12 Angry Men (1957)
Ed Begley: Juror 10
Photos
Quotes
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Juror #8 : Let me ask you this: Do you really think the boy'd shout out a thing like that so the whole neighborhood could hear him? I don't think so - he's much too bright for that.
Juror #10 : Bright? He's a common ignorant slob. He don't even speak good English.
Juror #11 : [who has a foreign accent] He *doesn't* speak good English.
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Juror #8 : [after Juror #10 explains that he believes the boy is guilty because of the testimony of the woman across the street] I'd like to ask you something: you don't believe the boy's story. How come you believe the woman's? She's one of "them", too, isn't she?
Juror #10 : [the smile vanishes from his face] You're a pretty smart fella, aren't you?
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Juror #10 : [the vote has become 9-3, enraging Juror #10] I don't understand you people! I mean all these picky little points you keep bringing up. They don't mean nothing! You saw this kid just like I did. You're not gonna tell me you believe that phony story about losing the knife, and that business about being at the movies. Look, you know how these people *lie!* It's *born* in them! I mean, what the heck? I don't have to tell you! They don't know what the truth *is!* And lemme tell ya: they don't need any real big reason to kill someone, either! No *sir!*
[#5 slams the paper down, gets up from his seat]
Juror #10 : They get drunk! Oh, they're real big drinkers, all of 'em - you know that - and bang: someone's lyin' in the gutter! Oh, nobody's blaming them for it. That's the way they are, by nature! You know what I mean? *Violent!*
Juror #10 : [#9 rises and crosses to the window] Where're you going? Human life don't mean as much to them as it does to us!
[#11 gets up and walks to the other window]
Juror #10 : Look, they're lushing it up and fighting all the time and if somebody gets killed, so somebody gets killed! They don't care! Oh, sure, there are some good things about 'em, too! Look, I'm the first one to say that!
Juror #10 : [#8 gets up and walks to the nearest wall] I've known a couple who were OK, but that's the exception, y'know what I mean? Most of 'em, it's like they have no feelings! They can do anything!
[#2 and #6 get up from the table. Everyone's back is to #10]
Juror #10 : [looking around, starting to decline in volume] What's goin' on here? I'm trying to tell ya... You're makin' a big mistake, you people! This kid is a liar! I know it, I know all about them! Listen to me... They're no good! There's not a one of 'em who is any good! I mean, what's happening in here? I'm speaking my piece, and you...
[the Foreman gets up and walks away. So does #12]
Juror #10 : Listen to me. We're... This kid on trial here... his type, well, don't you know about them? There's a, there's a danger here. These people are dangerous. They're wild. Listen to me. Listen.
Juror #4 : [quietly and firmly] I have. Now sit down and don't open your mouth again.
[beat]
Juror #10 : [the shock of being ignored and silenced sinking in] I'm jus' tryin'-a... tell ya...
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Juror #8 : [justifying his reason for voting "not guilty"] I just think we owe him a few words, that's all.
Juror #10 : I don't mind telling you this, mister: we don't owe him a thing. He got a fair trial, didn't he? What do you think that trial cost? He's lucky he got it. Know what I mean? Now, look - we're all grown-ups in here. We heard the facts, didn't we? You're not gonna tell me that we're supposed to believe this kid, knowing what he is. Listen, I've lived among them all my life - you can't believe a word they say, you know that. I mean they're born liars.
Juror #9 : Only an ignorant man can believe that.
Juror #10 : Now, listen...
Juror #9 : [gets up] Do you think you were born with a monopoly on the truth?
[turns to Juror #8, indicating #10]
Juror #9 : I think certain things should be pointed out to this man.
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[after another vote is taken, the count is six to six]
Juror #10 : Six to six... I'm telling you, some of you people in here must be out of your minds. A kid like that...
Juror #9 : I don't think the kind of boy he is has anything to do with it. The facts are supposed to determine the case.
Juror #10 : Don't give me that. I'm sick and tired of facts! You can twist 'em anyway you like, you know what I mean?
Juror #9 : That's exactly the point this gentleman has been making.
[indicates Juror #8]
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Juror #10 : [when a new "not guilty" vote appears in a secret ballot] All right, who was it? I wanna know.
Juror #11 : Excuse me, this was a secret ballot. We all agreed on that. Now, if the gentleman wants it to remain secret...
Juror #3 : "Secret"? What do you mean, "secret"? There are no secrets in a jury room, I know who it was.
Juror #3 : [to Juror #5] Brother, you really are somethin'. you sit here vote guilty like the rest of us, then some golden-voiced preacher starts tearing your poor heart out about some underprivileged kid, just couldn't help becoming a murderer, and you change your vote. Well, if that isn't the most sickening - *why don't you drop a quarter in his collection box?*
Juror #5 : [astonished that #3 was accusing him, gets up] Oh, now just wait a minute! Listen, you can't talk to me that! Who do you think you are?
Juror #4 : Now calm down, calm down!
Juror #5 : No, now who do you think you are?
Juror #4 : It doesn't matter. He's very excitable. Just sit down...
Juror #3 : [exploding] "Excitable"? You bet I'm excitable! We're trying to put a guilty man in the chair where he belongs, and then someone starts telling us fairy tales and we're listening!
Juror #1 : Heya, c'mon now.
Juror #3 : [to Juror #5] What made you change your vote?
Juror #9 : He didn't change his vote - *I* did!
