An episode of the TV series Monk, "Mr. Monk Gets Jury Duty", strongly spoofs the original 12 Angry Men teleplay. In this episode, the jury is presiding over the case of a man accused of stabbing another man attempting to make a bank deposit. Many of the jurors resemble a 12 Angry Men juror in some way or form.[citation needed]
A Season 11 episode of Family Guy, "12 and a Half Angry Men", is a parody of the film. The town mayor is accused of murder, and Brian and Peter are called to the jury. Brian takes the role of the eighth juror.
A Season 2 episode of Murder, She Wrote features a parody of the film (however, both men and women are included on this jury), with Jessica Fletcher and eleven other jurors seeking to determine the guilt or innocence of both a man and a woman.
Season Three of Inside Amy Schumer devoted an episode to one sketch, a parody of 12 Angry Men. The twelve men must decide if Amy Schumer is "hot enough" to have her own TV show.[21]
In a 1996 episode of Early Edition, titled "The Jury", Gary is the only juror who believes a man accused of embezzlement is innocent. Similarities to Twelve Angry Men include a European juror, a retiree, a meek juror, and a juror who cares little about the case.
The King of the Hill Season Three episode "Nine Pretty Darn Angry Men" parodies 12 Angry Men with the characters as part of a focus group for a new lawnmower. Hank in the role based on juror 8 opposes the new mower while the others praise it. [citation needed]
The title of an episode in Season Two of Veronica Mars, "One Angry Veronica", references the film as the main plot and is concerned with Veronica being called for jury duty.
The That Girl episode "Eleven Angry Men and That Girl", has the show's main character Ann Marie convince a jury that a person who was accused of domestic violence should be found innocent, only to see them strike their spouse in court after the verdict is announced.
In Blue Bloods season 4, episode 8, "Justice Served", Danny Reagan dissents as Juror 8.[citation needed]
Episode 6 in series 12 ("Jury") of the sitcom Not Going Out is set in a jury room with multiple references to Twelve Angry Men.
In the How I Met Your Mother episode "Twelve Horny Women", the character Marshall Eriksen faces a physically attractive male lawyer, in front of an all-female jury. At one point, he states "I've heard of twelve angry men, but this was more like twelve horny women".
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