12 Angry Men script

119 Pages·2010·5.26 MB·English

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TWELVE ANGRY MEN

bby Reginald Rase

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FIRST DRAFT - FEBRUARY 14, 1996
wore:

FOREMAN:

guror #2:

JUROR #3:

JUROR #4:

TUROR #8:

JUROR #6:

guROR 87:

The notes o: charactexs are extremely cried, since it is

t that what they are and who they are will be reveale
Sn their dialogue and actions zuieg the courae of the
fila

a5 years old, Asaistany high echool £ coach. &
amall,petty man who is at firet wary of, ang then
impreseed with the authority he has. Handles himself quite
formally. Not overly bright, but dogged.

3a yeara old, Rank clerk. A meek, heaitant man who finda
de diffécult to maintain any opinions of his own. Easily
awayed and usually adopts the opinion ef the last’person
to whom he has spoker.

40 years old. Head of 4 messenger service. A very
stvong, very forceful, extremely cpinionared’man within
whom can be detected a streak of sadiem. A hunorlese man
whe is intolerant of opinions other than his own, and
accustomed te forcing his wiehes and views wpon othera.

50 YEARS OLD. Stockbroker. A man of wealth and povition
A practiced speaker who presente himself well at all
crimes. Seems to feel a Little bir above the rest of the
jurors. Hie only concern is with the facts in this case
and he is appalled with the behavior of the others
Constantly preening himself, combing his hair, cleaning
hig nails, ete.

25 years old, Mechacic. A naive, very rightened young man
who takes bis obligations in thie case very seriously but
who finds it difficult to speak up when his elders have
the floor.

32 years old. wousepainter. An honest, but dull-witted
man who comes upon hue decisiona slowly and careful=y. 2%
man who finds i¢ dificult to create posi

but whe must Listan to and digest and a
zpinions cffered by o7

42 yeara ‘eld. Salesman. A loud, flashy, glad-handed
salesman type who hae more important things to dc than sit
on a jury. He de quick co show temper, quick co forn
epinions on things about which he knows not! We isa
bully, ad, of course, a coward.
guror #6?

TUROR #9:

JUROR #10:

JUROR $31:

JUROR #12

THE JUDGE

2 years old, architect. a guies, thoughteul,
maw. Aman who seed many sides ro every quastion and
constantly seeks the truth, A man of strength tempared
with compaseien. above all a man who wants juatice to be
done, and will fight to see that it is.

70 yeare old, Retired. A mild, gentle old man, long
since defeated by life, and now mezely waiting to die. A
man who recognizes Aimgelf for what he is, and nourne che
Saye when it would have bean possible to be courageszs
without shielding himself behicd ais mary yeara. Prom the
way he takes pills whenever he is excited, it is obvious
that he has a heart condition.

45 years old. Garage owner. An angry, bitter man. &
man who antagonizes almost at sight. A bigot who places
no valued on any human life save hig own. A man who has
baen nowhere and is going nowhere and knows it deep within
him, He has a bad cold and continually blows his nose,
esiffe a Renzedrine inhaler, etc.

48 years old, Watchmaker. A refugee from Burope who has
come to this councry in 1941. A man who speaks with ay
accent and who is ashamed, jumble, aloost subservient to
the people around him, Sut a man who will honestly sees
justice because he has suffered shrough eo wuch injustice.

30 years old. advertising man. A slick, bright
advertising man who thinks of human beings in terms oF
percentages, graphs and polls, and has no real
understanding of people. A superficial suck, but trying
to be a good fellow. Throughout the film ke doodles on =
scratch pad.

TEE COURT CLERK

TEE GUARD

‘THE TWO ALTERNATE JURORS

AND (if desire)

THE COURT STENCGAAPEOR
UST DRAFT “21486, 1

TWELVE ANGRY MEN

FADE IN:
ERT. W.~. COURT OF GENERAL SESSIONS - DAY

A large, imposing building, gray, impressive as a background for
the. comings and goings cf a “number of ordinary people on an
Grdinary day. Camera holds on-steps and building front from the
distance and chen dollies in slowly.

BISSOLVE To:

INT, THE LOBBY - SAME

seathing with activity, people of all kinds walking swiftly,
purposefully to and from elevators, newsstands, etc. Others
Standing, vatting. Guards stationed at various posts, Canara pans
across lobby and than dollies into a bank of elevators, A mumbar
of pacple crow) into one» Tha door closes.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT, LONG CORRIDOR UPSTAIRS - SANE

The elevators on laft. Many doorways to various courtrooms on
right. Each door marked with a hanging eign. The firet sign reads
“Court of General Seasiona. Part I", The eecond sign reads “court
of General Sessions. Part II’ etc. An elevator door opens and a
numbar of people exit and walk down the corridor. Other people,
men and women, stand in the corridor talking. The whole feeling is
one of movement, activity, intense concentration. Bveryone has a
purpose. -Camera doliies down the corridor, following a group of
people who exited from the eievator, People peel off from the
Greup at various doors. At each door stands 4 quard. Pacple move
in and out of the doors. Camera reaches the doox marked “Part VI",
and pans around to face the door. A guard stands in front of it,
inpacsively, No one else is in front of the door, as compared to
the knots of whispering people in front of ali the othe: doors.

