Trial And 'urrah

Rating: 10/10 (12 May 2011)

It's several years since I saw this film and it holds up superbly despite the built-in flaw in the plot which perhaps remains unspotted - though with the number of reviews posted here, which would be difficult to read in toto possibly it has been noted. As we all know the action is virtually confined to the Jury Room in the wake of a murder trial to which we are not privy. It seems open and shut and eleven of the jurors are ready to vote guilty and get out of there but one man persuades them to at least consider the possibility that the accused is innocent. Eventually all twelve jurors vote not guilty, end of story. BUT: It they are correct then WHO did kill the victim? Presumably the police never bothered to search for anyone else so is there a murderer on the loose? Conversely, what if the accused really IS guilty, then they have conspired to let a murderer walk free. Clearly this began life as a play for television for which its single set is ideal and the transformation to the big screen is masterly. All twelve actors are beyond praise and this is, without question, a truly fine film, yet a film that tackles moral questions so forthrightly should itself be questioned by ignoring others.