Juror #10 : [everyone stares] Ohhh, fine!
Juror #9 : Would you like me to tell ya why?
Juror #7 : No, I wouldn't like you to tell me why.
Juror #9 : Well, I'd like to make it clear anyways, if you don't mind.
Juror #10 : [impatient] Do we *have* to listen to this?
Juror #6 : [firmly] The man wants to talk.
Juror #9 : [to Juror #6] Thank you.
Juror #9 : [motions to Juror #8] This gentleman has been standing alone against us. Now, he doesn't say that the boy is *not* guilty; he just isn't *sure*. Well, it's not easy to stand alone against the ridicule of others, so he gambled for support... and I gave it to him. I respect his motives. The boy is probably guilty, but - eh, I want to hear more. Right now the vote is 10 to 2...
[Juror #7 gets up and heads to the bathroom]
Juror #9 : Now I'm talking here! You have no right to leave this room - !
Juror #8 : [calmly stopping him] He can't hear you, and he never will. Let's sit down.
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Juror #8 : [taking a cough drop that Juror #2 offered him] There's something else I'd like to talk about for a minute. Thanks. I think we've proved that the old man couldn't have heard the boy say "I'm gonna kill you", but supposing he did...
Juror #10 : [interrupting] You didn't prove it at all. What're you talking about?
Juror #8 : But supposing he really *did* hear it. This phrase, how many times have all of us used it? Probably thousands. "I could kill you for that, darling." "Junior, you do that once more and I'm gonna kill you." "Get in there, Rocky, and kill him!"... See, we say it every day. That doesn't mean we're gonna kill anyone.
Juror #3 : Wait a minute, what are you trying to give us here? The phrase was "I'm gonna kill you"; the kid yelled it at the top of his lungs... Don't tell me he didn't mean it! Anybody says a thing like that the way he said it, they mean it!
Juror #2 : Well, gee now, I don't know.
[Everyone looks at #2]
Juror #2 : I remember I was arguing with the guy I work next to at the bank a couple of weeks ago. He called me an idiot, so I yelled at him.
Juror #3 : [pointing at #8] Now listen, this guy's tryin' to make you believe things that aren't so! The kid said he was gonna kill him, and he *did* kill him!
Juror #8 : Let me ask you this: do you really think the kid would shout out a thing like that so the whole neighborhood could hear him? I don't think so; he's much to bright for that.
Juror #10 : Bright? He's a common, ignorant slob. He don't even speak good English.
Juror #11 : [looking up] He *doesn't* even speak good English.
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Juror #8 : I just want to talk.
Juror #7 : Well, what's there to talk about? Eleven men in here think he's guilty. No one had to think about it twice except you.
Juror #10 : I want to to ask you something: do you believe his story?
Juror #8 : I don't know whether I believe it or not - maybe I don't.
Juror #7 : So how come you vote not guilty?
Juror #8 : Well, there were eleven votes for guilty. It's not easy to raise my hand and send a boy off to die without talking about it first.
Juror #7 : Well now, who says it's easy?
Juror #8 : No one.
Juror #7 : What, just because I voted fast? I honestly think the guy's guilty. Couldn't change my mind if you talked for a hundred years.
Juror #8 : I'm not trying to change your mind. It's just that... we're talking about somebody's life here. We can't decide it in five minutes. Supposing we're wrong?
Juror #7 : Supposing we're wrong! Supposing this whole building should fall down on my head. You can suppose anything!
Juror #8 : That's right.
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Juror #3 : [as Juror 8 sets up an experiment to see if the old man could reach his front door in 15 seconds] What do you mean, *you* wanna try it? Why didn't his lawyer bring it up if it's so important?
Juror #5 : Well, maybe he just didn't think about it, huh?
Juror #10 : What do you mean didn't think of it? Do you think the man's an idiot or something? It's an obvious thing!
Juror #5 : Did *you* think of it?
Juror #10 : Listen, smart guy, it don't matter whether I thought of it. He didn't bring it up because he knew it would hurt his case. What do you think of that?
Juror #8 : Maybe he didn't bring it up because it would've meant bullying and badgering a helpless old man. You know that doesn't sit very well with a jury; most lawyers avoid it if they can.
Juror #7 : So what kind of a bum is he, then?
Juror #8 : That's what I've been asking, buddy.
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Juror #8 : According to the testimony, the boy looks guilty... maybe he is. I sat there in court for six days listening while the evidence built up. Everybody sounded so positive, you know, I... I began to get a peculiar feeling about this trial. I mean, nothing is that positive. There're a lot of questions I'd have liked to ask. I don't know, maybe they wouldn't have meant anything, but... I began to get the feeling that the defense counsel wasn't conducting a thorough enough cross-examination. I mean, he... he let too many things go by... little things that...
Juror #10 : What little things? Listen, when these fellas don't ask questions it's because they know the answers already and they figure they'll be hurt.
Juror #8 : Maybe. It's also possible for a lawyer to be just plain stupid, isn't it? I mean it's possible.
Juror #7 : You sound like you met my brother-in-law.
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Juror #10 : Oh, listen, I don't see what all this stuff about the knife has got to do with anything. Somebody saw the kid stab his father, what more do we need? You guys can talk the ears right off my head, you know what I mean? I got three garages of mine going to pot while you're talking! So let's get down and get out of here!
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Juror #10 : Bright? He's a common ignorant slob. He don't even speak good English.