"12 Angry Men" is a 1957 drama, which depicts jury deliberations in a murder case. It is a primer on what to do and what not to do when deliberating as a juror. The film shows the dynamics of jury deliberations: the anger, the false starts, the personality conflicts, the joint effort and the functioning of several minds together to seek out the truth.
             The film irrevocably alters one's perceptions of the trial by jury process. The defendant (John Savoca) is on trial for pre-meditated murder. He will be sent to the chair if a unanimous verdict of guilty is returned. Inside the jury room, Juror No. 1 (Martin Balsam) tries to impose order in his capacity as Foreman. He doesn't particularly wish to shoulder this burden but, if he must, he'll try to discharge his duties responsibly. With all assembled the mood suggests that an immediate vote should be held. The first vote is 11 guilty and 1 not guilty. Juror No. 8, Henry Fonda states that he couldn't vote guilty simply because there is reasonable doubt in his mind. Two of the jurors exploded in disbelieving anger, amazed that any reasonable man could harbor the slightest uncertainty. The decision is then made that all should explain their choice of decision. Their feelings ranged from the subdued, to the coldly analytical, to the stupid. None of this sways Juror No. 8 because he had a switchblade just like the supposedly unique knife used in the killing. Stunned and somewhat insulted by his forethought the jurors erupt in a babble of opposition. Although his findings proves nothing it strikes a note of caution. After a secret ballot, the foreman reads out the results; amazingly another voted not guilty.
             The film makes its point that only reason and fact have a place in the courtroom extremely clear. With a room full of prejudiced and unsure men, the term reasonable doubt becomes clear. The whole magnitude of humanity is represented from...