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NOTE: The notes on characters are extremely brief,

since it is felt that what they are and who they
are will he revealed in their dialogue and actions
during the course of the film.

FOREMAN: 35 years old. Assistant high school

football coach.

A small, petty man who is at first vary of, and

then impressed with the authority he has. Handles
himself quite formally. Not overly bright, but
dogged.

Juror #2: 38 years old. Bank clerk. A meek,

hesitant man who finds it difficult to maintain any
opinions of his own.

Easily swayed and usually adopts the opinion of the

last person to idiom he has spoken.

Juror #3: 40 years old. Head of messenger service.

A very strong, very forceful, extremely opinionated
man within whom can be detected a streak of sadism.
A humorless man who is intolerant of opinions other
than his own, and accustomed to forcing his wishes
and views upon others.

Juror #4: 50 years old. Stockbroker. A man of

wealth and position. A practiced speaker who
presents himself well at all times. Seems to feel a
little bit above the rest of the Jurors. His only
concern is with the facts in this case and he is
appalled with the behavior of the others.
Constantly preening himself, combing his hair,
cleaning his nails, etc.

Juror #5: 25 years old. Mechanic. A naive, very

frightened young man who takes his obligations in
this case very seriously but who finds it difficult
to speak up when his elders have the floor.

Juror #6: 33 years old. Housepainter. An honest,

but dull-witted man who comes upon his decisions
slowly and carefully.

A man who finds it difficult to create positive

opinions, but who must listen to and digest and
accept these opinions offered by others which
appeal to him moat.

Juror #7: 42 years old. Salesman. A loud, flashy,

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glad-handed sales man type who has more important

things to do than to sit on a Jury. He is quick to
show temper, quick to form opinions on things about
which he knows nothing. He is a bully, and, of
course, a coward.

Juror #8: 42 years old. Architect. A quiet,

thoughtful, gentle man. A man who sees many sides
to every question and constantly seeks the truth. A
man of strength tempered with compassion. Above
all, a man who wants Justice to be done, and will
fight to see that it is.

Juror #9: 70 years old. Retired. A mild, gentle old

man, long since defeated by life, and now merely
waiting to die. A man who recognizes himself for
what he is, and mourns the days

when it would have been possible to be courageous

without shielding himself behind his many years.
From the way he take pills whenever he is excited,
it is obvious that he has a heart condition.

Juror #10: 46 years old. Garage owner. An angry,

bitter man.

A man who antagonizes almost at sight. A bigot who

places no values on any human life save his own. A
man who has been no where and is going nowhere and
knows it deep within him. He has a bad cold and
continually blows his nose, sniffs a ben-zedrine
inhaler, etc.

Juror #11: 48 years old. Watchmaker. A refugee from

Europe who has come to this country in 1941. A man
who speaks with an accent and who is ashamed,
humble, almost subservient to the people around
him, but a man who will honestly seek Justice
because he has suffered through so much injustice.

Juror #12: 30 years old. Advertising man. A slick,

bright advertising man who thinks of human beings
in terms of percentages, graphs and polls, and has
no real understanding of people. A superficial
snob, but trying to be a good fellow. Throughout
the film he doodles on a scratch pad.

AND

THE JUDGE

THE COURT CLERK

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THE GUARD

THE two alternate JURORS

ADD ( IF DESIRED )

THE COURT STENOGRAPHER

FADE IN:

1 EXT. LONG SHOT - N. Y. - COURT OF GENERAL 1

SESSIONS - DAY

A large, imposing tallying, gray, impressive as a

background for the comings and goings of a number
of ordinary people on an ordinary day. Camera holds
on steps and building front from a distance and
then dollies in slowly.

DISSOLVE TO:

LONG SHOT - THE LOBBY

Seething with activity, people of all kinds walking

swiftly, purposefully to and from elevators, news
stares, etc., others

standing, waiting. Guards stationed at various

posts. Camera pans across lobby, and then dollies
into a bank of elevators.

A number of people crowd into one. The door closes.

DISSOLVE TO:

LONG SHOT - A LONG CORRIDOR UPSTAIRS

The elevators on left. Many doorways to various

courtrooms on right. Each door marked with a
hanging sign. The first sign reads "Court of
General Sessions. Part I". The second sign reads
"Court of General Sessions. Part II" etc. An
elevator door opens and a number of people exit and
walk down the corridor.

Other people, men and women, stand in the corridor

talking.

The whole feeling is one of movement, activity,

intense concentration. Everyone has a purpose.
Camera dollies down the corridor, following group

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of people who exited from elevator. People peel off

from the group at various doors. At each door
stands a guard.

People move in and out of the doors. Camera reaches

the door marked "Part VI", and pans around to face
the door. A guard stands in front of it,
impassively. No one else is in front of the door,
as compared to the knots of whispering people in
front of all the other doors. The case going on in
"Part VI" obviously has very little general
interest.

Through the glass window of the door we can see,

far in the background, the judge at his bench. He
is facing to his left, and talking. We hear
nothing. He stops and turns to his right. He raises
his hand as if railing a waiter.

DISSOLVE TO:

CLOSE UP - AN EMPTY WATER GLASS ON A TRAY

From the noise of the corridor we are now in the

deathlike still ness of a courtroom. A hand places
a freshly-filled pitcher of water on the tray. A
pair of frauds fills a glass from the pitcher.

Camera pans with glass as it is raised. Camera

holds on close-up of Judge, drinking the water. He
finishes, puts the glass down, and turns to his
left again. He clears his throat. Then he begins to
speak.

JUDGE
Pardon me, gentlemen.
(Gravely)
To continue, you’ve heard a
long and complex case. Murder
in the first degree ...
premeditated homicide ... is
the most serious charge tried
in our criminal courts.

MEDIUM SHOT - THE JURY

From. judge's angle. Seated in the jury box,

listening intently to the judge. We see the 14
members of the jury.

This includes the two alternates who sit on the far

right side of the jury, one behind the other. The

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jury sits in numerical order reading from left to

right: the through #6 in the front row, #7-#12 in
the rear row. As the judge speaks, camera dollies
slowly in, still holding on jury but excluding the
alternates.

JUDGE
You've listened to the
testimony, and you’ve had the
law read to you and
interpreted as it applies to
this case. It now becomes
your duty to sit down to try
and separate the facts from
the fancy. One man is dead.
The life of another is at
stake. I urge you to
deliberate honestly and
thoughtfully.

Camera is now in close on #'s 1, 2, 7 and 8. It

begins to par slowly right. #7 fidgets endlessly.
#10 sniffs as if he has a cold. #3 looks coldly off
in the direction in which the defendant sits. All
other jurymen watch the judge, listening intently.
As the judge finishes his lines, camera is on #'s
5, 6, 11 and 12.

JUDGE
If there is a reasonable
doubt in your minds as to the
guilt of the accused ...a
reasonable doubt... then you
must bring me a verdict of
not guilty. If, however,
there is no reasonable doubt,
then you must, in good
conscience find the accused
guilty. However you decide,
your verdict must be
unanimous. In the event you
find the accused guilty bench
will not entertain a
recommendation for mercy. The
death sentence is mandatary
in this case.

The judge pauses for a moment. There is a stillness

in the room.

CLOSE UP JUDGE - ENTIRE JURY IN BACKGROUND

The judge's profile fills the left side of the

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frame. In right background, we see the jury box.

JUDGE
I don’t envy you your job.
You are faced with a grave
responsibility. Thank you,
gentlemen.

There is a pause. The judge turns away from the

jury and nods in another direction.

CLOSE UP THE FACE OF THE COURT CLERK

CLERK
The alternate jurors are
excused.

MEDIUM SHOT - THE JURY

AU of their heads turn to camera right. Self-

consciously the two alternates rise and move
awkwardly out of the jury box.

When they are gone, we hear the clerk.

CLERK
The Jury will retire.

The members of the Jury look hesitantly at each

other, each reluctant to be the first to stand.
Finally #3 stands up.

Then the others begin to rise and file slowly off

left until the Jury box is empty.

MEDIUM SHOT - THE JURY

They file through a long corridor, than through one

door, then another. They are silent, serious. All
we hear is the sound of their footsteps. Credits
are superimposed over this scene. As credits end:

DISSOLVE TO:

MEDIUM SHOT - THE JURY ROOM

The room is empty, silent save for the sounds of

traffic twelve floors below. In center of room is a
large scarred table and twelve chairs. There are
four other chairs against the opposite the windows.
Along one wall are three windows through which wee
can see the New York skyline. On the opposite wall

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is an electric clock and an electric fan. At one

end of the Jury room is a coat rack, on either side
of which is a door, one lettered "men" and the
other lettered "women". Against the fourth wall is
an old-fashioned water cooler. There are pencils,
pads, ashtrays on the table.

Nothing else. The room is drab, bare, in need of a

painting.

Camera holds on room then dollies in toward the

door as we hear footsteps outside. The doer is
opened by a uniformed guard. On the door are
lettered the words "Jury Room". The guard stands
against the door, holding it open, as the

members of the jury file into the room. He holds a

dip-board and pencil, and we can see his lips
moving, counting the jurymen as they enter. Four or
five of the jurymen light cigarettes immediately.
They move into the room.

Juror #2 goes to the water fountain. Juror #9, the

old man, enters hastily and goes toward the men's
room. Juror #7 enters the room last. The guard
steps into the room and closes the door. Again he
begins to count the jurors. Camera slowly pans with
#7 as he walks across the room toward the windows.
The foreman has seated himself at the head of the
table. #11 and #4 also sit at the table. #11 begins
to make notes in a little pad. #4 reads the
newspaper. The others move awkwardly about the
room.

They are all at ease, do not really know each other

to talk to, wish they were anywhere but here. There
is no conversation for a moment. #7 reaches the
window. Camera is on him and #6 who looks out at
the skyline. #7 offers a stick of gum to him. He
shakes his head. #7 offers the gum to #8 who also
locks out window. #8 smiles.

#8
No thanks.

#7
(to #6)
Y'know something'? I phoned
up for the weather this
morning. This is the hottest
day of the year.

#6 nods and continues to look out window.

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#7
You'd think they’d at least
air condition the place. I
almost dropped dead in court.

He reaches over and opens the window wider.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON GUARD

He has finished counting them.

GUARD
Okay, gentlemen. Everybody's
here. If there's anything you
went I’m right outside. Just
knock.

He exits, closing the door as camera dollies back

to include Juror #5, the youngest Juryman, who
watches the door. We hear the lock click. #5 half
grins, self-consciously.

#5
I never knew they locked the
door.

#10
Sure they lock the door.
What'd you think?

#5
I don't know. It just never
occurred to me.

#10 gives him the look of a professional know-it-

all, and then turns and takes off his jacket. He
walks across room to coat rack, camera dollying
with him. He passes the Foreman who stands at the
head of the table tearing up little slips of paper
for ballots, and he stops.

#10
Hey, what's that for?

FOREMAN
Well, I figured we might want
to vote by ballots.

#10
(grinning)
Great idea! Maybe we can get
him elected senator.

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#10 laughs until he begins to cough. He moves off

to the coat

The Foreman looks at his watch and compares it with

the clock. The 3rd Juror takes a cup of water from
the water-cooler, moves to the 2nd Juror and looks
around the room as he sips the water.

#3
(to the #2)
How'd you like it?

#2
(mildly)
I don't know, it was pretty
interesting.

#3
Yeah? I was falling asleep.

#2
I mean, I've never been on a
jury before.

#3
Really? I've sat on juries,
and it always amazes me the
way these lawyers can talk,
and talk and talk, even when
the case is as obvious as
this one. I mean, did you
ever hear so much talk about
nothing?

#2
Well, I guess they're
entitled.

#3
Sure they are. Everybody
deserves a fair trial. That's
the system. Listen, I'm the
last one to say anything
against it, but I'm telling
you sometimes I think we'd be
better off if we took these
tough kids and slapped 'em
down before they make
trouble, you know? Save us a
lot of time and money.

#2 looks at him nervously, nods, gets up and walks

to the water cooler, camera dollying with him. He
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pours himself a drink and stands alone sipping it.

We hear movement in the room during all of this,
and quiet ad lib conversation.

MEDIUM SHOT - THE ROOM FROM #2'S ANGLE

#2 big in foreground, sipping his water. #3 is

hanging up his jacket. #6 and #8 are looking out
windows. #4, #11 and the Foreman are seated at
table. #7 and #10 are at far end of the room,
talking quietly. #7 lets out a raucous laugh. #9 is
still in men's room. #5 walks toward water cooler.
#12 is walking over to windows. Camera dollies in
on #12. As camera nears #12, #7 calls out to
Foreman. #12 stops walking.

#7
Hey, how about getting
started here.

#3
Yeah, let's get this over
with. We've probably all got
things to do.

FOREMAN
Well I was figuring we'd take
a five minute break. I mean
one gentleman's in the
bathroom...

#7 shrugs, and turns back to #10. #5 walks over to

the Foreman as #12 continues over to #8 at the
window, camera moving with him. #3 continues
business of hanging up his jacket, and goes to sit
at table.

#5
(hesitantly)
Are we going to sit in order?

FOREMAN
(looking up)
What? I don't know. I I
suppose so.

Camera moves in tight on #8 and #12. #8 is thinking

hard, biting his fingernail. #12 looks out the
window over his shoulder.

#12
Not a bad view.

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#8 nods.

#12
What'd you think of the case?

#8 looks at him questioningly.

#12
It had a lot of interest for
me. No dead spots, know what
I mean? I'll tell you we were
lucky to get a murder ease. I
figured us for a burglary or
an assault or something.
Those can be the dullest.
Say, isn't that the Woolworth
Building?

#8
That’s right.

#12
Funny, I’ve lived here all my
life and I’ve never been in
it.

#8 looks out the window. #12 looks at him for a

moment and then walks away. Camera holds on #8 for
a moment. He stares out the window. We hear #7
laugh again.

#7
Yeah! And what about the
business with the knife- I
mean asking grown-up people
to believe that kind of
bushwash.

#8 turns during these lines to look at #7.

MEDIUM SHOT - #7 AND #10

#10 sits in a chair not at table, #7 stands over

him mopping his brow

#10
Well look, you've gotta
expect that. You know what
you’re dealing with.

#7
Yeah, I suppose.

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#10 blows his nose vigorously.

#7
What’s the matter, you got a
cold?

#10
And how. These hot weather
colds can kill you.
(he tilts his head
back slightly)
I can hardly touch my nose.
Know what I mean?

#7 nods sympathetically.

#7
I just got over one.

There is an awkward pause. #7 looks at his watch.

Then he looks up at Foreman, who is standing at
head of table.

#7
What d’ya say, Mr. Foreman?

MEDIUM SHOT - #7, #10, FOREMAN, #3, #4, FROM

ANOTHER ANGLE

Foreman big in foreground, standing at head of

table. #7, #10 in background. #3, #4 seated at left
at table. Foreman looks around at the wall clock.
#3 leans over to scan #4’s newspaper.

#3
Anything exciting going on?

#4 looks up at him.

#3
(smiling)
I didn't get a chance to look
at the papers today.

#4
I was just wondering how the
market closed.

#3
(pleasantly)
I wouldn't knew. Say, are you
on the exchange or something.

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#4
I'm a broker.

#3
Well that's very interesting.
Listen, maybe you can answer
a question for me. I have an
uncle who’s been playing
around with some Canadian
stuff...

The foreman turns around, and, as if it is an

effort, calls out loudly to the others.

FOREMAN
All right, gentlemen. Let’s
take seats.

There is a slow movement towards the table. #3

shrugs at #4 and turns to the Foreman.

#7
This better be fast. I get
tickets to a ball game
tonight. Yanks-Cleveland. We
got this new kid,
Modjelewski, or whatever his
name is, going. He’s a bull,
this kid!

He shoots his hand forward and out to indicate the

path of a curve ball.

#7
Shhhooooom. A real jug
handle.
(to Foreman)
Where d’ya want us to sit?

CLOSE UP - FOREMAN

When he gets used to this miner authority he will

enjoy it. Right now he is still nervous.

FOREMAN
Well, I was thinking we ought
to sit in order, by jury
numbers.
(he points with each
number)
Two. Three. Four, and so on.
If that's okay with you

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gentlemen.

#10
What’s the difference?

#4
I think it’s reasonable to
sit according to number.

#10
Let it be.

Foreman has looked back and forth a bit anxiously

at this exchange. Now he relaxes and sits down.
Camera holds. Now, where Foreman’s head bad been in
closeup, we see #2 in medium shot, sitting in
sideline chair. He gets up and camera pans with him
to his seat at the table.

Camera pans down table from #2. #3, #4, #5 are

seated. #6 is hanging his coat on the coat rack. #7
is draping over the chair. #6 still stares out the
window. #9 is in bathroom. #10 is walking toward
his seat, mopping his brow. #11, #12 are seated.

#12
(to #11)
What was your impression of
the prosecuting attorney?

#11 looks at him.

#11
(German accent)
I beg pardon?

#12
(I thought he was
really sharp. I mean
the way he hammered
home his points, one
by one, in logical
sequence. It takes a
good brain to do
that, I was very
impressed...)

MEDIUM SHOT - FOREMAN’S END OF TABLE

From side, shooting towards window. #8 stares out

window, thinking.

