"It explodes like 12 sticks of dynamite!"
12 Angry Men - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
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 8
Context:
This is said near the beginning of the film, immediately after the initial 11-1 vote. Juror 8 is explaining to the other impatient and annoyed jurors why he cast the lone 'not guilty' vote, setting the stage for the entire conflict and deliberation to follow.
Meaning:
This quote encapsulates the central theme of the film: the immense moral responsibility of the jury. It's not a statement of the boy's innocence, but a plea for deliberation and a stand against haste when a life is at stake. It establishes Juror 8's character as the film's moral compass.
Nobody has to prove otherwise. The burden of proof is on the prosecution. The defendant doesn't even have to open his mouth. That's in the Constitution.
— Juror 8
Context:
Juror 8 says this during the early stages of the deliberation, in response to Juror 2's weak reasoning that the defendant is guilty because "nobody proved otherwise." It's a key moment where he grounds the discussion in legal principle rather than personal feeling.
Meaning:
This line is a crucial reminder of a cornerstone of the American legal system: the presumption of innocence. Juror 8 has to educate his fellow jurors on this fundamental principle, highlighting how easily it can be forgotten and how prejudice can shift the burden of proof onto the accused.
You don't really mean you'll kill me, do you?
— Juror 8
Context:
This quote comes at a moment of high tension, after Juror 8 has systematically poked holes in several pieces of evidence. An infuriated Juror 3 attacks him, shouting the same words the defendant was accused of saying. Juror 8's quiet question makes the entire room go silent as the parallel becomes undeniable.
Meaning:
This is a powerful and ironic line that exposes the hypocrisy of Juror 3. After Juror 3 lunges at Juror 8 and screams "I'll kill him!", this calm response forces everyone, including Juror 3, to realize that words spoken in anger are not always meant literally. This directly undermines the prosecution's claim that the defendant's overheard threat to his father was proof of premeditation.
Wherever you run into it, prejudice always obscures the truth.
— Juror 8
Context:
This is said after the jurors have witnessed Juror 10's ugly, racist tirade. The statement serves as a summation of the toxic influence they have just seen, which nearly led them to a wrongful conviction, and reinforces the moral lesson of the film.
Meaning:
This quote serves as a direct statement of one of the film's most important themes. It articulates the idea that bias and bigotry are fundamental obstacles to justice. It's a universal truth that applies not just within the jury room but to society at large.