The case going on in “parc VI" cbvicugly has véry little general
interes". Through the glass window of the door we can see, far in
the background, the judge at his bench. He ja facing to his lef,
and talcing, We Hear nothing. He stops and turns to his right.
He vaises his hand as if celling the waiter.

DISSOLVE TC:
FIRST DRAFT-214°96

INT. COURTROOM - SAME
An empty water glass on @ tray.

From the noise of the coi
stilineas of a courtroon, A hand places a fresaly-fitled
of water on the tray. A paix of hands fills a-glass from
pitcher, Cageza pans with giass as it ie raised. Canera
Glose-up ¢f judge, drinking the water. He finishes, puts
down, and turns to his left again. He clears his throat.
bagine to speak

guns
wand that concludes the cours's
explanation of the legal aspects of
thie cage. And now, genclemen of the
jury, I come to ay final instruction
fo you, Murder in the first degree ~
> premeditated homicide ~~ is the
most serious charge tried in our
eximinal courta. You've lissened to
the testimony and you've had the law
read to you and interpreted as tr
applies te this casa. It now becomes
your duty to try and separate the
Facts grom the fancy. One man is
Sead. Tha life of another is at
etake, I urge you to deliberate
honestly and thoughtfully. If there
fs a reasonable doubt -- then you
must pring me a verdict of ‘not
guilty". If, however, there is no
Peasonable doubt, then you cust, in
good conscience, Find the accused
guilty. However you decide, your
Yerdict wast be ynanimous. tn the
event you find the accused gulity...

CLOSE SHOT THE. ACCUSED
A young Puerto Rican man vulnerable and afraid

(cont)
csathe bench will sot entertain a
recommendation fer wercy.. The death
sentence is wardatory iz thia case.
don't envy you your job. You are
faced with a grave zesponsibility.
Thank you, gentienen.

There is a brief pause. Tha jurore file our.

dor we are now in the deathitke

pitcher
the

holds on
the glass
‘Then he
PIRST DRAFT. 2496 4

INT, JURY ROOM - DAY

A’very hot sumer afternoon. Tt is a large, drab, bare zcom in
need sf painting, with three windows in the back wat] thzouga which
Gan be seen the New York pkyline. Off the jury room is 2 washroom,
with a lavatory beyond. A large, scarred table is C with twelve
Ghaize around it, A hene2 stands againat the wall and there are
Several extra chairs and a amall table in tae room, plus a water-
cooler, with paper cupe anda waste basket and an electric fan over
he betch end a clock over the cooler and row of hooks fox coats,
with a shelf over if, There are pencils, pads and asutrays on ‘the
fable, At night the zoom is lit by fuorescent lighting with the
switch’ next co the door.

The Jurors enter precedad by a Guard. He checks his list. The 2:
Juror, afi old tan, crosses, ‘goes into the washroom, and exits to
the lavatory. The ith Juror hegins to read a newspaper. Several
Serors open the windows, Others move awkwardiy about the racm.
There is no conversation for a few momants, The 3zd Juror takes
out sone notes and atudies then, The 2nd Juror crosces to the
Gazer-cooler, gets a cup of water, Tha foreman tears a sheet from
the adtepad and tears up litcie slips of paper for ballots. The
Guard crosses to the 12th Juror and checke his name. The 7th Jaror
Grosses to the ath Juror and offers him a stick of gum. The <th
duror shakes his head.

‘77 JUROR
(turning te the 8th Juror)
Do you want some gum?

eT JUROR
{emiling}
No thanks.

‘he 7ch Juror vigoroualy chews a piecs of gum himself and crosses
to the 6th Juror.

‘778 JUROR
(mopping wis brow)

Yiknow something? I phoned up for

the weather, Tais is the hottest day

of the year.

‘1TH aUROR (CONT?
(rhe sth duror nods and gazes out
‘ha, window)

you'd thik they'd at least air

condition the place. I almost

Gropped dead in cout

cuARD

okay, gentlemen, Everyhody's here

TE there's anything you want, I'm
‘Just’ knock.
FIRST DRAFT- 21496 4

‘The Quard exite and in the silence the sound 1e heard of the door
being locked

STH JUROR
1 nevar knew they locked the door.
OTH JUROR
Sure they Leck the door, what'd you
chink?
, STH qUROR
I don't know. It Just never occurred
: to me.