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#11
(to #12)
Yes, I think he did an expert
job.

#12
I mean, he had a lot of drive
too. Real drive.

#7
(calling, off)
Okay, let’s get this show on
the road.

FOREMAN
(standing, to #8)
How about sitting down.

CLOSE UP - #8

#8 doesn't hear the Foreman. He stares out window.

FOREMAN
The gentlemen at the window.

#8 turns, startled.

FOREMAN
How about sitting down.

#8
Oh. I’m sorry.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERING ON #11

#8 heads for a seat.

#10
(across table to #4)
It's pretty tough to figure,
isn't it? A kid kills his
father. Bing! Just like that.

#12
(butting in)
Well, if you analyze the
figures...

#10
(ploughing ahead)
It's the element. I'm tellin'
you they let those kids run

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wild up there. Well, maybe it

serves 'em right. Know what I
mean?

This is an annoying characteristic of #10's, this

forcing an answer with "know what I mean?", as if
he is saying "listen, you better answer me, because
I’m somebody, see?" #4 reacts by looking squarely
at #10, nodding and turning back to his paper. #8
has sat down quietly by this time. #11 has looked
curiously from #10 to #12 during this exchange.

CLOSE UP - FOREMAN

FOREMAN
Is everybody here?

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 4, 5, 6, 7

#6
(gesturing towards
bathroom)
The old man's inside.

FOREMAN
Would you knock on the door.

#6 gets up and starts for the bathroom, camera

panning with him.

#7
(To #5 as #6 goes by)
Hey, you a Yankee fan?

#5
No. Baltimore.

#7
Baltimore! Oh, the suffering!
That's like being hit in the
head with a crowbar once a
day! Listen, who they got...

Camera has stayed with #6. He reaches the bathroom

door and is about to knock when #9 opens the door.

#6
(apologetically)
I was just coming to get you.

#7
(off)

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I'm asking you, who they got

besides great groundskeepers?

FOREMAN
(off)
We'd like to get started.

#9
Forgive me gentlemen. I
didn't mean to keep you
waiting.

He begins to walk toward his seat as does #6.

#7
(off)
Baltimore!

CLOSE UP - FOREMAN

He is still standing. He locks around. This is the

moment for his big speech.

FOREMAN
(Nervously)
All right. Now you gentlemen
can handle this any way you
want to. I mean, I’m net
going to make any rules. If
we want to discuss it first
and then vote, that’s one
way. Or we can vote right now
to see how we stand.

He pauses and looks around.

FOREMAN
Well... that's all I have to
say.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4

#4
I think it’s customary to
take a preliminary vote.

#7
(off)
Yeah, let’s vote. Who knows,
maybe we can all go home.

LONG SHOT - CENTERED ON FOREMAN

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From opposite end of the table.

FOREMAN
It’s up to you. Just let’s
remember we’ve got a first
degree murder charge here. If
we vote guilty we send the
accused to the electric
chair. That's mandatory.

#4
I think we all know that.

#3
Come on, let’s vote.

#10
Yeah. Let's see who’s where.

FOREMAN
Anybody doesn’t want to vote?

He looks around the table. There is no answer.

FOREMAN
All right. This has to be a
twelve-to-nothing vote either
way. That's the law. Okay,
are we ready? All those
voting guilty raise your
hands.

Seven or eight hands go up immediately. Several

others go up more slowly. Everyone looks around,
the table as the Foreman begins to count hands.
#9's hand goes up now, and all hands are raised,
save #8's.

FOREMAN
...nine... ten... eleven.
That's eleven for guilty.
Okay, Not guilty.

CLOSE UP - #8

He slowly raises his hand.

FOREMAN
One. Right. Okay, eleven to
one, guilty. Now we know
where we are.

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#8 lowers his hand.

#10
(off)
Boy-oh-boy. There’s always
one.

#8 doesn't look in his direction.

#7
So what do we do now?

#8
Weil, I guess we talk.

#10
Boy-oh-boy.

CLOSE UP - #3

#3
(Leaning across to
#8)
Well look, do you really
think he’s innocent?

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
I don't know.

CLOSE UP - #3

#3
(smiling)
I mean let’s be reasonable.
You sat right in court and
heard the same things we did.
The man's a dangerous killer.
You could see it.

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
He’s nineteen years old.

CLOSE UP - #3

#3
Well, that's old enough. He
knifed his own father. Four
inches into the chest.

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MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERING ON #6

#6
(to #8)
It's pretty obvious. I mean,
I was convinced from the
first day.

CLOSE UP - #3

#3
Well, who wasn't?
(to #8)
I really think this is one of
those open and shut things.
They proved it a dozen
different ways. Would you
like me to list them for you?

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
No.

#10
(off, annoyed)
Then what do you want?

#8
Nothing. I just want to talk.

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 7, 8, 9, 10.

#7
Well what’s there to talk
about? Eleven men in here
agree. Nobody had to think
about it twice, except you.

#10
(leaning over toward
#8)
I want to ask you something.
Do you believe his story?

#8
I don't know whether I
believe it or not. Maybe I
don't.

#7
So what'd you vote not guilty

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for?

#8
There were eleven votes for
guilty. It's not so easy for
me to raise my hand and send
a boy off to die with-out
talking about it first.

#7
Who says it's easy for me?

#8
(turning)
No one.

CLOSE UP - #7, #8 FROM ANOTHER ANGLE

#7
What, just because I voted
fast? I think the guy's
guilty. You couldn’t change
my mind if you talked for a
hundred years.

#8
I'm not trying to change your
mind. It's just that we're
talking about somebody's life
here. I mean, we can't decide
in five minutes. Sup-posing
we're wrong?

There is a pause. #7 looks at #8.

#7
Supposing we're wrong!
Supposing this whole building
fell on my head. You can
suppose anything.

#8
That's right.

#7
What's the difference how
long it takes? We honestly
think he's guilty. So
supposing we finish in five
minutes? So what?

#8

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Let's take an hour. The ball

game doesn’t start till eight
o'clock.

#7 looks angrily at him for a moment, and the

suddenly breaks into a smile as if to say, "What am
I beating myself up over you for?" #7 makes the
curve ball motion with his hand again.

#7
(smiling)
Shhhoom!

He settles hack in his chair, smiling.

L0NG SHOT - TABLE FROM #7’S ANGLE CENTERED OT

FOREMAN

Bo one says a word for a moment.

FOREMAN
(hesitantly)
Well who's got something to
say?

He looks at #2. #2 shrugs.

#2
Not me.

Foreman looks around the table. Some of them shrug,

others merely sit. He looks at #9.

#9
I'm willing to sit for an
hour.

#10
Great.
(a pause)
I heard a pretty good story
last night...

#8
(sharply)
That’s not what we’re sitting
here for.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #9

#10 and #8 speak across #9, who turns from one to

another. Camera shoots over shoulders of #'s 4 and

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5.

#10
All right, then you tell me.
What are we sitting here for?

#8 looks at him, trying to phrase the following.

They wait.

#8
Maybe for no reason. I don't
know. Look, this boy's been
kicked around all his life.
You know, living in a slum,
his mother dead since he was
nine. He spent a year and a
half in an orphanage while
his father served a jail term
for forgery. That's not a
very good headstart. He's a
wild, angry kid and that's
all he's ever been. You know
why he got that way? Because
he was knocked on the head by
somebody once a day, every
day. He's had a pretty
terrible nineteen years. I
think maybe we owe him a few
words. That's all.

He looks around the table. #9 nods slowly.

#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 d'you
think that trial cost? He's
lucky he got it.
(turning to #11)
Know what I mean?
(Now looking across
table at #’s 3, 4, 5)
Look, we're all grown-ups in
here. We heard the facts,
didn't we?
(to #8)
Now you're not going to tell
us that we're supposed to
believe that kid, knowing
what he is. Listen, I've
lived among 'em all my life.
You can't believe a word they

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say. You know that.

(to all)
I mean they're born liars.

There is a pause.

#9
(slowly)
Only an ignorant man can
believe that.

#10
Now listen...

#9
(to #10)
Do you think you were born
with a monopoly on the truth?
(to all)
I think certain things should
be pointed out to this man.

CLOSE UP - #3

He is annoyed at this argument.

#3
All right. It’s not Sunday.
We don’t need a sermon in
here.

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 8, 9, 10

#9
(to all)
What he says is very
dangerous...

#10
(loudly)
All right, that's enough!

He glares at #9. #9 half rises, but then feels #8’s

hand firmly on his arm, gently pulling him down. He
sits down, turns away from #10 and looks briefly at
#8. #8 looks calmly, firmly back, and in his look
there is understanding and sympathy.

#4
(off)
I don't see any need for
arguing like this. I think we

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ought to be able to behave

like gentlemen.

#12
Right!

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 4, 3, 2, FOREMAN

#4
(calmly)
If we're going to discuss
this case let's discuss the
facts.

FOREMAN
I think that's a good point.
We have a job to do. Let's do
it.

#2 rises and walks around end of table. Camera pans

with him till it reaches #'11 and 12. Foreman is
still on camera. #2 goes off to his jacket to get a
package of cough drops, and returns during the next
lines. #12 doodies steadily on his pad. #11 watches
him. He draws a cereal box.

FOREMAN
Maybe if the gentleman who's
disagreeing down there could
tell us why. You know, tell
us what he thinks, we could
show him where he's probably
mixed up.

#12 looks at #11 and sees him watching his

doodling. He holds up his drawing for him to see.

#12
(to #11
confidentially)
Rice Pops. It's one of the
products I work on at the
agency. "The Break-fast With
The Built-In Bounce". I wrote
that line.

#11 smiles in spite of himself.

#11
It's very catchy.

FOREMAN

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(annoyed, to #12)
If you don't mind.

#12
I'm sorry. I have this habit
of doodling. It keeps me
thinking clearly.

FOREMAN
We’re trying to get someplace
here. Y'know we can sit hare
forever...

#12
Well look, maybe this is an
idea. I'm just thinking out
loud, but it seems to me it's
up to us to convince this
gentleman
(indicating #8)
that we're right and he's
wrong. Maybe if we each took
a minute or two. Mind you,
this is just a quick idea...

FOREMAN
No, I think it's a good one.
Sup-posing we go once around
the table.

CLOSE UP - #7

#7
Anything. Let's start it off.

FOREMAN
(To #7)
Okay. How about you going
first?

#7
Not me. I think we oughta go
in order.

He takes his gum out of his mouth and looks for a

place to throw it. Finally he lets fly. We hear a
thin clank. He seems satisfied.

MEDIUM SHOT - FOREMAN, #2, #3

FOREMAN
That sounds all right. In

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order, a coupla minutes

apiece.
(To #2)
I guess you're first.

#2
Oh. Well...
(he pauses nervously)
Well it's hard to put into
words. I just... think he's
guilty. I thought it was
obvious from the word go. I
mean nobody proved otherwise.

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
(quietly)
Nobody has to prove
otherwise. The burden of
proof is on the prosecution.
The defendant doesn't have to
open his mouth. That's in the
Constitution. You've heard of
it.

CLOSE UP - #2

#2
(flustered)
Well sure I've heard of it. I
know what it is. I... what I
meant... well the man is
guilty. I mean some-body saw
him do it...

He looks around helplessly, and then looks down.

Camera pans over to #3 who has been watching #2,
waiting his turn. #2, now in close up, turns to the
others.

#3
Okay. Now here's what I
think, and I have no personal
feelings about this. I'm
talking about facts. Number
one: let's take the old man
who lived on the second floor
right underneath the room
where the murder took place.
At ten minutes after twelve
on the night of the killing
he heard loud noises in the

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apartment upstairs. He said

it sounded like a fight. Then
he heard the kid shout out,
"I'm gonna kill you." A
second later he heard a body
fall, and he ran to the door
of his apartment, looked out,
and saw the kid running down
the stairs and out of the
house. Then he called the
police. They found the father
with a knife in his chest...

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON FOREMAN

FOREMAN
And the coroner fired the
time of death at around
midnight.

MEDIUM SHOT - OVER #3’S SHOULDER TOWARD #8

#3
Right. I mean there are facts
for you. You can't refute
facts. This boy is guilty.
I'm telling you. Look, I’m as
sentimental as the next guy.
I know the kid is only
nineteen, but he’s still got
to pay for what he did.

#7
(off)
I'm with you.

FOREMAN
All right. Next.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERING ON #4

#'s 3 and 5 listen closely to this quiet, imposing,

meticulous man. He takes off his eyeglasses, waving
them as he talks.

#4
It was obvious, to me anyway,
that the boy's entire story
was flimsy. He claimed he was
at the movies during the time
of the killing and yet one
hour later he couldn’t
remember what films he saw,
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or who played in them.

#3
That's right. Did you hear
that?
(to #4)
You’re absolutely right.

#4
No one saw him going in or
out of the theatre...

CLOSE UP - #10 AND PART OF #11

#10
Listen, what about that woman
across the street? If her
testimony don’t prove it,
nothing does.

#11
That's right. She was the one
who actually saw the killing.

CLOSE UP - FOREMAN

FOREMAN
Let's go in order here.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #10

#10 rises, handkerchief in hand.

#10
Just a minute. Here's a
woman...

He blows his nose.

#10
Here's a woman who's lying in
bed and can’t sleep.

He begins to walk around the table, wiping tender

nose and talking. Camera follows him around the
table.

#10
She's dying with the heat.
Know what I mean? Anyway, she
looks out the window and
right across the street she

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sees the kid stick the knife

into his father. The time is
12:10 on the nose. Everything
fits. Look, she's known the
kid all his life. His window
is right opposite hers,
across the el tracks, and she
swore she saw him do it.

#10 is now standing behind #6 and lookin across

table at #8. Camera shoots over #8's shoulder. #10
wipes his nose.

#8
Through the windows of a
passing elevated train.

#10
(through the
handkerchief)
Right. This el train had no
passengers on it. It was just
being moved downtown. The
lights were out, remember?
And they proved in court that
at night you can look through
the windows of an el train
when the lights are out and
see what's happening on the
other side. They proved it!

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
(to #10)
I’d like to ask you
something. You don’t believe
the boy. How come you believe
the woman? She's one of
"them" too, isn't she?

CLOSE UP - #10

He is suddenly angry.

#10
You’re a pretty smart fellow,
aren't you?

He takes a step towards #8.

FAST CLOSE UP - #8

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Sitting calmly there.

LONG SHOT - ENTIRE TABLE FROM BEHIND FOREMAN

FOREMAN
(nervously)
Hey, let's take it easy.

MEDIUM SHOT #’S 3, 5, and 10 STANDING BEHIND #7

#'s 3 and 5 have reached #10 who looks angrily at

#8. #3 takes #10's arm.

#10
(angrily)
What’s he so wise about? I'm
telling you...

#3
(strongly)
Come on. Sit down.

He begins to lead #10 back to his seat, camera

panning with them.

#3
What are you letting him get
you all upset for? Relax.

FOREMAN
(Off)
Let's calm down now. I mean
we're not gonna get anywhere
fighting.

#'s 3 and 10 reach #10's seat. #10 sits down. #3

remains standing now. Until his next lines he walks
around the room, takes a drink at the fountain,
etc.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON FOREMAN

He is standing.

FOREMAN
Okay. Let’s try to keep it
peaceful in here.

He looks down the table.

FOREMAN
Whose turn is it?

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#12
(pointing at #5, who
is off camera)
His.

FOREMAN
Okay. You've got two minutes.

CLOSE UP - #5

He looks around nervously.

#5
I’ll pass it.

FOREMAN
(off)
That's your privilege. How
about the next gentleman?

Camera pans to close up of #6.

#6
I don't know. I started to be
con-inced, uh... you know,
very early in the case. Well,
I was looking for the motive.
That's very important. If
there’s no motive where's the
case? So anyway, that
testimony from those people
across the hall from the
kid's apartment, that was
very powerful. Didn't they
say something about an
argument between the father
and the boy around seven
o'clock that night? I mean, I
can be wrong.

MEDIUM SHOT - #11, #10, #9, #8 FROM ACROSS TABLE

#11
It was eight o'clock. Not
seven.

#8
That's right. Eight o'clock.
They heard an argument, but
they couldn't hear what it
was about. Then they heard
the father hit the boy twice,

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and finally they saw the boy

walk angrily out of the
house. What does that prove?

CLOSE UP - #6

Any time he is working on his own ideas he feels

himself on un steady ground, and is ready to back
down. He does so now.

#6
Well, it doesn't exactly
prove anything. It's just
part of the picture. I didn't
say it proved anything.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERING ON #'S 6, 7, 8

#8
You said it revealed a motive
for the killing. The
prosecuting attorney said the
same thing. Well, I don't
think it's a very strong
motive. This boy has been hit
so many times in his life
that violence is practically
a normal state of affairs for
him. I can't see two slaps in
the face provoking him into
committing murder.

#4
(quietly)
It may have been two slaps
too many. Everyone has a
breaking point.

FOREMAN
(to the #6)
Anything else?

#6
No.

FOREMAN
Okay.
(to the #7)
How about the next gentleman?

#7
Me?

