Great legal drama that takes place in a jury room!!

Rating: 10/10 (17 March 2008)

Eleven jurors in a murder trial feel an 18 year-old is GUILTY for killing his father and should receive the death penalty. Henry Fonda's character is the LONE JUROR, who feels that the boy is innocent.
The brilliance of this movie is how close to "real life" it is - full of adult material, which was unusual in those days. How many of us, who have served on jury duty, have faced these types of people? I know that I have. The room is HUMID and HOT and you know that it is going to be even MORE HOTTER during the ninety minutes of deliberation. Fonda is wonderful in how he is capable of presenting the "what if" arguments and his own investigative speculation into the case, which is also a drawback to the film in that such speculation is not permissible under current legal proceedings.
None of these jurors know each other and they come from different backgrounds - one is an architect (Fonda), while another is a calm, observant older man (Joseph Sweeney). These two are capable of dissecting the facts of this case better than their fellow jurors. The other ten jurors are either unconcerned, unwilling, inpatient, bored, selfish, prejudiced, or sadistic, or they simply don't care. Each character brings with them different backgrounds and education. Obviously, those who are better educated, or older and wiser, (Fonda and Sweeney), tend to be more careful and analytical in their decisions than the sadistic businessman (Lee J. Cobb), the prejudiced garage owner (Ed Begley), or the selfish salesman (Jack Warden) - the WORST types of jurors that one could ask for in a legal case. The football coach, (Juror # 1 - Martin Balsam), who is the overseer of the jury proceedings, is likable, but would prefer to be elsewhere. They are anxious to come to a conclusion and be on their merry way, especially Warden, who has to be at the ball game on time.
The shy, uncertain bank clerk (John Fiedler) is willing to go with the flow of the others. The advertising agent (Robert Webber) is the same way. These are also poor qualities for a member of the jury. The confident broker (E.G. Marshall) is certain the boy is guilty based on the facts of the case. His argument would be more relevant in a true legal proceeding.
The self-conscious common man (Jack Klugman), the dependable painter (Edward Binns), and the careful, East European watchmaker (George Voskovec) are more willing to compromise with Fonda. How will it play out? It depends on those jurors who are uncooperative and uncontrollable, especially the sadistic Cobb. "Kids these days."
Score: 10/10