A 1957 release, sited almost entirely in a single room, 12 Angry Men is still one of the most compelling courtroom films ever made. Directed by Sidney Lumet film follows 12 jurors that must decide the fate of a boy accused of murder, a boy whose life depends on their verdict. What begins as a slam-dunk case becomes anything but, revealing the prejudices, tempers and unexpected humanity within each man.
If you’re looking for the best 12 Angry Men quotes, then you have come to the right place- the kind of truths that provoke a second take on your whole perspective on justice, doubt, and human nature. These lines show you need neither flashy effects nor a huge cast to generate indelible tension — simply razor-sharp writing, palpable characters and voices that refuse to be silenced.
- Juror #8: “It’s not easy for me to raise my hand and send a boy off to die without talking about it first.”
- Juror #3: “You’re talking about a matter of seconds! Nobody can be that accurate!”
- Juror #9: “It takes a great deal of courage to stand alone, even if you believe in something very strongly.”
- Juror #10: “You know how these people lie. It’s born in them.”
- Juror #8: “We’re talking about somebody’s life here. We can’t decide in five minutes. Supposing we’re wrong?”
- Juror #11: “I have always thought that in this country a man was entitled to have unpopular opinions…”
- Juror #7: “This is the hottest day of the year. You can’t expect anybody to keep their tempers in this kind of heat.”
- Juror #3: “He’s got to burn! He’s slipping through our fingers!”
- Juror #4: “I don’t see any need for arguing like this. I think we ought to be able to behave like gentlemen.”
- Juror #8: “We’re not convinced. We want to hear them again. We have a reasonable doubt, and this is not a personal thing.”
- Juror #5: “I’ve lived in a slum all my life. I played in backyards that were filled with garbage. Maybe you can still smell it on me.”
- Juror #9: “He said it and he meant it. But I think he’s a very confused old man.”