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(he pauses, looks

around, shrugs)
I don't know, it's
practically all said already.
We can talk about it forever.
It's the same thing.

CLOSE UP - #7 WITH #8 AT RIGHT SIDE OF FRAME

#7
I mean this kid is five for
oh. Look at his record. He
was in children's court when
he was ten for throwing a
rock at his teacher. At
fifteen he was in reform
school. He stole a car. He's
been arrested for mugging. He
was picked up twice for
knife- fighting. He's real
swift with a knife, they
said. This is a very fine
boy.

#8
Ever since he was five years
old his father beat him up
regularly. He used his fists.

#7
(indignantly)
So would I! A kid like that.

Camera dollies back now to show #3 walking over

from the water fountain toward #7. He stands behind
#7, talks to #8.

#3
And how. It's the kids, the
way they are nowadays.
Listen, when I was his age I
used to call my father "sir".
That’s right. Sir! You ever
hear a boy call his father
that anymore?

#8
Fathers don't seem to think
it's important any more.

#3
No? Have you got any kids?

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#8
Three.

#3
Yeah, well I've got one, a
boy twenty-two years old.
I'll tell you about him. When
he was nine he ran away from
a fight. I saw him. I was so
ashamed I almost threw up. So
I told him right out. I’m
gonna make a man outa you or
I'm gonna bust you in half
trying. Well, I made a man
outa him all right. When he
was sixteen we had a battle.
He hit me in the face! He’s
big, y'know. I haven't seen
him in two years. Rotten kid.
You work your heart out...

He stops. He has said more than he intended and

more passionately than he intended it. He is
embarrassed. He looks at #6, and then at all of
them.

#3
(loud)
All right. Let's get on with
it.

He turns and walks angrily around the table to his

seat, camera panning with him. He sits down. Camera
now covers #'s 3, 4, 5. #4 looks at #3 and then
across the table.

#4
I think we're missing the
point here. This boy, let’s
say he’s a product of a
filthy neighborhood and a
broken home. We can't help
that. We're here to decide
whether he's guilty or
innocent, not to go into the
reasons why he grew up this
way. He was born in a slum.
Slums are breeding grounds
for criminals. I know it. So
do you.

CLOSE UP - #5

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He reacts to the following.

#4
It's no secret. Children from
slum background are potential
menaces to society. Now, I
think...

#10
(interrupting)
Brother you can say that
again. The kids who crawl
outa those places are real
trash. I don't want any part
of them, I’m telling you.

Camera pans over to close up of #5. His face is

angry. He tries to control himself. His voice
shakes.

#5
I’ve lived in a slum all my
life....

CLOSE UP - #10

He knows he has said the wrong thing.

#10
Oh, now wait a second...

CLOSE UP - #5

#5
(Furious)
I used to play in a back yard
that was filled with garbage.
Maybe it still smells on me.

CLOSE UP - #10

#10
(beginning to anger)
Now listen, sonny...

LONG SHOT - ENTIRE TABLE OVER FOREMAN’S SHOULDER

Foreman has risen.

FOREMAN
(#5)
Now let’s be reasonable.

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There’s nothing personal...

#5 shoots to his feet.

#5
(loud)
There is something personal!

He looks around at the others, all looking at him.

Then, suddenly he has nothing to say. He sits down,
fists clenched.

#3
Come on now. He didn’t mean
you, feller. Let’s not be so
sensitive.

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 11, 12, FOREMAN SHOOTING OVER #’S

3, 4

#11
(softly)
This sensitivity I can
understand.

The Foreman Looks at #11, and his face shows

distaste for him in spite of himself. #12 gets up
and walks to the window.

FOREMAN
All right, let’s stop all
this arguing. We're wasting
time here.
(pointing to #8)
It's your turn. Let’s go.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 8, 9, 10.

#8
Well, I didn't expect a turn.
I thought you were all
supposed to be convincing me.
Wasn’t that the idea?

#12
Check. That was the idea.

CLOSE-UP - FOREMAN

FOREMAN
I forgot about that. He’s
right.

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CLOSE-UP - #10

#10
(annoyed, with #12)
Well, what's the difference!
He's the one who's keeping us
in here. Let’s hear what he’s
got to say.

MEDIUM SHOT - #‘S 10, 11, 12, FOREMAN

FOREMAN
Now just a second. We decided
to do it a certain way. Let’s
stick to what we said.

#10
(disgusted)
Ah stop bein’ a kid, will'ya!

FOREMAN
A kid! Listen, what d'you
mean by that?

#10
What d’ya think I mean? K-I-
D, Kid!

FOREMAN
What, just because I’m trying
to keep this thing organized?
Listen...

He gets up.

FOREMAN
You want to do it? Here. You
sit here. You take the
responsibility. I'll just
shut up, that’s all.

#10
Listen, what are you gettin'
so hot about? Calm down,
willya.

FOREMAN
Don’t tell me to calm down!
Here! Here’s the chair.
(gesturing toward his
empty chair)
You keep it goin' smooth and

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everything. What d'ya think

it's a snap? Come on, Mr.
Foreman. Let's see bow great
you'd run the show.

#10 turns to #11.

#10
(griming helplessly)
Did y’ever see such a thing?

FOREMAN
(Loud)
You think it's funny or
something?

#12 walks over to him from the window.

#12
Take it easy. The whole
thing's unimportant.

CLOSE UP - FOREMAN

He glares up at #12.

FOREMAN
Unimportant? You want to try
it?

#12
No. Listen, you're doing a
beautiful job. Nobody wants
to change.

The Foreman turns away from #12 and looks at the

rest of the jury.

He is embarrassed now. For a moment he tries to of

something to say. Then, abruptly he sits down.
Camera holds on him. He looks down at the table.

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 8, 9, 10

They all look in direction of Foreman. There is a

pause. Then:

#10
All right. Let's hear from
somebody.

There is another pause.

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#8
Well, it’s all right with me
if you want me to tell you
how I feel about it right
now.

CLOSE UP - FOREMAN

He looks down at table.

FOREMAN
(softly)
I don't care what you do.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 8, 9, 10

#8 waits for a moment, and then begins. As he

speaks, #12 walks into shot, stands behind #9.

#8
(after a pause)
All right. I haven't got
anything brilliant. I only
know as much as you do.
According to the testimony
the boy looks guilty. Maybe
he is. I sat there in court
for three days listening
while the evidence built up.
Everybody sounded so positive
that I started to get a
peculiar feeling about this
trial. I mean, nothing is
that positive. I had
questions I would have liked
to ask. Maybe they wouldn't
have meant anything. I don't
know. But I started to feel
the defense counsel wasn't
doing his job. He let too
many things go. Little
things.

#10
What little things? Listen,
when these guys don't ask
questions, that's because
they know the answers already
and they figure they'll be
hurt.

#8
Maybe. It's also possible for
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a lawyer to be just plain

stupid, isn't it?

#6
You sound like you've met my
brother-in-law.

A few jurors laugh.

#8
(smiling)
I kept putting myself in the
boy's place. I would have
asked for another lawyer, I
think. I mean, if I wan on
trial for my life I'd want my
lawyer to tear the
prosecution witnesses to
shreds, or at least to try.
Look, there was one alleged,
eye-witness to this killing.
Someone else claims he heard,
the killing and then saw the
boy running out afterward.
There was a lot of
circumstantial evidence, but
actually those two witnesses
were the entire case for the
prosecution. We're dealing
with a human life here.
Supposing they were wrong?

CLOSE UP - #12

He stands behind #8 and looks down at him.

#12
What do you mean supposing
they were wrong? What's the
point of having witnesses at
all?

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 8, 9, 12

#12 stands behind #8. #8 is turned to look up at

him. #9 listens carefully.

#8
Could they be wrong?

#12
They sat on the stand oath.

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What are you trying to say?

#8
They're only people. People
make mistakes. Could they be
wrong?

#12
I... No! I don’t think so!

#6
Do you know so?

#12
Well now listen, nobody can
know a thing like that. This
isn't an exact science...

CLOSE UP - #8

As he turns away from #12, satisfied.

#8
(quietly)
That's right. It isn't.

LONG SHOT - ENTIRE TABLE FROM BEHIND #7

There is silence for a moment. #12 walks back to

his seat. #3 gets up angrily and strides down to a
position behind #5.

#3
(to #8)
All right. Let's try to get
to the point here. What about
the switch-knife they found
in the father's chest?

CLOSE UP - #2

#2
(nervously)
Well, wait a minute. I think
we oughta... There are people
who haven't talked yet.
Shouldn’t we...

MEDIUM SHOT - #3 STANDING BEHIND #5

#3
(to #2)

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Look, they can talk whenever

they like. Now just be quiet
a second, will'ya please.

FLASH CLOSE UP - #2

Wounded at being slapped down by #3, he looks down

at table.

MEDIUM SHOT #’S 3, 5, 6, 7 SHOOTING OVER #8'S

SHOULDER

#3
(to #8)
Okay what about the knife?
You know, the one that fine
upright boy admitted buying
on the night of the murder.
Let's talk about that.

MEDIUM SHOT #'S 7, 8, 9 - SHOOTING OVER #3'S

SHOULDER

#8 appears just a bit pleased at this turn of

conversation.

#8
All right. Let's talk about
it. Let's get it in here and
look at it. I'd like to see
it again.
(he turns toward
Foreman)
Mr. Foreman?

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED OH FOREMAN

He looks at #8 for a moment.

Then he gets up and moves to the door, camera

panning with him.

#3
(off)
We all know what it looks
like. I don’t see why we have
to look at it again.

The Foreman knocks on the door. The door opens and

the guard, pokes his head into the room.

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 3, 4, 5

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#3 still stands behind #5. He looks at door where

Foreman stands whispering to the guard. Then #3
turns to table.

#3
What are we gonna get out of
seeing the knife again?

#5
(locking up)
You brought it up.

#3
(giving him a look
and then turning to
#4)
What do you think?

#4
The gentleman has a right to
see exhibits in evidence.

#3 shrugs and turns away.

#4
(across to #8)
The knife, and the way it was
bought, is pretty strong
evidence. Don't you think so?

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
I do.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4, SHOOTING PAST #8’S

PROFILE

#4
Good. Now supposing we take
these facts one at a time.
One. The boy admitted going
out of his house at 6 o’clock
on the night of the murder
after being punched several
times by his father.

#8
He didn't say punched. He
said hit. There's a
difference between a slap and
a punch.

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#4
(doggedly)
After being hit several times
by his father. Two. The boy
went directly to a
neighborhood junk shop where
he bought a... what do you
call these things...

#3
Switch-knives.

#4
A switch-blade knife.
(to #3)
Thanks.

#4
Three. This wasn’t what you'd
call an ordinary knife. It
had a very unusual carved
handle. Four. The storekeeper
who sold it to him identified
it and said it was the only
one of its kind he had ever
had in stock. Five. At oh,
about 8:45 the boy ran into
some friends of his in front
of a tavern. Am I correct so
far?

#8
Yes, you are.

#3
(to #8)
You bet he is.
(to all)
Now listen to this man. He
knows what he's talking
about.

#4
The boy talked, with his
friends for about an hour,
leaving them at about 9:45.
During this time they saw the
switch knife. Six. Each of
them identified the death-
weapon in court as that same
knife. Seven. The boy arrived
home at about 10 o'clock. Now
this is where the stories

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offered by the boy and the

state begin to diverge
slightly.

CLOSE UP - #8

He listens quietly, patiently, waiting his turn.

#4
He claims that he stayed home
until 11:30 and then went to
one of those all-night
movies. He returned home at
about 3:15 in the morning to
find his father dead and
himself arrested.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4

#4
Now, what happened to the
switch-knife? This is the
charming and imaginative
little fable the boy
invented. He claims that the
knife fell through a hole in
his pocket sometime between
11:30 and 3:15 while he was
on his trip to the movies,
and that he never saw it
again. Now there is a tale,
gentlemen. I think it’s quite
clear that the boy never went
to the movies that night. No
one in the house saw him go
out at 11:30. No one at the
theatre identified him. He
couldn’t even remember the
names of the pictures he saw.
What actually happened is
this. The boy stayed home,
had another fight with his
father, stabbed him to death
with the knife at ten minutes
after twelve and fled from
the house. He even remembered
to wipe the knife clean of
fingerprints.

MEDIUM SHOT - THE DOOR

It opens. The guard enters carrying a curiously

designed knife with a tag hanging from it. #4 walks

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into the shot and takes the knife from the guard.
He turns and moves back to his seat as the guard
exits. He stands behind his seat holding the knife.
Camera is now at an angle which includes #'s 4, 5,
8, 9.

#4
(leaning over to #8)
Everyone connected with the
case identified this knife.
Now are you trying to tell me
that it really fell through a
hole in the boy's pocket and
that someone picked it up off
the street, went to the boy’s
house and stabbed his father
with it just to be amusing.

#8
No. I'm saying that it’s
possible that the boy lost
the knife, and that someone
else stabbed his father with
a similar knife. It's
possible.

CLOSE UP - #4

He flicks open the blade of the knife and jams it

into the table. Camera dollies hack to show knife
in table. Jurors #2, 5, 10, 11, 12 get up and crowd
around-to get a better look at it.

#4
Tale a look at that knife,
it's a very unusual knife.
I’ve never seen one like it.
Neither had the storekeeper
who sold it to the boy.
Aren’t you trying to make us
accept a pretty incredible
coincidence?

CLOSE UP - #6

#6
I’m not trying to make anyone
accept it. I'm just saying
that it’s possible.

CLOSE UP - #3

Standing next to #4, is suddenly infuriated at #6's

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calmness. He leans forward.

#3
(shouting)
And I'm saying it's not
possible.

CLOSE UP - #6

He stands for a moment in the silence. Then he

reaches into his pocket and swiftly withdraws a
knife. He holds it in front of his face, and flicks
open the blade. Than he leans forward and sticks
the knife into the table next to the other.

BIG CLOSE UP - THE TWO ORNATELY CARVED KNIVES

Stuck into the table, side by side, each exactly

alike. There is an immediate burst of sound in the
room.

#7
What is this?

#12
Where'd that come from?

#6
What is it?

#2
How d'you like that!

MEDIUM SHOT - THE JURORS, CLUSTERED AROUND KNIVES

#6 is standing away from the table, watching. #3

looks up at him.

#3
(amazed)
What are you trying to do?

#10
(loud)
Yeah! What’s going on here?
Who do you think you are?

CLOSE UP - #6

In the group of faces. He has taken the knife out

of the table and is holding it.

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#6
Look at it. It's the same
knife!

CLOSE UP - #6

Watching them closely, a few steps back from the

group. The ad lib hubbub still goes on.

#4
Quiet! Let's be quiet!

The noise begins to subside.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4

He takes the knife from #5’s hand and speaks to #3,

who stands at left of frame.

#4
Where’d you get it?

#6
I was walking for a couple of
hours last night, just
thinking. I walked through
the boy's neighborhood. The
knife comes from a little
pawnshop three bleaks from
his house. It cost two
dollars.

#4
It’s against the law to buy
or sell switch-blade knives.

#6
That's right. I broke the
law.

#3 pushes in next to #4. He is much too angry for

the situation. Others look at him peculiarly as he
speaks.

#3
Listen, you pulled, a real
bright trick here. Now
supposing you tell me what
you proved. Maybe there are
ten knives like that. So
what?

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CLOSE UP - #8

#8
Maybe there are.

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 3, 4, 7, 11, 5.

#3 is silent for a minute. He knows that a tiny

dent has been made in the case. He splutters.

#3
So what does that mean? What
do you think it is? It’s the
same kind, of knife. So
what’s that? The discovery of
the age, or something?

#11
(quietly)
This does not change the fact
that it would be still an
incredible coincidence for
another person to have made
the stabbing with the same of
knife.

#3
That’s right! He’s right.

#7
The odds are a million to
one.

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
It's possible.

CLOSE UP - #4

#4 looks calmly at #8, and speaks quietly.

#4
But not very probable.

FOREMAN
Listen, let's take seats.
There's no point in milling
around here.

They begin to move back to their seats. The 8th

Juror stands watching.

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#2
It's interesting that he'd
find a knife exactly like the
one the boy bought.

#3
What's interesting? You think
it proves anything?

#2
Well, no. I was just...

#3
Interesting!
(he point at the #8)
Listen, how come the kid
bought the knife to begin
with?

#8
Well, he claims that...

#3
I know. He bought it as a
present for a friend of his.
He was gonna give it to him
the next day, because he
busted the other kid's knife
dropping it on the pavement.

#8
That's what he said.

#7
(off)
Beloney!

#9
The friend testified that the
boy did break his knife.

#3
Yeah. And how long before the
killing? Three weeks, right?
So how come our noble lad
bought this knife one half
hour after his father snacked
him, and three and a half
hours before they found it
shoved up to here in the
father's chest?

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CLOSE UP - #7

#7
(grinning)
Well, he was gonna give the
knife to his friend. He just
wanted to use it for a
minute.

There is scattered laughter.

MEDIUM SHOT - #8, BEHIND #9

#8 waits until the laughter dies down.

#8
(to the #3)
Let me ask you this. It's one
of the questions I wanted to
ask in court. If the boy
bought the knife to use on
his father, how come he
showed what was going to be
the murder weapon to three
friends of his just a couple
of hours before the killing?