The loth Juror erasaes and pauses beside the Foreman’ and indicates
' the Slips of paper,

LOTH JUROR
Hay, whet's that for?

FCRENAN
Well, 2 figured we might want to vote
by ballots.

‘ LOTH JUROR

Great ideal Maybe we can'get him
elected senator.

He laughs until he begins te cough.

‘The Foreman locks at his watch and compares it with the clock. The
3rd Juror tekes £ cap of water Ero the water-cooler, moves to the
gnd duror and looks around the room as he sips the water.

RD JUROR
{te the 2nd Juror}
How'd. you Like it?

ND JUROR
onilaly!

1 don't know, it was pretty

interesting.

| 3RD JUROR

' Yeah? 1 was felling eslesr.
\
i

2 JUROR
1 mean, I've never been on a jury
i before.
FIRST DRAFT - 21496

RD JUROR
Reatly? I've gat on juries,
always anbzes me tae vay these
lawyers can talk, and talk and talx,
evan when the case is as obvious as
this ome. T mean, did you ever hear
So muck talk about nothing?

24D JUROR
Well, I quess they're entitled.

aRD JUROR
Sure they are. Evaryhody deserves a
fair trial. That's the system.
Edaten, I'm the last one to say
anything against it, but I'm telling
you sometimes Z think wa'd be better
BEE if we took these tough kids and.
slapped ‘om down before they mace
trouble, you know? Save usa lot of
time and money.

‘The 2nd Juror inoks nervously at the 3rd Juroz, nods,
to the water-cooler, refill hie’ cup and stands alone, sipping

‘77H TUROR
(to the Foreman)
Hay, how about getting started here?

RD JUROR
Yeah, let's get this over with.
We've probably all gor things td do.

FOREMAN
Well, T was figuring we'd take a
fivelninute break. I mean, one man's
in the hathzoon.

std JUROR
{to the Fovenan, hesitantly!
Ace we going to sit in order?

FORENAN
what? I don't know. suppose so.

‘The eth Juror is looking out the window.

12TH JUROR
{to the sth Juror)
Not a bad view
(the @th Juror nods)
vat d'you think of the case?
FIRST DRAFT 27486

227% JUROR iCONT;

(the sth Juror déesn't answer)
It had alot of interest for me. No
deed apota -- know whar I mean? I'11
ell yeu we were “ucky ta get a
murder cage, 1 figured us for a
burglary or an assault or something.
Those can be the dullest.

the Igoks out of the window)
say, isn'> that the woolworsa
suil/ding?

6TH qUROR
That 'p right.

27H JUROR
Furby, I've lived here all ay 2ife
and I've never been in it,

‘me sth Juror gazes ‘out of the window. The 12th Juror lookd at him

for a moment ther moves away. The 7a curor,

durer, laughs)

Talking with the 10th

OxH JUROR
Yeah, can you imagine, sitting there
for three days just for this?

‘77 TUROR
and what ebout that business with the
kuife? Imean, asking grown-up
people to believe that kind of
Bullghic.

07H JUROR
Well, look, you've gotta expect that.
You know what you're deating with.

7TH JUROR
Yeah, 1 suppose 50,
(tha 10ch Juror blows his nose
vigorously)
What's the matcer, you got a cold?

20TH JoROR
And how, ‘These hot weather colds cari
kill you, T can hardly
nose. Know wi

(he blows hie nose loudly)
FIRST DRAFT -3/14:96 +

724 JUROR
Well, your hora’s all right. Now try
your lights
(the Jen Jufor clinbe on te the
wench and tries the fan}
ch, that's beautiful, the fan doesn't
work.

the steps gown)
Somebody take # letter to.che mayor,
‘Dear stingy. ,

‘The 31d Juror moves about the 4¢h Juror, leana over and scans the
4th Juror's newpaper. The Foreman clishs on the bench and
: examinas the =an)

3RD UROR
(to the 4th Juror)

I didn't get a chance to Jaok at the

newspapers today. Anything sew going

4TH JUROR
Iwas just wondering how che marke:
closed.
1 SRD JUROR

1 I wouldn't know. Say, are you on the
Exchange or someching?

: 472 JUROR
I'm a broker.

325 JUROR
Really? I run a messenger service.
"The Beck and call Company." The
name's by wife's idea. T employ,
thirty-seven people... started with
nothing.

JoROR
(locking at his watch)

} Hey, Mr. Wea
atyou say?
a FCREMAN
AlL right, gentlemen. =et's take
‘ seats.