1. 12 Angry Men

2. Premise The film opens at the end of a trial A young Puerto Rican boy has been accused of killing his father The jury is comprised of twelve men who will decide if the boy is guilty or not guilty If found guilty, the boy will be executed

3. Terminology Trial- If someone is accused of committing a crime, they have a right to defend themselves in court. Prosecution- This is the side in a trial which is trying to prove the accused person is guilty. Defense- This is the side in a trial which is trying to prove the accused person is innocent. Jury- A group of twelve people are chosen to listen to the trial. At the end, they will meet in a room to decide whether the accused person is guilty or not.

4. Concepts Fair trial- Under the American legal system, the accused person has a right to a competent defense lawyer, even if they are too poor to pay for one themselves. Innocent until proven guilty- As a part of the fair trial, the accused is thought to be innocent until proven guilty by the prosecution. Burden of Proof- The defendant does not have to prove his/her innocence Beyond reasonable doubt- In a murder trial, in order to find the defendant guilty, the jury must believe the accused committed the crime without any doubt. The jury’s decision must be unanimous (everyone must agree).

5. What is your opinion? Is this a fair system for determining a person’s innocence or guilt? What are some of the flaws of such a system? Who is protected? What rights do victims have? What makes the jury reliable? Can money buy better defence? Can you think of a better system?

6. The film The story takes place entirely in the jury’s room The details of the case are produced for the audience through character dialogue Most of the jury assume the boy is guilty, and each has his own reasons. (Some reasons are better than others) The biases, prejudices, and values of each man are revealed through the course of the story.

7. Let’s watch! We will now watch the film in its entirety We will then spend the rest of the week analysing various elements of the piece Enjoy!