#3
Listen, all of this is just
talk. The boy lied and you
know it.

#8
He may have lied.
(to #10)
Do you think he lied?

#10
Now that's a stupid question.
Sure he lied.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'s 8, 10, 11, SHOOTING BETWEEN #'S 4

AND 5

#8
(to #4)
Do you?

#4
You don't have to ask me
that. You know my answer. He
lied...

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#8
(to #5)
Do you think he lied?

CLOSE UP - #5

He can’t answer immediately. He looks around

nervously.

#5
Well... I don't know...

MEDIUM SHOT - #3, STANDING

#3
Now wait a second!

He starts to stride around table pest #'s 4, 5, 6.

#3
What are you, the kid's
lawyer or something? Who do
you think you are to start
cross-examining us? Listen,
there are still eleven of us
in here who think he’s
guilty.

#3 is standing behind #7 now.

#7
Right! What do you think
you’re gonna accomplish?
You’re not gonna change
anybody's mind. So if you
want to be stubborn and hang
this jury go ahead. The
kid'll be tried again and
found guilty sure as he's
born.

MEDIUM SHOT - #8

Camera pans with him as he walks back to his seat.

He stands behind it. #'s 3, 7, 9 are included, #3
standing behind #7's seat.

#8
You're probably right.

#7
So what are you gonna do

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about it? We can be here all

night.

#9
It's only one night. A boy
may die.

#7 glares at #9, but has no answer. #8 sits down.

#7
Brother! Anybody got a deck
of cards?

There is silence. #3 starts a walk over to the coat

rack to get some cigarettes from his jacket. Camera
holds centered on #8 for a moment. The room is
quiet.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #2, SHOOTING 0VER #10 AND

#11

#2
(to Foreman)
I don't think he ought to
joke about it.

FOREMAN
(annoyed)
What do you want me to do?

#2 would like to say something to #7, but daren't.

#10 slams his hand down on the table.

#10
Listen, I don't see what all
this stuff about the knife
has 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. Know what
I mean? I got three garages
of mine going to pot while
you're talking! Let's get
done and get outa here!

#11
The knife was very important
to the district attorney. He
spent one whole morning...

#10

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He's a fifteen assistant or

something. What does he know?

FOREMAN
Okay. I think we oughta get
on with it now. These side
arguments only slow us up.
(to the #8)
What about it?

#6
(to the #8)
You're the only one.

#8
I have a proposition to make
all of you. I want to call
for a vote. I'd like you
eleven men to vote by secret
written ballot. I'll abstain.
If there are still eleven
votes for guilty, I won't
stand alone. We'll take a
guilty verdict in to the
judge right now. But if
anyone votes not guilty,
we'll stay and talk this
thing out.
(he pauses)
Well, that's all. If you want
to try it, I'm ready.

#3
Well, finally you're behaving
like a reasonable man.

#12
Check. I'll buy that.

#7
Okay. Let's do it.

FOREMAN
That sounds fair.

Some of the Jurors nod. The #8 moves to the window.

FOREMAN
Anyone doesn't agree? Okay.
Pass these along.

CLOSE UP - #8

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Watching, waiting.

LONG SHOT - ENTIRE JURY, FROM ABOVE

Writing. Now some of them begin to fold up their

slips, and pass them back to the Foreman. As the
passing back begins, camera be gins to move down,
centering on entire jury. By the time all the slips
are back the camera is shooting over shoulder of
Foreman. He stacks the slips on the table next to
him. Then he looks over at #8.

CLOSE UP - #8

Looking back at Foreman, waiting.

CLOSE UP - FOREMAN

He looks from #8 down to table. He picks up the

first slip, opens it, and reads.

FOREMAN
Guilty.

The Foreman opens another slip and reads it.

FOREMAN
Guilty.

CLOSE UP - #2

And now camera begins a long slow pan around the

table, catching a close up of each face as the
reads off the slips.

No one moves. Each man waits tensely.

FOREMAN
Guilty.
(a pause)
Guilty.
(a pause)
Guilty.
(a pause)
Guilty.
(a pause)
Guilty.
(a pause)
Guilty.
(a pause)
Guilty.
(a pause)

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The camera is now on #10. He waits anxiously.

FOREMAN
Not guilty.

CLOSE UP - #8

He seems to relax a bit. He starts back for his

seat.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 10, 11, 12, FOREMAN

The Foreman reads off the last ballot.

FOREMAN
Guilty.

#10
(angry)
Boy! How do you like that!

#7
(off)
And another chap flips his
wig!

#10
All right, who was it? Come
on, I want to know!

#11
(looking at #10)
Excuse me. This was a secret
ballot. We agreed, on this
point, no? If the gentleman
wants it to remain secret...

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #3

#3
Secret? What d'ya mean,
secret? There are no secrets
in a jury room! I know who it
was!

He stands up and walks over to #5's seat, camera

panning with him. #5 turns and looks at him. #3
stares down at #5.

#3
Brother, you're really
something. You come in here

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and you vote guilty like

everybody else, and then this
golden-voiced preacher over
here starts to tear your
heart cut with stories about
a poor little kid who just
couldn't help becoming a
murderer. So you change your
vote. If that isn't the most
sickening... Why dontcha drop
a quarter in his collection
box?

#5 listens to this, his face growing darker and

angrier. Toward the conclusion of the speech he
begins to rise to his feet, facing #3.

#5
Now wait a minute!

But #3 turns his back on him and starts to walk

away. Camera holds on #5. Then he starts out after
#3.

#5
(angry)
Who d'ya think you are to
talk like...

#3 has his back to #5. #5 reaches out and takes his

shoulder.

#5
Who d'ya you are...

#3 shakes him off angrily, and turns to face him.

#4 is on his feet swiftly now, and slips in between
them. He takes #5's arm.

#4
(calmly)
All right, let's calm down...

#5
Who does he think he is?

#4 leads #5 back to his seat, camera panning with

him.

#5
I mean, did you see him?

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#4
(softly)
Just sit down. He's very
excitable. Forget it. It
doesn't matter.

MEDIUM SHOT - #3 STANDING BEHIND #2

#3
Excitable! You bet I'm
excitable. We're trying to
put a guilty man into the
chair where he belongs, and
all of a sudden somebody's
telling us fairy tales... and
we're listening!

#2 leans back.

#2
(mildly)
Take it easy.

#3
What do you mean take it
easy! D'you feel like seeing
a proven murderer walking the
streets? Why don't we give
him his knife back? Make it
easier for him!

He indicates #5 with a wave of his hand.

#3
Where does he have the
right...

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 10, 11, 12, FOREMAN

FOREMAN
Okay, let's stop the yelling.

#11
Please. I would like to say
something here. I have always
thought that a man was
entitled to have unpopular
opinions in this country.
This is the reason I came
here. In my own country, I am
ashamed to say...

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#10
What do we have to listen to
now, the whole history of
your country?

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 5, 6, 7, 8.

#7
Yeah, let's stick to the
subject.

He turns to #5.

#7
Now I’m talking facts. What
made you change your vote?

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #9, #8

#9 speaks softly. #8 watches him as if he had known

all along.

#9
There's nothing for him to
tell you. He didn't change
his vote. I did.

CLOSE UP - #7

He reacts to this with obvious disgust.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #’S 7, 9

#9
(to #7)
Would you like me to tell you
why?

CLOSE UP - #7

#7
(turning away)
No, I wouldn't like you to
tell me why.

CLOSE UP - #9

#9
Well, I'd like to make it
clear anyway, if you don't
mind.

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MEDIUM SHOT - FOREMAN, #12, #11, #10

#10
Do we have to listen to this?

FOREMAN
(tough, to #10)
The man wants to talk.

#10 looks angrily at him and then turns away. The

Foreman looks proudly down at #9.

MEDIUM SHOT - #9, #8, #7

#9
(in Foreman’s
direction)
Thank you.
(to #7)
This gentleman
(indicating #8)
has been standing alone
against us. He doesn’t say
the boy is not guilty. He
just isn’t sure. Well, it’s
not easy to stand alone
against the ridicule of
others, even when there's a
worthy cause.

#7 raises his eyes to heaven, shakes his head in

disgust, and gets up. He turns his back on #9 and
heads for the men's room. #9 stands up and speaks
spiritedly to his back.

#9
So he gambled for support,
and I gave it to him. I
respect his motives. The boy
on trial is probably guilty.
But I want to hear more.
Right now the vote is ten to
two.

The bathroom door slams shut. #9 takes one step

toward it, furious at #7’s arrogance.

#9
(shouting)
I'm talking here! You have no
right to...

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But he is stopped by #8's hand on his shoulder. He

turns to #8.

#8
(gently)
He can't hear you. He never
will. Let's sit down.

#9 nods and slowly takes his seat, spent with his

effort. #8 remains standing, looking down at him.

MEDIUM SHOT - FOREMAN, #2, #3

#3
Well if the speech is over,
maybe we can go on.

FOREMAN
I think we ought to take a
break. One man's inside
there. Let's wait for him.

The Foreman stands up and camera pans with him as

he walks around the table to where the two knives
are stuck into table. He plucks the tagged one out,
and closes it. #4 opens up his newspaper and begins
to read it. #3 gets up and, standing behind his
chair, stretches. We hear murmured ad lib
conversations, and the sound of several other
jurors getting up.

The Foreman goes to the door, camera holding on

him. He knocks. The door opens and the guard pokes
his head in. The Foreman hands him the knife. The
guard closes the door.

Foreman walks back to his seat camera dollying back

with him.

In back ground, #3 stands near door, thinking. He

watches #5, and while we hear following dialogue
between #'s 11 and 12, #3 watches as #5 gets up,
crosses in front of him, and goes to far end of
room, #3 obviously wants the right opportunity to
talk with him alone.

#12
Looks like we're really hung
up here. I mean that thing
with the old man was pretty
unexpected.

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#11 nods and shrugs.

#12
I wish I knew how we could
break this up.
(suddenly smiling)
Y'know in advertising... I
told you I worked at an
agency, didn’t I?
(#11 nods)
Well there are some pretty
strange people... not strange
really... they just have
peculiar ways of expressing
themselves, y'know what I
mean?
(#11 nods again)
Well, it's probably the same
in your business, right? What
do you do?

#11
I’m a watchmaker.

#12
Really? The finest
watchmakers come from Europe
I imagine.
(#11 bows slightly)
Anyway, I was telling you, in
the agency, when they reach a
point like this in a meeting,
there's always some character
ready with an idea. And it
kills me, I mean it's the
weirdest thing in the whole
world sometimes the way they
precede the idea with some
kind of phrase. Like... Oh,
some account exec'll say,
"Here’s an idea. Let’s run it
up the flagpole and see if
anyone salutes it."
(#12 laughs)
I mean it's idiotic, but it's
funny...

Camera dollies past them in on #3 now as he walks

over to #5 who stands at the water fountain. #5
locks up at him over a clip of water.

#3
Look, I was a little excited.

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Well, you know how it is,

I... I didn't mean to get
nasty or anything.

#5 finishes the water and tosses the cup in the

basket.

#3
I'm glad you're not the kind
who lets these emotional
appeals influence him.

#10 walks into the shot, stands next to #5,

sniffing. #5 crosses away from #3 without
answering. #7 steps away from the washbasin and
dries his hands. The #8 crosses to washbasin.

#7
(to #8)
Say, are you a salesman?

#8
I'm an architect.

#7
You know what the soft sell
is? You're pretty good at it.
I'll tell ya. I got a
different technique. Jokes.
Drinks. Knock 'em on their
asses. I made twenty-seven
thousand last year selling
marmalade. That's not bad.
Considering marmalade.

#8 bends to rinsing his face. #7 watches him for a

moment.

#7
What are ya getting out of
it, kicks?

#8 looks up at him.

#7
The boy is guilty, pal. Like
the nose on your face. So
let's go home before we get
sore throats.

#8 turns off the water, and turns to #7. #7 hands

him a paper towel and waits. #8 starts to dry his

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face, watching #7.

#8
(through the towel)
What's the difference whether
you get it here or at the
ball game?

#7 looks at him narrowly, and then smiles.

#7
No difference, pal. No
difference at all.

#7 exits, letting the door slam. #8 slowly dries

his face. A moment later the door opens. We hear a
loud laugh from outside. #6 enters the bathroom.
The door closes. #6 walks over to the sink, turns
on the water. During this next exchange he lets it
run over his wrists.

#6
(sarcastically)
Nice bunch of guys.

#8
I guess they’re the same as
any.

#6
That loud, heavy-set guy, the
one who was tellin' us about
his kid... the way be was
talking... boy, that was an
embarrassing thing.

#6
(smiling)
Yeah.

#8 stands watching #6 cool his wrists.

#6
What a murderous day.

He looks at #8 in the mirror.

#6
(pointedly)
You think we'll be much
longer?

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#8
I don't know.

#6
He’s guilty for sure. There's
not a doubt in the whole
world. We shoulda been done
already.

#8 doesn't answer him.

#6
Listen, I don't care,
’y’know. It beats workin’.

He laughs, and #8 smiles. Then #6 pointedly looks

at #8. His smile vanishes.

#6
You think he’s not guilty?

#8
I don’t know. It's possible.

#6
(friendly)
I don't know you, but I’m
bettin' you’ve never been
wronger in your life.
Y'oughta wrap it up. You're
wastin' your time.

#8
Supposing you were the one on
trial?

#6 looks at him seriously. There is a pause. He

takes a towel and dries his hands.

#6
I'm not used to supposing.
I’m just a working man. My
boss does the supposing. But
I’ll try one. Supposing you
talk us all outa this, and
the kid really did knife his
father?

#6 looks at #8, and then exits. #8 stands there

alone for a few moments, and we know that this is
the problem which has been tormenting him. He
doesn't know, and never will. Finally he exits.

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#6
I don’t know if there are any
more to make. I just have a
feeling...

#9
Well... I think the boy is
probably guilty. But you go
ahead and see what comes cut.
For the time being it’s a
little less onesided. That’s
all. My vote is only
temporary. It's all the
support I'm equipped to give.

#8 smiles, and nods understandingly.

FOREMAN
(off)
Okay. Let's take seats.

LONG SHOT - THE ENTIRE JURY

As they move for their seats. Finally all are

seated.

Camera dollies in on #2 as he settles his glasses

on his nose to lock up at the wall clock. He turns
to Foreman.

#2
Looks like we’ll be here for
dinner.

CLOSE UP - FOREMAN

He scowls at #2, then turns and addresses the

group.

FOREMAN
Okay. Let's get down to
business. Who wants to start
it off?

There is a pause.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 4, 5, 6

#'s 4 and 6 start to speak at the same time.

#6
Well, I'd like to make a

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point...
(to #4)
Pardon me.

#4
Maybe it would be profitable
if we...
(to #6)
I'm sorry, go ahead.

#6
I didn't mean to interrupt...

#4
No. Go ahead. It's all right.

#6
Well... I was going to say,
well this is probably a small
point, but anyway...
(across to #8)
The boy had a motive for the
killing. You knew, the
beating and all. So if he
didn't do it, who did? Who
else had the motive? That's
my point. I mean nobody goes
out and kills someone without
a motive, not unless he's
just plain nuts. Right?

He sits back rather proudly.

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
As far as I know we're
supposed to decide whether or
not the boy on trial is
guilty beyond a reasonable
doubt. We're not concerned
with anyone else's motives
here. That's a job for the
police.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #4, #3

#4
Very true. But we can't help
letting the only motive we
know of creep into our
thoughts, can we? And we
can't help asking ourselves
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who else might have had a

motive. Logically, these
things follow.
(nodding at #6)
This gentleman is asking a
reasonable question. Somebody
killed him. If it wasn't the
boy, who was it?

#3
(grinning)
Modjelewski.

CLOSE UP - #7

#7
(mock indignance)
You're talking about the man
I love! The world's fastest
rookie...

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #'S 3, 4

#3
(still grinning)
He's got a rubber arm!

We hear a few laughs off.

#4
(angry)
I don't see what's funny
about this. If you haven’t
got anything to add besides
jokes I suggest you listen.

#3
Okay. It's just letting off
steam. I'm sorry. Go ahead.

#3, as always, shows real respect for #4. The grin

fades from his face.

#4
(across to #8)
Well maybe you can answer me.
Who else might have killed
the father?

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #8

#8

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Well I don’t know. The father

wasn’t exactly a model
citizen. The boy’s lawyer
brought this out pretty
clearly, I thought. He was in
prison once. He was known to
he a consistent horse better.
He spent a lot of time in
neighborhood bars and he’d
get into fist fights
sometimes after a couple of
drinks. One of them was over
a woman no one could seem to
remember. He was a tough,
cruel, primitive kind of a
man who never held a job for
than six month in his life.
So here are a few
possibilities. He could have
been murdered by any one of
many men he served time with
in prison. By a bookmaker. By
a man he’d beaten up. By a
woman he’d picked up. By
anyone of the characters he
was known to hang out with...

CLOSE UP - #10

#10
(blustering)
Boy-oh-boy, that’s the
biggest load ’a tripe I
ever... Listen, we know the
father was a bum! So what has
that got to do with anything?

