12 Angry Men (1957) Poster

(1957)

Joseph Sweeney: Juror 9

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Quotes 

  • Juror #9 : Gentlemen, that's a very sad thing... to be nothing.

  • Juror #8 : [answering Juror #4's remark about where the father's body was found]  We're not, unless somebody else wants to; but *I'd* like to find out if an old man who drags one foot when he walks, 'cause he had a stroke last year, could get from his bedroom to his front door in 15 seconds.

    Juror #3 : He said 20 seconds.

    Juror #8 : [looks at him]  He said fifteen!

    Juror #3 : He said twenty seconds! What are you tryin' to distort...

    Juror #11 : He said fifteen.

    Juror #3 : [pause, then shouts]  How does he know how long fifteen seconds is? You can't judge a thing like that!

    Juror #9 : He said fifteen seconds. He was very positive about it!

    Juror #3 : He was an old man! Half the time he was confused! How could he be positive about anything?

    [stops, realizing what he's just admitted] 

  • [last lines] 

    Juror #9 : Hey!... What's your name?

    Juror #8 : Davis.

    Juror #9 : [shakes his hand]  My name's McCardle.

    [pause] 

    Juror #9 : Well, so long.

    Juror #8 : So long.

  • [Juror #9 has pointed out that the witness across the street had marks on her nose, indicating that she normally wore glasses] 

    Juror #8 : [to Juror #4]  Do you wear glasses when you go to bed?

    Juror #4 : No. I don't. No one wears eyeglasses to bed.

    Juror #8 : It's logical to assume that *she* wasn't wearing them when she was in bed - tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep!

    Juror #3 : How do *you* know?

    Juror #8 : I don't *know* - I'm guessing! I'm also guessing that she probably didn't put her glasses on when she turned to look casually out of the window - and she herself testified the killing took place just as she looked out, the lights went off a split second later - she couldn't have had *time* to put them on then!

    [stops #3 from stopping him] 

    Juror #8 : Here's another guess: maybe she honestly thought she saw the boy kill his father - I say she only saw a blur!

    Juror #3 : How do you know *what* she saw? How does he know all that? How do you know *what* kind of glasses she wore? Maybe they were sunglasses, maybe she was far-sighted! What do you *know* about her?

    Juror #8 : I only know the woman's eyesight is in question now!

    Juror #11 : She had to be able to identify a person sixty feet away, at night, without glasses.

    Juror #2 : You can't send someone off to die on evidence like that!

    Juror #3 : Oh, don't give me that.

    Juror #8 : Don't you think the woman *might* have made a mistake?

    Juror #3 : [stubbornly]  No!

    Juror #8 : It's not *possible?*

    Juror #3 : No, it's not possible!

    Juror #8 : [gets up and speaks to Juror #12]  Is it possible?

    Juror #12 : [nods]  Not guilty.

    Juror #8 : [goes to #10]  You think he's guilty?

    [#10 shakes his head "no"] 

    Juror #3 : *I* think he's guilty!

    Juror #8 : [ignores #3; goes to #4]  How about you?

    Juror #4 : [looks at #8, pauses, then shakes head]  No... I'm convinced. Not guilty.

    Juror #3 : [shocked, having just lost all support]  What's the matter with ya?

    Juror #4 : I have a reasonable doubt now.

    Juror #9 : Eleven to one!

  • 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.

  • [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] 

  • 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.

  • [after Juror #8 has established that the old man witness could not have heard the killing over the noise of the elevated train] 

    Juror #3 : Why should he lie? What's he got to gain?

    Juror #9 : Attention, maybe.

    Juror #3 : You keep coming in with these bright sayings! Why don't you send 'em into a paper? They pay three dollars apiece!

    Juror #6 : [getting up]  What are you talkin' to him like that for? Guy talks like that to an old man really oughta get stepped on, you know. You oughta have more respect, mister. If you say stuff like that to him again... I'm gonna lay you out.

  • Juror #9 : It's not easy to stand alone against the ridicule of others.

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