MEDIUM-CLOSE UP - #’S 8, 9

#8
I didn't bring it up. I was
asked who else might have
killed him. I gave my answer.

#9
(mildly, pointing
across table)
That gentleman over there
asked a direct question.

CLOSE UP - #10

#10

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Everyone’s a lawyer!

CLOSE UP - #3

He points down at #9.

#3
Listen, as long as you’ve
joined the discussion,
supposing you answer this
question. The old man...

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 8, 9

#8
(firmly)
There’s no need to be
sarcastic.

He looks unwaveringly at #3.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #3

#3's face hardens. He stares at #8.

#3
(controlled now)
Would you please answer this
question for me...
(Then, sarcastically)
Sir...
(he pauses)
The old man who lived
downstairs heard the kid yell
cut "I’m going to kill you".
A split second later he heard
a body hit the floor. Then he
saw the kid run out of the
house. Now what does all that
meant to you?

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #9, SHOOTING OVER #3'S

SHOULDER

#8 is still standing. He looks down at #9. #9

doesn't have an answer, obviously. He looks up at
#8, then down at table. #8 looks across at #3.

#8
I was wondering how clearly
the old man could have heard
the boy's voice through the

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ceiling.

#3
He didn't hear it through the
ceiling. His window was open
and so was the window
upstairs. It was a hot night,
remember?

#8
The voice came from another
apartment. It's not that easy
to identify a voice,
especially a shouting voice.

CLOSE UP - FOREMAN

FOREMAN
He identified it in court. He
picked the boy's voice out of
five other voices,
blindfolded.

LONG SHOT - ENTIRE JURY, SHOOTING FROM BEHIND

FOREMAN

#8
That's not the same. He knows
the boy's voice very well.
They’ve lived in the some
house for years. But to
identify it positively from
the apartment downstairs.
Isn't it possible that he was
wrong... that maybe he
thought the boy was upstairs,
and automatically decided
that the voice he heard was
the boy's voice?

#4
I think that’s a bit far-
fetched.

#10
You said a mouthful!
(to #8)
Look. The old man heard the
father's body falling and
then he saw the boy run out
of the house fifteen seconds
later. He saw the boy.

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#12
Check. And don't forget the
woman across the street. She
looked right into the open
window and saw the boy stab
his father. I mean, isn't
that enough for you?

#8
Not right now. No, it isn't.

#7
How do you like him? It's
like talking into a dead
phone.

#4
The woman saw the killing
through the windows of a
moving elevated train. The
train had six cars and she
saw it through the windows of
the last two cars. She
remembered the most
significant details. I don't
see how you can argue with
that.

#3
(in #6's direction)
Well, what have you got to
say about it.

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
(doggedly)
I don’t know. It doesn't
sound right to me.

MEDIUM SHOT - #3, BEHIND #12, SHOOTING OVER 4’S

SHOULDER

#3
Well supposing you think
about it.

He looks down at #12, who has drawn a crude picture

of an elevated train. Camera dollies in on them.

#3
Lend me your pencil.

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#12 gives it to him. #3 bends over #12 and starts

to draw a tic-tac-toe pattern on the same sheet of
paper upon which #12 has drawn the train.

#5
(off)
Y’know I don't think he
would've shown the knife to
his friends that time...

#7
(off)
Listen, what difference does
that make?

#3 has finished the tic-tac-toe pattern. He fills

in an X, hands the pencil to #12.

#3
Your turn. We might as well
pass the time.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #8

He watches this tic-tac-toe business, suddenly

angry for the first time.

#5
(off, to #7)
Well I don’t know if it makes
a difference or not. Listen,
this boy...

And #8 is up an his feet, walking fast toward #12’s

seat, camera panning with him. #12 has just
finished making an 0 and is handing pencil to #3.
#8 reaches down and snatches the paper off the
table. #3 whirls around.

#3
(furious)
Wait a minute.

#8
(hard)
This isn't a game!

#3
(shouting)
Who do you think you are?

He lunges at #8, but is caught by #’s 11 and 12.

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The Foreman hops into it, taking him by the arm. #8

stands calmly near him, watching. Camera dollies
back, as the three jurors move #3 around the table
toward his seat. Other jurors are on their feat
suddenly, watching, some crowding around. #3 is
furious.

#12
All right, let's take it
easy.

FOREMAN
(To #3)
Come on, sit down now...

#3 is urged around the table. He shakes off #'s 11

and 12.

#3
I’ve got a good mind to walk
around the table and belt him
one!

FOREMAN
Now please. I don't want any
fights in here.

He reaches for #3's arm. #3 shakes him off.

#3
Did you see him? The nerve!
The absolute nerve!

#10
All right. Forget it. It's
not important. Know what I
mean?

#3
This isn’t a game. Who does
he he is?

MEDIUM SHOT - #8

Standing calmly alone, holding the paper he has

snatched from #12, looking steadily at #3.

CLOSE UP - #3

Glaring angrily at #8. Then, finally he alts down

in his seat.

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FOREMAN
(Off)
Come on now. It's all over.
Let’s take our seats.

LONG SHOT - THE ENTIRE JURY FROM ABOVE

Slowly moving to their seats, save #8. #8 looks at

the paper in his hand, and suddenly something seems
to click for him.

He be gins a walk around the table toward #3's

seat. Camera dollies down and on him. When he
reaches #3's seat, #3 is busy fixing his tie. #8
stands behind him, looking at the paper. Then
suddenly he leans over #3 and throws the paper in
front of him onto the table. #3 half rises, angry
again. #4 puts a hand on his arm. Ha sits down.
Camera is close on him and #8.

#8
Take a look at that sketch.

CLOSE UP - THE SKETCH

#8
(off)
I wonder if anybody has an
idea how long it takes an
elevated train going at
medium speed to pass a given
point?

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 3, 4, 5, 8

#4
What has that got to to with
anything?

#8
How long? Take a guess.

#4
I wouldn’t have the slightest
idea.

#8
(to #5)
What to you think?

#5
I don’t know. About ten or

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twelve seconds maybe.

#3
What’s all this for?

#8
(ignoring #3)
I’d say that was a fair
guess. Anyone else?

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 10, 11

#11
That sounds right to me.

#10 looks at him and then across at #8, off.

#10
Come on, what’s the guessing
game for?

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 2, 3, 4, 8

#8
(to #2)
What would you say?

#2
(shrugging)
Ten seconds is about right.

#4
All right. Say ten seconds.
What are you getting at?

#8
This. A six-car el train
passes a given point in tan
seconds. Now say that given
point is the open window of
the room in which the killing
took place. You can almost
reach out of the window of
that room and touch the el
tracks. Right?

#2 nods.

MEDIUM SHOT FROM BEHIND FOREMAN’S BACK - FOREMAN,

#'S 2, 3, 8, 4, 5, 6, 7

#8

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All right. Now let me ask you

this. Has anyone here ever
lived right next to the el
tracks?

#6
Well I just finished painting
an apartment that overlooked
an el line. I’m a house-
painter, y'know. I was there
for three days.

#8
What was it like?

#6
What d’ya mean?

#8
Noisy?

#6
Brother! Well it didn't
matter. We're all punchy in
our business anyway.

#6 laughs and is joined by others.

#8
I lived, in a second-floor
apartment next to an el line
once. When the windows opens
and the train goes by the
noise is almost unbearable.
You can't hear yourself
think.

#3
Okay. You can’t hear yourself
think. Will you get to the
point!

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
I will. Let's take two pieces
of testimony and try to put
them, together. First, the
old man in the apartment
downstairs. He says he heard
the boy say "I’m going to
kill you", and a split second

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later he heard the body hit

the floor. One second later.
Right?

#2
(off)
That's right.

MEDIUM SHOT - #8 BEHIND #3

#8
Second, the woman across the
street claimed positively
that she looked out of her
window and saw the killing
through the last two cars of
a passing elevated train.
Right? The last two cars.

#3
All right, what are you
giving us here?

#8
Now, we agreed that an el
takes about 10 seconds to
pass a given point. Since the
woman saw the stabbing
through the last two cars we
can assume that the body fell
to the floor just as the
train passed, by. Therefore,
the el had been roaring by
the old man's window for a
full ten seconds before the
body hit the floor. The old
man, according to his own
testimony, hearing "I'm going
to kill you" and the body
falling a split seconds
later, would have had hear
the boy make this statement
while the el was roaring past
his nose. It's not possible
that he could have heard it.

#3
That's idiotic. Sure he could
have heard it.

#8
(to #3)
Do you think so?

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#3
The old man said the boy
yelled it out. That's enough
for me.

#8
If he heard anything at all,
he still couldn't have
identified the voice wit the
el roaring by.

#3
You're talking about a matter
of seconds here. Nobody can
be that accurate.

#8
Well, I think that testimony
which could put a human being
into the electric chair
should be that accurate.

#5
I don't think he could have
heard it.

#6
Yeah. Maybe he didn't hear
it. I mean, with the el
noise...

#3
What are you people talking
about?

#5
Well, it stands to reason...

#3
You're crazy! Why should he
lie? What's he got to gain?

#9
Attention, maybe.

#3
You keep coming up with these
bright sayings. Why don't you
send one in to a newspaper.
They pay three dollars.

#6

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(to #3)
Hey! What're ya talking to
him like that for?

The #3 looks at the #6 then turns disgustedly away.

The #6 reaches out and turns #3 firmly around by
arm.

#6
A guy who talks like that old
man oughta really get stepped
on y'know.

#3
Get your hands off me!

#6
You oughta have some respect,
mister. If you say stuff like
that to him again -- I'm
gonna lay you out.
(he releases the #3
and speaks to #9)
Go ahead. You can say
anything you want. Why do you
think the old man might lie?

#9
It's just that I looked at
him for a very long time. The
seam of his jacket was split
under his arm. Did you notice
it? I mean, to come into
court like that. He was a
very old man with a torn
jacket and he walked very
slowly to the stand. He was
dragging his left leg and
trying to hide it because he
was ashamed. I think I know
him better than anyone her.
This is a quiet, frightened,
insignificant old man who has
been nothing all his life,
who has never had
recognition, his name in the
newspapers. Nobody knows him,
nobody quotes him, nobody
seeks his advice after
seventy-five years. That's a
very sad thing, to be
nothing. A man like this need
to be recognized, to be

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listened to, to be quoted

just once. This is very
important. It would be so
hard for him to recede into
the background when there's a
chance to be...

#7
Now, wait a minute. Are you
trying to tell us he'd lie
just so that he could be
important once?

#9
No. He wouldn't really lie.
But perhaps he'd make himself
believe that he'd heard those
words and recognized the
boy's face.

#10
Well, that's the most
fantastic story I've ever
heard. How can you make up a
think like that? What do you
know about it?

The #9 lowers his head, embarrassed.

#4
Gentlemen, let me remind you,
this case is based on a
reasonable and logical
progression of facts. Let's
keep it there.

#11
Facts may be colored by the
personalities of the people
who present them.

#2
Anybody want a cough drop?

#8
I'll take one.
(#2 offers the cough
drops to the #8. #8
takes one)
Thanks.

#12
Say what you like, I still
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don't see how anybody can

think the boy's not guilty.

#8
There's another thing I
wanted to talk about for a
minute. I think we've proved
that the old man couldn't
have heard the boy say, "I'm
going to kill you," but
supposing...

#10
You didn't prove it at all.
What are you talking about?

#8
But supposing he really did
hear it. This phrase, how
many times has each of us
used it? Probably hundreds.
"I could kill you for that,
darling." "If you do that
once more, Junior, I'm going
to kill you." "Come on,
Rocky, kill him." We say it
every day. It doesn't mean
we're going to kill someone.

#3
Wait a minute! What are you
trying to give us here? The
phrase was, "I'm going to
kill you," and the kid
screamed it out 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.

#2
Well, gee, I don't know. I
remember I was arguing with
the guy I work next to at the
bank a couple of weeks ago;
so he called me an idiot; so
I yelled at him...

#3
Now listen, this guy is
making you believe things
that aren't so. The kid said
he was going to kill him and

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he did kill him.

#5
Well, let me ask you this: do
you really think the boy
would shout out a thing1 like
that so the whole
neighborhood would hear it? I
don't think so. He's much too
bright for that.

#10
Bright? He's a common
ignorant slob. He don't even
speak good English.

#5
I'd like to change my vote to
"not guilty".

#7
Now you've got to be kidding.

#5
You heard.

FOREMAN
Are you sure?

#5
Yes, I'm sure.

FOREMAN
The vote is nine to three in
favor of "guilty".

#7
Well, if that isn't the
livin' end! What are you
basing it on? Stories this
guy made up. He oughta write
for Amazing Detective
Monthly. He'd make a fortune.
(to 5th Juror)
Listen, there are facts
staring you right in your
face. Every one of them says
this kid killed his old man.
For cryin' out loud his own
lawyer knew he didn't stand a
chance right from the
beginning. His own lawyer.
You could see it. He deserves
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the chair.

#8
Does he? It's happened before
that someone's been convicted
of a murder, and executed,
and years later someone else
has confessed to the crime.
Sometimes... sometimes the
facts that are staring
everyone in the face are
wrong.

#7
(to #5th Juror)
I'm talkin' to him --
(he indicates to the
5th Juror)
not to you.
(to the others)
Boy, this guy is really
something.
(to the #5th Juror)
Listen, the kid had a lawyer,
didn't he? The lawyer
presented his case, not you.
How come you've got so much
to say?

#5
The lawyer was court-
appointed.

#7
So what does that mean?

#5
Well, it could mean a lot of
things. It could mean he
didn't want the case. It
could mean he resented being
appointed. It's the kind of
case that brings him nothing.
No money. No glory. Not even
much chance of winning. It's
not a very promising
situation for a young lawyer.
He'd really have to believe
in his client to put up a
good fight. As you pointed
out a minute ago, he
obviously didn't.

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#7
Sure he didn't. Who in hell
could, except God come to
earth or somebody?
(he looks at his
watch then up at the
clock)
Come on already! Look at the
time!

#11
Pardon me, but I have made
some notes here.

#10
Notes yet!

#11
I would like please to say
something. I have been
listening very closely, and
it seems to me that this man
--
(he indicates the #8
Juror)
has some very good points to
make. From what was presented
at the trial the boy looks
guilty, but maybe if we go
deeper...

#10
Come on, will ya.

#11
There is a question I would
like to ask. We assume that
the boy committed murder. He
stabbed his father in the
chest and ran away. This was
at ten minutes after twelve.
Now, how was he caught by the
police? He came home at three
o'clock or so and was
captured by two detective in
the hallway of his house. My
question is, if he really had
killed his father, why would
he come back three hours
later? Wouldn't he be afraid
of being caught?

#3

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Look -- he came home to get

his knife. It's not nice to
leave knives sticking around
in people's chests.

#7
Yeah, especially relatives.

#4
I don’t see anything funny
about it.
(to the 11th Juror)
The boy knew that there were
people who could identify the
knife as the one he had just
bought. He had to get it
before the police did.

#6
But if he knew the knife
could be identified, why did
he leave it there in the
first place?

#4
Well, I think we can assume
he ran out in a state of
panic after he killed his
father, and then when he
finally calmed down, he
realized that he had left the
knife there.

#11
This then depends on your
definition of panic. He was
calm enough to see to it that
there were no fingerprints on
the knife. Now where did his
panic start and where did it
end?

#3
Look, you can forget all that
other stuff. He still came
home to dig out his knife and
get rid of it.

#11
Three hours later?

#3
Sure, three hours later.
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#11
If I were the boy and I had
killed my father, I would not
have come home three hours
later. I would be afraid that
the police would be there. I
would stay away, knife or no
knife.

#3RD
Listen, you voted "guilty",
didn't you? What side are you
on?

#11
I don't believe I have to be
loyal to one side or the
other. I am simply asking
questions.

#12
Well, this is just off the
top of my head, but if I were
the boy, and I'd, you know,
done the stabbing and
everything, I'd take a chance
and go back for the knife.
I'll bet he figured no one
had seen him and that the
body probably wasn't even
discovered yet. After all, it
was the middle of the night.
He probably thought no one
would find the boy till the
next day.

#11
Pardon. Here is my whole
point. The woman across the
street testified that a
moment after she saw the
killing, that is, a moment
after the el train went by,
she screamed and then went to
telephone the police. Now,
the boy must certainly have
heard that scream and known
that somebody saw something.
I don't think he would have
gone back if he had been the
murderer.

#4

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Two points. One: in his state

of panic he may not have
heard the scream. Perhaps it
wasn't very loud. Two: if he
did hear it, he may not have
connected it with his own
act. Remember he lived in a
neighborhood where screams
were fairly commonplace.

#3
Right! There's your answer.

#8
Maybe. Maybe he did stab his
father, didn't hear the
woman's scream, did run out
in a panic, did calm down
three hours later and come
back to try to get the knife,
risking being caught by the
police. Maybe all those
things are so. But maybe
they're not. I think there's
enough doubt to make us
wonder whether he was there
at all during the time the
murder took place.

#10
What d'ya mean doubt? What
are you talking about? Didn't
the old man see him running
out of the house? He's
twisting the facts. I'm
telling you!
(to the 11th Juror)
Did or didn't the old man see
the kid running out of the
house at twelve-ten? Well,
did he or didn't he?

#11
He says he did.

#10
Says he did!
(to the others)
Boy-oh-boy! How do you like
that?
(to the 11th Juror)
Well, did or didn't the woman
across the street see the kid

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kill his father? She says she

did. You're makin' out like
it don't matter what people
say. What you want to
believe, you believe, and
what you don't want to
believe, so you don't. What
kind of way is that? What
d'ya think these people get
up on the witness stand for -
- their health? I'm telling
you men the facts are being
changed around here.
Witnesses are being doubted
and there's no reason for it.

#5
Witnesses can make mistakes.

#10
Sure, when you want 'em to,
they do! Know what I mean?

FOREMAN
Okay. Let's hold the yelling
down.

#10
You keep saying that. Maybe
what we need is a little
yelling in here. These guys
are going off every which
way. Did hear the scream,
didn't hear the scream.
What's the difference?
They're just little details.
You're forgetting the
important stuff. I mean, all
of a sudden here everybody...

#5
I'd like to call for another
vote.

#10
Listen, I'm talking here.

FOREMAN
There's another vote called
for. Now about taking seats.

Jurors who are standing move toward their seats.

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#3
What are we gonna gain by
voting again?

FOREMAN
I don't know. The gentleman
asked...

#3
I never saw so much time
spent on nothing.

#2
(mildly)
It only takes a second.

FOREMAN
Okay. I guess the fastest way
is to find out who's voting
not guilty. All those in
favor of not guilty raise
their hands.

5th, 8th and 9th Jurors raise their hands.

FOREMAN
Still the same. One, two,
three not guilty's. Nine
guilty's.

#7
So now where are we? I'm
telling you, we can yakety-
yak until next Tuesday here.
Where's it getting us?

#11
Pardon.
(he slowly raises his
hand)
I vote not guilty.

#7
Oh, brother!

#3
Oh, now listen? What are you
talking about? I mean we're
all going crazy in here or
something. This kid is
guilty. Why don'tcha pay
attention to the facts!

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MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 2, 3, 4.

#3
(To #4)
Listen, tell him, will ya?

#4 shrugs.

#3
This getting to be a joke!

He gets up and starts a walk down toward #7. Camera

pans with him.

FOREMAN
(off)
The vote is eight to four,
favor of guilty.

#3
(Over #5's shoulder
toward #11)
I mean everybody's heart is
starting to bleed for this
punk little kid like the
President just declared it
Love Your Underprivileged
Brother week, or something.
Listen I’d like you to stand
up and tell me why you
changed your vote. Come on,
give me reasons!

CLOSE UP - #11

He locks straight at #3, and speaks strongly.

#11
I don’t have to defend my
decision to you! I have a
reasonable doubt in my mind.

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 SHOOTING ACROSS

TABLE FROM BEHIND

#3 stands behind #5 who is turned, looking at him.

#3 looks off at #11 angrily.

#3
What reasonable doubt? That’s
nothing but words!

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He leans over the table, pulls the switch knife out

of the table, and holds it up.

#3
Here, look at this! The kid
you just decided isn't guilty
was seen ramming this thing
into his father! Well, look
at it, Mr. Reasonable Doubt!

#3 flicks it angrily into the table. It quivers in

the wood.

#9
(mildly)
That’s not the knife. Don't
you remember?

#3 whirls and stares at him. #9 regards him

steadily. #8 smiles openly.

CLOSE UP - #3

Burning, but controlled.

#3
Brilliant!

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 3, 5, 6, 7, 8

#3 stares at #9 for another moment and then walks

around past #7 and off camera. His next lines will
be taken at the window. There is a pause. #7 looks
around.

#7
I'm tellin' ya, this is the
craziest!
(to #8)
I mean you're sittin' in here
pulling stories outa thin
air! What're we supposed to
believe?
(to all)
I’m telling ya if this guy
(indicating #8)
sat ringside at the Dempsey-
Firpo fight, he'd be tryin'
to tell us Firpo won!
(to #8)
Lock, what about the old man?
Are we supposed to believe

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that he didn't get up and run

to his door and see the kid
tearing down the stairs
fifteen seconds after the
killing? He's only saying he
did to be important, right? I
mean what’s the point of the
whole...

#5
(interrupting)
Hold it a second.

#7
(looking at #5 and
doing a Clem
McCarthy)
And the Baltimore rooter is
heard from! And pop-ups are
falling for base hits
wherever we look. I tell
you...

#5
(interrupting)
Did the old man say he ran to
the door.

#7
Ran. Walked. What's the
difference? He got there.

#6
He said he ran to the door.
At least I think he did.

#5
I don't remember what he
said. But I don't see bow he
could run.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 4, 5, 6, 7, SHOOTING FROM BEHIND

#8

#4
He said, he want from his
bedroom to the front door.
That's enough, isn't it?

#8
Where was his bedroom again?

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MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 7, 6, 9, 10

#10
Down the hall somewhere. I
thought you remembered
anything. Don’t you remember
that?

#8
No. Mr. Foreman, I’d like to
take a look at the diagram of
the apartment.

#7
(do #8)
Why don't we have them run
the trial over just so you
can get everything straight?

#8
(ignoring him)
Mr. Foreman...

MEDIUM SHOT - FOREMAN, #12, #11 AND #3 IN

BACKGROUND AT WINDOW

FOREMAN
I heard you.

He rises, and walks out of shot towards door. #3,

standing at windows glares at #8. Camera dollies is
on #3. We hear business of door opening and closing
during next lines.

#3
All right, what's this for?
How come you're the only one
in the room who wants to see
exhibits all he time?

#5
(off)
I want to see this one too.

#3 starts a walk from the window which will lead

him to position directly behind #8. Camera pans
with him.

#3
And I want to stop wasting
time.

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#4
(off)
If we're going to start
wading through all that
nonsense about where the body
was found...

#3 is standing behind #8 now. Camera is in medium

close up on them both. #8 leans across table toward
#4's position.

#8
We're not. Not unless someone
else wants to. I’d like to
see if a very old man who
drags one leg when he walks
because he had a stroke last
year can get from his bed to
his front door in fifteen
seconds.

#3
He said twenty seconds!

#8
He said fifteen.

#3
Now I’m telling you he said
twenty! What're you trying to
distort...

#11
(off)
He said fifteen.

#3
(turning in that
direction)
How does he know how long
fifteen seconds is. You can't
judge that kind of a thing!

Camera dollies back slightly to include #9. He

Looks up at #3.

#9
He said fifteen seconds. He
was very positive about it.
(Down to #9,
furiously)
He’s an old man. You saw him.
Half the time he was
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confused. How could he be

positive about... anything?

Camera moves in for big closeup of #3. He looks

around, angrily unable to cover up his blunder.
Then he walks out of the closeup, and stalks around
the table. Camera pans with him. The others watch.
As he gets to his seat the door behind him opens.
The guard enters carrying a large pen and ink
diagram of the apartment. Foremen crosses to guard.

GUARD
This what you wanted?

FOREMAN
That’s right. Thanks.

The guard nods and exits. Foreman holds up the

diagram and, looking at it, crosses back toward his
seat, camera panning with him. #8 rises from his
seat and walks toward Foreman's seat. During these
crosses we hear the following.

#4
I don't see what we're going
to prove here. The man said
he saw the boy running out.

#8
(walking to Foreman)
Well let's see if the details
bear him out. As soon as the
body fell to the floor, he
said, he heard footsteps
upstairs running toward the
front door. He heard the
upstairs door open and the
footsteps start down the
stairs. He got to his front
door as soon as he could. He
swore that it couldn't have
been more than fifteen
seconds. Now, if the killer
began running immediately...

Camera is now on medium shot of #8 standing next to

Foreman at head of table.

#12
(interrupting)
Well maybe be didn’t.

#8
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The old man said be did!

LONG SHOT - ENTIRE JURY FROM BEHIND FOREMAN AND #8.

#7
(to #8)
Brother, I crown you king of
the hair splitters.

#10 laughs at this.

#6
(mildly to #7)
Listen, why don't you stop
making smart remarks all the
time.

#7
My friend, for your three
dollars a day you've gotta
listen to everything.

There is a silence for a moment. #6 has no answer,

but he hasn’t liked what he heard.

#10
(to #8)
Well now that you've got that
thing in here, what about it?

#8
(to Foreman)
May I?

He takes the chart, and holds it up on a corner of

the table so that everyone can see it.

MEDIUM SHOT - #8 WITH DIAGRAM

Also included in shot are #12, and #11 and Foreman.

During #8's lines, #'s 2, 5, and 6 also crowd
around diagram. The diagram itself is a layout of a
railroad flat. A bedroom faces the el tracks.
Behind it is a series of rooms off a long hall. In
the front room is an X marking the spot where the
body was found. At the back of the apartment we see
the entrance into the apartment hall from the
building hall. We see a flight of stairs in the
building hall. Each roam is labeled, and the
dimensions of each room are shown.

#8

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This is the apartment in

which the killing took place.
The old man’s apartment is
directly beneath it, and
exactly the same.
(pointing)
Here are the el tracks. The
bedroom. Another bedroom.
Living room. Bath-room.
Kitchen. And this is the
hall. Here’s the front door
to the apartment. And here
are the stairs.
(pointing to front
bedroom)
Now, the old man was in bed
in this room. He says ha got
up, went out into the hall,
down the hall to the front
door, opened it and looked
out just in time to see the
boy racing down the stairs.
Am I right so far?

CLOSE UP - #3

He stands at his chair, watching.

#3
That’s the story, for the
nineteenth time.

MEDIUM SHOT - #8

#8
(ignoring this)
Fifteen seconds after he
heard the body fall.

#11
Correct.

#8
His bed was at the window,
It's --
(looking closely at
diagram)
12 feet from his bed to the
bedroom door. The length of
the hall is 43 feet 6 inches.
Now, he had to get up out of
bed, walk 12 feet, open the
bedroom door, walk 43 feet

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and open the front door...

all in 15 seconds. Do you
think he could have done it?

#10, standing behind #8, barks out.

#10
Sure he coulda done it!

#11
(to #10)
He can only walk very slowly.
They had to help him into the
witness chair.

MEDIUM SHOT - #3, #4

#3
You make it sound like a long
walk. It's not!

MEDIUM SHOT #8

He looks in #3's direction, and then, laying down

the diagram begins a walk around to the other side
of the table, camera panning with him. As he walks,
#9, who had been standing near #8, answers #3.

#9
For an old man who had a
stroke it's a long walk.

#8 has walked directly to the empty chairs of #2

and #3. He takes one in each hand now, and swings
them out into the middle of the floor, placing them
side by side. #3 strides into the shot.

#3
What are you doing?

#8
I want to try this thing,
Let's see how long it took
him.

#3
What d’you mean you want to
try it? Why didn’t the kid’s
lawyer bring it up if it’s so
important?

The other jurors have begun to crowd into the shot.

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#5
Well maybe he just didn’t
think of it.

#10
What d’ya mean didn’t think
of it! You think the man's an
idiot or some thing? It’s an
obvious thing.

#5
Did you think of it?

#10 moves a step or two towards #5.

#10
(angry, to #5)
Listen, smart guy! It don’t
matter whether I thought of
it.

FOREMAN
(worried)
Okay, now...

#10
He didn't bring it up because
he knew the answer'd hurt his
case. Now what d'ya think of
that?

FOREMAN
Okay...

#8
It's possible that he didn't
bring it up because it would
have meant badgering and
bullying a helpless old man,
something that I don’t think
sits very well with a jury.
Most lawyers avoid that kind
of if they can.

#7
(loud)
So what kind of a bum is he
then?

#8
(quietly)
That's what I've been asking.

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#7 shuts up, sorry that he's spoke.

#8
All right, let's say these
chairs are the old man's bed.
I’m going to pace off 12
feet, the length of the
bedroom.

He begins to do this, camera staying with him.

#3
You're crazy. You can't
recreate a thing like that.

#11
I’d like to see it.

#3
It's a ridiculous waste of
time!

#6
Let him do it.

#8 has now paced off his 12 feet. He stands on the

spot.

#8
Someone hand me a chair.

#6 picks up a chair and bring it to him. #8 puts it

down where he is standing. Camera moves in far
medium shot of #8.

#8
All right, this is the
bedroom door.

He looks around.

#8
The hall is a little over 43
feet long. I’ll pace over to
that wall
(pointing)
and back again.

He starts to do it, counting his steps silently as

he paces. He passes #10 after a dozen steps.

#10

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Look, this is absolutely

insane. What’s the idea of
wasting everybody's time
here.

#8
(interrupting his
counting)
Sixteen.

He stops pacing, turns to #10.

#8
According to you it’ll only
take 15 seconds. We can spare
that.

He resumes his pacing, counting to himself. He

reaches the wall. Everyone watches silently. He
turns and paces back, counting off the rest of the
43 steps.

#8
(aloud)
Thirty-nine, forty, forty-
one, forty-two, forty-three.
Okay, pass me another chair
please.

#2 hands him a chair. He places it down.

#8
This is the door to the
outside hall and stairway. It
was chain-locked according to
testimony.

#5
Right.

#8 now walks over to the two chairs he placed side

by side, camera dollying in close on him. He sits
down.

#8
Who’s got a watch with a
second hand?

#2
I have.

#8

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When you want me to start,

stamp your foot. That’ll be
the body falling. Time me
from there.

He lies down on the two chairs.

#7
Anyone for charades?

#3
(exasperated)
I’ve never seen anything like
this in whole life!

#8
Okay. I’m ready.

He lies down on the chairs. They all watch

carefully. #2 stares at his watch, waiting. There
is a tense silence.

#2
(apologetically)
I want to wait till the
second hand reaches sixty.

They wait silent, tense. Suddenly #2 stamps his

foot. #8 rises to a sitting position, swings his
legs to the floor. Ha stands up. #2 keeps his eyes
on the watch. #8 begins to hobble, dragging one
leg, toward the chair which serves as the bedroom
door. He reaches it, pretends to open it. He turns
now and begins to hobble along the simulated 43
foot hallway.

#10
Come on. Speed it up. He
walked twice as fast as that!

#8 continues to walk.

#11
This is, I think, even more
quickly that the old man
walked in the courtroom.

#8
(Still hobbling)
If you think I should go
faster, I will.

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He speeds up his pace slightly, reaches the wall

and turns. He heads for the second chair, the chair
simulating the door to the outer hallway.

#3
Come on, willya! Let's get
this kid stuff over with!

They watch as #8 reaches the last chair. Camera is

now on medium close up of him. He pretends to open
an imaginary chain lock, and then opens the
imaginary door,

#8
Stop!

#2
Right.

#8
What's the time?

Camera is on #8 in foreground, and #2 in

background, surrounded by four or five of the
jurors.

#2
Fifteen... Twenty...
Thirty... Thirty-three
seconds exactly.

#6
Thirty-three seconds!

The other jurors around #2 ad lib their surprise.

#8
I think this is what
happened. The old man bad
heard the fight between the
boy and his father a few
hours earlier. Then, while
lying in bed he heard a body
hit the floor in the boy’s
apartment, and he heard the
woman scream from across the
street. He got up, tried to
get to the door, heard
someone racing down the
stairs, and assumed it was
the boy.

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#6
I think that's possible.

CLOSE UP - #3

Standing, furious.

#3
(shouting)
Assumed? Now listen to me,
you people! I’ve seen all
kinds of dishonesty in my
day... but this little
display takes the cake!

MEDIUM SHOT - #8 IN FOREGROUND, #3 IN BACKGROUND

#'S 2, 4, 5, 6 ALSO IN SHOT

#3
You come in here with your
heart bleeding all over the
floor about slum kids and
injustice, and you make up
some wild stories, and all of
a sudden you start getting
through to some of these old
ladies in here! Well you're
not getting through to me!
I've had enough!
(to all)
What’s the matter with you
people? Every one of you
knows this kid is guilty!
He's got to burn! We're
letting him slip through our
fingers here!

MEDIUM SHOT - #8, AND BEHIND HIM #'S 11, 12, 9,

FOREMAN

#8
(calmly)
Slip through our fingers? Are
you his executioner?

MEDIUM SHOT - #3, AND BEHIND HIM #’S 2, 4, 5, 6, 7,

10

#3
(furious)
I’m one of ’em.

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MEDIUM SHOT

#8
Maybe you’d like to pull the
switch...

MEDIUM SHOT

#3
(shouting)
For this kid? You bet I’d
like to pull the switch!

MEDIUM SHOT

#8
I'm sorry for you...

#3
(off)
Don’t start with me now!

#8
What it must feel like to
want to pull the switch!

CLOSE UP - #3

#3
(raging)
Listen, you shut up!

#8
(baiting him)
Ever since we walked into
this room you’ve been
behaving like a self-
appointed public avenger!

#3
(loud)
I'm telling you now! Shut up!

CLOSE UP - #8, OVER #3'S SHOULDER

#8
You want to see this boy die
because you personally want
it, not because of the facts.

#3
(roaring)

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Shut up!

#8
You’re a sadist...

MEDIUM SHOT - #3, #8 AND THE REST OF THE JURY

GROUPED AROUND THEM

#3
(roaring)
Shut up!

And he lunges wildly at #8. #8 holds his ground as

#3 is caught by many hands and held back. He
strains against the hands, big face dark with rage.

#3
Let me go! I'll kill him!
I'll kill him!

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
(calmly)
You don’t really mean you'll
kill me, do you?

MEDIUM SHOT - THE ENTIRE JURY

Still held, he stares bitterly at #8. Then,

finally, he shrugs off the many hands on him
adjusts his jacket and walks around the group of
silent, watching men to the window, camera moving
up high, and holding on him and the entire jury. He
stands at the window and there is not a sound for a
moment. Then we hear the sound of the door being
opened. Some of the jurors turn their heads in that
direction.

MEDIUM SHOT - GUARD IN THE DOORWAY

GUARD
Is there anything wrong,
gentlemen? I heard some
noise.

144 MEDIUM SHOT - FOREMAN AND OTHERS 144

FOREMAN
No. There’s nothing wrong.

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He walks toward the door, picking up the diagram of

the apartment on the way. He reaches the door.
Camera holds on shot of Foreman and guard.

The Guard takes the plan, looks carefully around

the room then exits. There is a pause. The others
look at the #3.

#3
Well, what are you staring
at?

The others, embarrassed, turn away. Some of them

take their seats.

#12
Well, -- I suppose someone
has to -- start it off again.

#2
It's getting late.
(to the Foreman)
What do they do, take us out
to restaurant for supper?

FOREMAN
How do I know?

#2
I wonder if they let us go
home in case we can’t finish
tonight. I've got a boy with
mumps.
(he smiles self-
consciously,
gesturing with his
hands around his jaws
to indicate a
swelling)
He’s out to here. The wife
says he looks like Mussolini.

Camera holds on him as he subsides into embarrassed

silence. No one laughs.

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Sitting silently, each trying to think of some way

to break cut of his own personal embarrassment. The
room begins to darken perceptibly now. No one
notices it.

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MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, FOREMAN

And now #11 clears his throat slightly and leans

forward. Camera closes in on him as he talks.

#11
Pardon. This fighting. This
is not why we are here, to
fight. We have a
responsibility. This, I have
always thought, is a
remarkable thing about
democracy. That we are, uh,
what is the word?
(A pause)
Notified. That we are
notified by mail to come down
to this place and decide on
the guilt or innocence of a
man we have never heard of
before. We have nothing to
gain or lose by our verdict.
This is one of the reasons
why we are strong. We should
not make it a personal thing.

Now fearing perhaps that he has forced his views on

others a bit too passionately, #11 sits back,
somewhat embarrassed.

#11
(humbly)
Thank you.

Again there is a silence. Camera is on #11, #12,

and Foreman.

#12
(brightly)
Um, if no one else has an
idea I may have a cutie here.
I mean I haven't put much
thought into it. Anyway,
lemme throw it out on the
stoop and see if the cat
licks it up.

FOREMAN
See if the cat licks it up?

#12
(insisting)
Yeah! Now, if the boy arrived
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henna...

The Foreman laughs and then #12 realizes that he

has fallen into the trap he set for himself
earlier. He stops in mid-sentence. #11 joins in the
laughter. The edge is off the tension now, but #12
shuts up tight and begins to doodle furiously.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 4, 5, 6, 7

#5
(Looking at window)
Look at how dark it’s
getting. We’re gonna have a
storm.

There is a pause.

#5
Boy it's hot.

He yanks open his tie and fans himself with some

papers. Then idly, he turns to #4. #4 still sits
there in tie and jacket, seemingly not bothered by
the heat at all. #5 looks at him.

#5
(grinning)
Don't you sweat?

#4
(coldly)
No, I don’t.

#5, surprised at #4's coldness, turns away. There

is a pause. #6 looks around a bit nervously.

#6
Uh, listen, I was wondering
if maybe we shouldn't take
another vote.

#7
Great idea. Maybe we can
follow this one up with
dancing and refreshments.

#6
Mr. Foreman?

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 10, 11, 12, FOREMAN

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FOREMAN
It's all right with me.
Anyone doesn't want to vote?

He looks around the table. There is no answer. #12

doodles away still annoyed with himself.

#3
I think we ought to have an
open ballot. Call out our
votes, y’know? Let's see who
stands where.

FOREMAN
That sounds fair. Anyone
object?

There is no answer.

FOREMAN
All right. I’ll call off your
jury numbers.

He takes a pencil and paper and draws a line down

the middle of the paper.

FOREMAN
I vote guilty.

He makes a check on one side of the line.

FOREMAN
Number two?

CLOSE UP - #2

He has a hard decision to make. He thinks for a

long moment.

#2
Not guilty.

FOREMAN
(Off)
Number 3?

Camera pans down to #3. He is staring at #2.

#3
(sharply)
Guilty.

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Camera, pans to #4. He sits back, relaxed, at ease.

FOREMAN
(Off)
Number 4?

#4
Guilty.

FOREMAN
(Off)
Number 5?

#5
Not guilty.

FOREMAN
(Off)
Number 6?

Camera pans down to #6. He stares down at the

table, picking at a piece of cuticle on his thumb.
His decision is difficult too.

#6
(low)
Not guilty.

As soon as he speaks he puts his sore thumb in his

mouth, sucks on the cuticle. Camera pans to #7. He
is looking disgustedly at #6.

FOREMAN
(Off)
Number 7?

#7
Guilty.

CLOSE UP - #8

FOREMAN
(off)
Number 8?

#8
Not guilty.

Camera pans to #9. He is in the process of taking a

pill out of a bottle.

FOREMAN

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(off)
Number 9?

#9
Not guilty.

Camera pans to #10. He is touching his tender nose

appraisingly.

FOREMAN
(Off)
Number 10?

#10
(loud)
Guilty!

Camera pans to #11. He watches #10 with some

distaste.

FOREMAN
(Off)
Number 11?

#11
Not guilty.

Camera pans to #12. He doodles concentric circles

on a pad.

FOREMAN
(Off)
Number 12?

There is a pause.

FOREMAN
(impatiently)
Number 12?

#12
Guilty.

Camera pans to Foreman. He tallies his marks

quickly.

FOREMAN
Six to six.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #7

He repeats his Clem McCarthy take-off.

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#7
And, we go into extra innings
here!

He gets up and heads for the water fountain, camera

panning with him. As he passes #10, #10 starts to
rise, annoyed.

Camera holds on #10.

#10
Six to six! I'm telling you,
some of you people in here
are out of your minds. A kid
like that.

#9
(mildly to #10)
I don’t think the kind of boy
he is has anything to do with
it. The facts are supposed to
determine the case.

#10
(Down to #9)
Ah, don't give me any of
that! I‘m sick and tired of
facts. You can twist 'em any
way you like. Know what I
mean?

He walks away. Camera holds on #9. He half rises,

angrily, and calls after #10.

#9
(indicating #8)
That’s exactly the point this
gentleman has been making. I
mean you keep shouting at the
top of your lungs...

#8 puts his hand on #9's shoulder. #9 looks at him.

#8's expression says, "he isn't worth over-exiting
yourself." #9 sits down, quite agitated. He takes
out a handkerchief and mops his brow with it. We
hear ad lib conversation at the water cooler.

#9
I’d like to be a little
younger. That man...

He stops, unable to go on. Then, trying to calm

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himself:

#9
It’s very hot in here.

#8 nods sympathetically.

#8
D'you want some water?

#9
No thanks.

#9 continues to mop his brow. #8 rises and camera

holds on medium close-up of him as he walks to the
window. He stands there, looking out. It has grown
considerably darker now, oppressively still. The
room is silent save for a murmur of voices at the
fountain. #8 runs his hands over his face wearily.
Then he opens his tie.

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 7, 10, 3 AT THE WATER FOUNTAIN

#3 is drinking. #7 holds a cup under the faucet.

#10 waits his turn. #7 turns to the window. His cup
overflows. He turns to it, steps away from the
fountain and begins to drink, staring at the
window. #2 walks into shot to wait his turn at the
fountain.

#2
It’s going to rain.

#7
(sarcastically)
No!

#2 meekly turns away and gets a paper cup. #7 turns

to him.

#7
How come you switched?

#2
Well, it just seemed to me...

#7
(interrupting)
I mean you haven't got a leg
to stand on. You know that,
don'tcha?

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#2
Well I don’t feel that way.
There’re a lot of details
that never came out...

#10
(interrupting)
Details! You’re just letting
yourself get by a bunch'a
what d'ya callem...
intellectuals.

#2
(mildly)
Now that’s not so.

#10
Ah come on. You’re like
everybody else. You think too
much, you get mixed up.
(to #3)
Know what I mean?

#2
(annoyed)
Now listen, I don't think you
have any right to...

But #10 has crumpled his cup, flipped it an the

floor and walked away, leaving #2 in the middle of
a sentence.

#2
(softly)
Loudmouth!

#2 turns to #7, opens his mouth as if to speak,

then, decides not to. He walks over to the other
window, camera dollying with him. He puts his head
against the glass ands stares out. It is darker now
than before.

CLOSE UP - #8

Still at window staring out. We see a portion of

the skyline behind him, outside window. There is
absolute silence in the room.

LONG SHOT - ENTIRE ROOM FROM OVERHEAD

There is no movement in the room. Everyone waits

for the storm now. And suddenly it comes. We hear

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only the sound of the rain, pouring down into the

silence. No lightning. No thunder. Heads turn
toward the windows. There is no talk. The rain
pours down as if this were a tropical storm.

MEDIUM SHOT - #8

He steps back from the window as the rain splashes

in. Than he reaches forward and closes the window.
We hear the sound of the other window being closed
by #2. #8 stares out the window.

LONG SHOT - ENTIRE JURY

From Foreman's end of table. They all stare at the

windows silently. The room is quite dark now. The
rain pours down.

MEDIUM SHOTS - GROUPS OF JURORS

Their faces in shadows for the first time, staring

at the depressing spectacle of the rain.

MEDIUM SHOT - THE FOREMAN

Seated at table. Finally he gets up and camera

follows him as he walks over to the door. Next to
it is a light switch. He flips it on.

LONG SHOT - THE ENTIRE JURY

There is a flickering of light, and then the

overhead fluorescent lamps come on full, throwing
harsh white light on to the jurors. At the same
moment we hear the first crack of thunder. (Through
out the remainder of the play the rain continues,
and now and then there are flashes of lightning and
the rumble of thunder.) The foreman walks over to
the windows now, and looks out. Camera moves in on
him. He stands next to #8.

FOREMAN
(low)
Wow!

He speaks almost to himself,

FOREMAN
Look at that, will ya!

#8 nods and continues to look out.

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FOREMAN
Think it’ll cool things off?

#8
(looking at him)
Yeah, I guess so.

FOREMAN
(whistles)
Boy! Look at it go! Reminds
me of the storm we had
last... November something.
What a storm! Right in the
middle of the game. We're
behind 7-6, but we’re just
startin' to move the ball,
off tackle, y'know! Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boy I’ll never
forget that. We had this kid
Slattery. A real ox. Wish I
had another one like him.

He looks up to find #8 looking at him.

FOREMAN
h, I probably forgot to tell
you I'm assistant head coach
at the Andrew J. McCorkle
High School. That's in
Queens.

#8 nods, smiles briefly and looks out the window.

FOREMAN
So anyway we're movin' real
nice. Their line is comin'
apart. I'm tellin' ya, this
Slattery! Boy!
(He chuckles)
And all of a sudden it starts
to come down cats and dogs.
It was murder. I swear I
almost bawled. We couldn't go
nowhere!

#7
(off)
Hey, let's get this fan goin'
in here. What d’ya say?

The Foreman turns to the sound of the voice. He

looks at #8 for a moment. Then he walks across the
room, camera moving with him.
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Then he climbs down and turns around as if waiting

for applause. No one speaks. His smile fades, and
camera follows him as he slowly walks to his seat
and sits down.

MEDIUM SHOT - #7

He is back in his seat now. He looks up at the fan.

Then he takes a page from his scrap pad, crumples
it up and flips it up at the fan. He tears off
another page and repeats this business. And
another.

CLOSE UP - THE FAN

A wad of paper hits it, and is flung off by the

blades.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 3, 4

Standing near the water fountain. The wad of paper

strikes #3 in the shoulder. He turns around
angrily.

#7
(off, calling)
Sorry.

#3 turns back to #4.

#3
(low)
What a stupid thing to do.

#4 bends to get a drink of water. #3 waits till he

straightens up.

#3
Some rain, huh?

#4, drinking, nods.

#3
Well, what d'ya think of this
thing? It’s even-steven.

#4 nods as he drinks.

#3
Kind of surprising, isn’t it?

#4

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Yes.

#3
Listen, that business before,
you know where what's-his-
name, that tall guy over
there was baiting me, I mean
that doesn’t prove anything.
Listen, I'm a very excitable
person, y'know. So where does
he get off to call me a
public avenger, and a sadist
and everything? Anybody in
his right mind'd blow his
stack, wouldn't he? He was
just trying to bait me.

#4
(wryly)
He did an excellent job.

We hear jumbled ad lib conversation in background.

#3
(missing this)
Now I'm being sincere about
this. I'm no small potatoes
like some of these people. I
run a messenger service that
employs over sixty-five
workers. Well maybe that
doesn't mean anything to you,
but I consider myself a
respectable citizen, and I’m
trying to do my duty in here
very sincerely. He has no
call to act like that. I mean
I could really’ve belted him
one!

#10
(off)
Listen, I’ll tell you what I
think.

#'s 3 and 4 turn in the direction of his voice.

MEDIUM SHOT - #10, STANDING AT HIS SEAT

#10
We’re goin' nowhere here. I'm
ready to walk into court
right now and declare a hung
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jury. There's no point in

this thing goin' on any more.

LONG SHOT - THE ENTIRE JURY

Most of them are seated now. #'s 3 and #4 walk back

to their seats.

#7
I go for that too. Let's take
it into the judge and let the
kid take his chances with
twelve other guys.

#8
I don't think the court will
accept hung jury. We haven't
been in, here very long.

#7
(standing up)
Well let’s find out!

#11
I am not in favor of this.

#7
(to #11)
Listen, this kid wouldn't
stand a chance with another
jury and you know it.
(turning to the
others)
C'mon, we're hung. Nobody's
gonna change his opinion.
Let’s take it inside.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 5,6,7

#5
You still don't think there’s
any room for a reasonable
doubt?

#7
No I don't!

CLOSE UP - #11

#11
Pardon. Maybe you don’t fully
understand the term

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reasonable doubt...

MEDIUM SHOT - #’3 4, 5, 6, 7 SHOOTING PAST #11'S

PROFILE

#7 reacts strongly to this. He walks around the

table until he is standing behind #4, speaking
angrily to #11 as he goes.

#7
What d'ya mean I don't
understand it? Who d'ya think
you are to talk to me like
that?
(to all)
How d'ya like this guy? I’m
tellin' ya they're all alike.
He comes over to this country
running for his life and
before he can even take a big
breath he's telling us how to
run the show! The arrogance
of the guy!

#5
(to #7)
Wait a second! Nobody around
here’s asking where you came
from!

#7
I was born right here!

#5
Or where your father came
from!

#7 doesn't answer, but stares at #5, amazed at this

unexpected outburst.

#5
Where does it hurt us to take
a few tips from people who
come running here for their
lives? Maybe they learned
something we don't know.
We’re not so perfect!

#11
(mildly)
Please. It doesn't matter...

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#7
(to #5 on top of
#11's lines)
Okay homely philosopher...
but lemme tell you something.
Nobody around here's gonna
tell me what words I
understand and what words I
don't. Hear?
(pointing at #11)
Especially him!

#7 stalks back to his seat, camera panning with

him. He sits down. During the Foreman's next lines
#7, indignantly looks around, feeling that he has
won his skirmish, until finally his eyes meet #8's.
#8 looks at him long and hard, and finally #7
breaks and turns away.

FOREMAN
(Off)
All right. Let's stop the
arguing for two minutes in
here. Who's got something
constructive to say?

Camera holds on #'s 7 and 8. There is a silence.

Then #8 turns toward the others.

#8
I'd like to go over
something, if you gentlemen
don't mind.

On the word gentlemen he looks pointedly at #7.

#8
An important point for the
prosecution was the fact that
the boy, after he claimed he
was at the movies during the
hours the killing took place,
couldn't name the pictures he
saw or the stars who appeared
in them.
(Pointing across at
#4)
This gentleman has repeated
that point in here several
times.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4

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#4
That's correct. It was the
only alibi the boy offered,
and he himself couldn’t back
it up with any details at
all.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #8, SHOOTING OVER #4'S

SHOULDER

#8
Putting yourself in the boy’s
place, if you can, do you
think you’d be able to
remember details after an
upsetting experience such as
being struck in the face by
your father?

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4, SHOOTING OVER #8'S

SHOULDER

#4
I think so, if there were any
special details to remember.
He couldn't remember the
movies at the theatre he
named because he wasn’t there
that night.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #8, SHOOTING OVER #4'S

SHOULDER

#8
According to police testimony
in court he was questioned by
the police in the kitchen of
his apartment while the body
of his father was lying an
the floor in the bedroom. Do
you think you could remember
details under those
circumstances?

#4
I do.

#8
Under great emotional stress?

#4
Under great emotional stress.

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#8
He remembered the movies in
court. He named them
correctly and he named the
stars who played in them.

#8
And the night before that?

#4
(beginning to strain)
That was ... Tuesday. The
night before that? I...
was... oh yes. That was the
night of the bridge
tournament. I played bridge.

#8
And Monday night?

#7
(off)
When you get him down to New
Year's Eve, 1952, lemme know.

#4
(Trying to remember)
Monday.

There is a pause.

#4
Monday night.
(remembering)
Monday night my wife and I
went to the movies.

#8
(fast)
What did you see?

#4
(faster)
"The Scarlet Circle".
(he smiles)
It's a very clever who-done-
it.

#8
What was the second feature?

#4

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(straining)
The... I'll tell you in a
minute. The... Remarkable
Mrs. Something. Mrs... uh...
Bainbridge. "The Remarkable
Mrs. Bainbridge".

There is a pause.

CLOSE UP - #2

#2
I saw that. It's called. "The
Amazing Mrs. Bainbridge."

160 MEDIUM SHOT 160

#4
(embarrassed)
The... Amazing Mrs.
Bainbridge. Yes. I think
that’s right.

#8
Who was in "The Amazing Mrs.
Bainbridge”?

There is a long pause as #4 strains for the names.

#4
Barbara... Long, I think.
She’s a dark, very pretty
girl. Barbara... Lang... Lane
... something like that.

#8
Who else?

CLOSE UP - THE SIDE OF #4'S NECK

A single drop of sweat glistens there, and then

rolls down into his collar. He moves uncomfortably.

MEDIUM SHOT

#4
Well, I’d never heard of them
before. It was a very
inexpensive second feature,
with unknown...

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#8
(interrupting)
And you weren’t under an
emotional strain, were you!

#4 doesn't answer for a long moment.

#4
(quietly)
No, I wasn't.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 9, 10

#9
I think the point is made.

There is a silence. #10 blows his nose.

#10
Big point!

#9
I think it is a big point.

#10
What? Just because he
(indicating #4)
can't remember the name of
some two-bit movie star? I
suppose that proves the kid
was at the movies.

#9
(quietly)
No. But it indicates that no
one can prove he wasn't. He
might have been at the movies
and forgotten what he saw.
It's possible. If it's
perfectly normal for this
gentleman
(indicating #4)
to forget a few details, then
it's also perfectly normal
for the boy. Being accused of
murder isn't necessarily
supposed to give him an
infallible memory.

#10
(to #9)
You can talk till your tongue

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is draggin1 on the floor. The

boy is guilty. Period. Know
what I mean, my friend?

They look at each other for a moment, and then #9

turns away.

#10
Who’s got those cough drops.

MEDIUM SHOT - FOREMAN #2

#2
(staring hard at #10)
They're all gone, my friend.

He flips the empty box across the table. The

Foreman watches it slide, and then looks up.

FOREMAN
Y’know there's something
we’re for-getting here that I
was just thinking about. Well
that's the whole business
that dragged, cut forever,
y'know with the psychiatrist,
where he got all involved...

MEDIUM SHOT - FOREMAN, #’S 10, 11, 12

#10
Now don’t start with all that
phoney psycho-whatever-you-
call it stuff. What a racket
that is! Filling people's
heads with all that junk.
Listen I’ve got three
psychiatrists keeping their
cars in one of my garages.
The whole three of 'em are
crazy!

FOREMAN
Listen, there’s a point I’m
tryin’ to make here. Do you
mind?

#10
I wouldn't give you a nickel
for a psychiatrist's
testimony.

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CLOSE UP - #8

#8
(meaning #10)
Why don’t you let the man
talk. You can take five
minutes on the uselessness of
psychiatry when he’s
finished.

167 CLOSE UP - #10 167

He glares angrily at #8 for a moment, then turns

away, and blows his nose hard.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON FOREMAN

FOREMAN
(Looking peculiarly
at #8)
Thanks.
(To all)
What I was gonna say was, the
psy-chiatrist definitely
stated that the boy had
strong homicidal tendencies.
I mean that he felt like
killing some half the time.
Well, not felt like, that he
was, what d'ya call it,
capable. He described all
those tests, inkblots and all
that stuff, and he said the
kid is definitely a killer-
type. Am I right?

#12
Check. I think he said
something about paranoid
tendencies if I’m not
mistaken.

FOREMAN
Right. Whatever that is, he
said it.
(To all)
Let's not forget, we're
talking about a boy who's
always had murder on his
mind.

#12
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(proudly)
His unconscious mind.

FOREMAN
(stolidly)
Nobody else's.

#11
I beg pardon, in
discussing...

#10
(interrupting,
mimicking)
I beg pardon... What are you
so polite about?

#11
(looking straight at
#10)
For the same reason you are
not. It’s the way I was
brought up.

They stare at each other for a moment. Then #11

turns to the others.

#11
In discussing such a thing as
the murder potential we
should remember that many of
us are capable of committing
murder. But few of us do. We
impose controls upon
ourselves to prevent it. The
most these psychiatric tests
can accomplish along these
lines is this. They can tell
us that some day a particular
person may commit a murder.
That’s all. They prove
nothing.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4

#4
Then how come they’re
admitted in evidence?

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 10, 11, 12

#11

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They have many uses, of

course. In this case they
added to the general
impression the prosecution
was trying to create. Perhaps
we would find that if we
twelve men took the same
tests, one or two of us might
be discovered to have
unconscious desires to kill,
and the potentiality of
carrying them out. Yet none
of us has. To say that a man
is capable of murder does not
mean that he has committed
murder.

#10
(angry)
But it can mean it. Listen,
if they said the kid is
capable of killing, he
could've killed, couldn't he?

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 7, 8

#7 is looking at his watch and up at the wall clock

disgustedly. #8 leans down to #10.

#8
You’re the one who said, and
I quote, "I wouldn't give you
a nickel for a psychiatrist’s
testimony!"

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #10

He knows he's been trapped, and he's angry about

it. He speaks through gritted teeth.

#10
(to #8)
Boy, I'm telling you, I'd
like to...

He stops and slams his fist on the table. Then he

gets up and walks around the table trying to
control himself. Camera pans with him. When he
reaches #8 he stands over him for a minute. #8
doesn't look up at him. He stands there staring at
#8 blacly.

FOREMAN
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(off, nervously)
Listen, just let's take it
easy here.

#10 finally walks away from behind #8. Camera holds

on #8 for a moment, across table we can see #'s 5,
6, 7. #8 still looks calmly straight ahead. Then he
reaches out to the middle of the table and pulls
the switch-knife out of the table. He closes it.
Then he flicks it open. Then he closes it. While
this is happening we hear the following.

#6
What time is it?

#5
There's a clock on the wall
right behind you.

At conclusion of these lines, camera is on medium

shot of #’s 2, 3, 4, shooting over Foreman’s
shoulder.

#3
Don't tell me we’re gonna,
start with that. They went
over it and over it.

#2
I know they did, but I don't
go along with it. The boy is
5 feet 7 inches tall. His
father was six two. That’s a
difference of seven inches.
It's a very awkward, thing to
stab down, into the chest of
someone who’s more than a
half a foot taller than you
are.

#3 stands up. He points to the knife.

#3
Give me that.

#2 does so.

#3
Look, you're net gonna be
satisfied till you see it
again. I'm gonna give you a
demonstration.

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#3 walks to a position and to the left of Foreman,

camera dollying back with him. He looks at table.
Camera covers right side of table in background.

#3
Somebody get up.

There is a pause. No one moves for a moment. Then

#8 stands up. He walks along the table towards #3.
Finally he reaches him. They stand looking at each
other for a moment. There is absolute silence in
the room.

CLOSE UP - #3

#3
Okay.
(over shoulder to #2)
Now watch this. I don’t want
to have to do it again.

He turns back to #8 and looks squarely at him,

measuring him.

CLOSE UP - #8

Waiting.

CLOSE UP - #3

#3
I’m six or seven inches
shorter than you. Right?

#2
(off)
That's about right. Maybe a
little more.

#3
Okay. Let it be more.

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 3, 8 WITH MOST OF JURY IN

BACKGROUND

#3 flicks open the knife, changes its position in

his hand and holds it aloft, ready to stab
downward. He looks steadily at #8 and #8 at him.
Then suddenly he stabs downward hard.

#2
(shouting)

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Look out!

The blade stops about an inch from #8's chest. #8

doesn’t move.

CLOSE UP - #8

He close3 his eyes for a second and opens them as

we hear following two lines over several ad lib
remonstrations. Several of the jurors run over to
#'s 3 and 8.

#6
(angry)
That's not funny!

#5
(yelling)
What’s the matter with you!

CLOSE UP - #3

#3
Now just calm down. Nobody’s
hurt. Right?

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
(quietly)
No. Nobody’s hurt.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 3, 8 AND REST OF JURY IN

BACKGROUND

#3 looks at the rest of the jury challengingly. No

one says anything. Then, still holding the knife at
#8's chest, pointing down and in, he speaks over
his shoulder to #2.

#3
All right. There’s your
angle. Take a look at it.
Down and in. That's how I'd
stab a taller man in the
chest and that’s how it was
done. Now go ahead and tell
me I’m wrong.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #2

He looks at it for a moment and then, after looking

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up at #3 as though to say same thing, turns away

and walks to his seat.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #8

He still stands there as #3 turns, flips the knife

into the table and walks away. Several other jurors
stand around him, including the Foreman and #12.
#12 walks over to him and, using his closed hand,
simulated stabbing #8 in the chest.

#12
Down and in. I guess there’s
no argument.

He moves to his seat as do some of the other

jurors. Several jurors walk to the water cooler,
and #7 goes to his jacket on the coat rack for more
cigarettes. #8 turns and walks to the table. He
takes the knife out of the table and closes it.
Camera moves in on him as he flicks the knife open,
takes it by the blade with his left hand changes
its position in his right hand and makes a downward
stab with it. Then quickly he closes it and turns
to the table. He stands between the Foreman’s seat
and #2’s seat.

MEDIUM SHOT - FOREMAN, #'S 8, 2, 3, SHOOTING OVER

#10'S EMPTY CHAIR

#8
Has anyone in here ever
stabbed a man?

He is greeted with a few laughs. He looks at #3 as

the jurors at the water cooler move to their seats.

#8
Have you?

#3
All right, let's not be
silly.

#8
Have you or haven't you.

#3
(loud)
I haven't!

#8

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Well where do you get all

your in formation about how
it’s done? Have you ever seen
a knifing?

#3
How do I know!

#8
Don’t you think seeing a man
knifed would make a pretty
vivid impression on you?

#3 doesn't answer.

#8
Well have you ever seen a
knifing?

#3
(loud)
No!

#8
All right. I want to ask you
something now. The boy was
pretty experienced with one
of these things. He was even
sent to reform school for
knifing some one, isn't that
so?

#2
That's right.

#8
All right, take a look at
this.

CLOSE UP - #8

He takes the knife, holds it in front of him, and

releases the blade. It springs out. Then he takes
the blade with his left hand while he changes the
position of the knife in his right hand preparatory
to stabbing in an overhanded motion. Then he stabs.

#8
Doesn't that seem like an
awkward way to handle a
knife?

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CLOSE UP - #3

#3
(annoyed)
It's the way I’d use a knife
if I felt like using a knife.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #8

He closes the knife. Holds it underhanded in front

of his belly, and releases the blade.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #5

He stands up swiftly,

#5
(loud)
Wait a minute.

Then he locks around the table, as though

remembering something he had never wanted to think
of again. He turns toward #3.

#5
Give me that.

He reaches cut for it. #6 walks into the shot,

gives him the knife. He takes it, closes it, holds
it in his hand gingerly. He looks down at it.

#5
(low)
I hate these things.

#8
Have yen ever seen a knife
fight?

#5
Yes.

#8
Where?

#5
On. my stoop. In my backyard.
In the lot across the street.
Switch-knives came with the
neighborhood where I lived.
Funny, I wasn’t thinking of
it. I guess you try to forget

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those things.

#8
How do you use a switch-
knife?

#5
Underhanded.

He flicks it open, and, holding it underhanded,

slashes swiftly forward and upward.

#5
Like that. Anyone who's ever
used a switch-knife'd never
handle it any other way.

#6
Are you sure?

#5
I’m sure.

He closes the blade, and flicks it open again.

#5
That’s why they’re made like
this.

#8
(looking at #7)
The boy is pretty handy with
a knife, isn't he?

CLOSE UP - #7

#7 looks back at #8 sourly.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 3, 4, 5, 8

#8
(to #5)
Do you think he could, have
made the kind of wound that
killed his father?

#5
Not with the experience he'd
had all his life with these
things.
(holding up the
knife)

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No, I don’t think he could.

He'd go for him
underhanded...

#3
How do you know? What, were
you standing right in the
room when the father was
killed?

#5
No. And neither was anyone
else.

#3
(standing, to #8)
You’re giving us a lot of
mambo-jumbo here! I don’t
believe it.

#4
(calmly)
I don’t think you can
determine what type of wound
this boy might or might not
have made simply because he
knows how to handle a knife.

#3
That's right. That’s
absolutely right.

#8 walks around toward the Foreman's end of the

table, camera panning with him. He reaches
Foreman's chair. Shot now includes #'s 2, 8,
Foreman and 12. #8 looks at #12.

#8
What do you think?

CLOSE UP - #12

He Is confused, trying to be honest. He hesitates

for a moment.

#12
Well... I don't know.

#3
(off)
What d'ya mean you don't
know?

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#12 looks at him silently.

MEDIUM SHOT - #8 AND JURORS ON FOREMAN'S RIGHT,

SHOOTING FROM BEHIND FOREMAN

#8 begins to walk down towards #7. Camera moves in

as he does. #7 is looking up at the wall clock, and
comparing it with his watch. #8 looks at him.

#8
What about you?

#7 looks from the clock to #8. Camera is in close

on him now. Then he looks around the table.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4

#4
Just a minute. According to
the woman across the
street...

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #7

#7
(interrupting)
Listen, I’ll tell you
something. I'm a little sick
of this whole thing already.
All this yakkin's gettin' us
nowhere, so let's break it up
here. I’m changing my vote to
not guilty.

CLOSE UP - #3

#3
You’re what?

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #7

He gets up nervously, starts to walk down past #'s

8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

#7
You heard me. I've had
enough.

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 7, 9, 11 IN FOREGROUND, SHOOTING

ACROSS TABLE AT #3

#7 is walking towards #11. #3 stands up furiously

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and leans across table toward #7.

#3
What d'you mean you've had
enough? That's no answer!

#7 stops walking. He is behind #10's empty seat. He

looks across at #3.

#7
Hey listen you! Just worry
about yourself, willya?

#11 turns and looks at #7.

#11
He's right. That is not an
answer.

#11 stands up and faces #7, full in camera.

#11
(strongly)
What kind of a man are you?
You have sat here and voted
guilty with everyone else
because there ere some
baseball tickets burping a
hole in your pocket. Now you
have changed your vote
because you say you're sick
of all the talking here.

#7
Listen buddy...

#11
(overriding him)
Who tells you you have the
right to play like this with
a man's life? This is an ugly
and terrible thing to do!
Don’t you care...

#7
(loud)
Now wait a minute! You can't
talk like that to me!

#11
(passionately)
I can talk like that to you!

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If you want to vote not

guilty then do it because
you're convinced the man is
not guilty... not because
you've had enough! And if you
think he's guilty... then
vote that way!

#11 reaches the peak of his rage now. #7 blinks at

the power of him.

#11
Or don't you have the... the
guts to do what you think is
right...

#7
Now listen...

#11
(hard)
Guilty or not guilty?

#7
(hesitantly)
I told you. Not guilty.

#11
Why?

#7
I don't have to...

#11
You do have to! Say it! Why?

They stare each other in the eyes for a long

moment. Then #7 looks down.

#7
(low)
I... don't think he's guilty.

#11 looks at him disgustedly, then sits down. #7

stands there defeated.

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
I want another vote.

There is a silence in the room.

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CLOSE UP - FOREMAN

FOREMAN
Okay, there's another vote
called for. I guess the
quickest way is a show of
hands. Anybody object?

He looks around the table questioningly. There is

no answer.

FOREMAN
All those voting not guilty
raise your hands.

LONG SHOT - THE ENTIRE JURY, SHOOTING FROM BEHIND

#7'S SEAT

#7 is still standing. #10 still sits in chair at

side of room. #'s 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 puts up
their hands immediately. The Foreman starts to
count the upraised hands. Camera moves in slowly,
as he counts, on #'s 11, 12 and Foreman himself.

FOREMAN
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
Six. Seven.

The seventh number is #11. #12's hand is down, but

his face is a mask of indecision. As the Foreman's
counting finger moves past him, he suddenly raises
his hand.

FOREMAN
Eight.

The Foreman stops counting and looks around the

table. Slowly now, almost embarrassedly, he raises
his own hand.

FOREMAN
Nine.

He lowers his hand.

FOREMAN
All those voting guilty.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 3, 4, 5, AND IN BACKGROUND

AGAINST WALL, #10

#10 jumps to his feet, angrily raising his hand.

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#'s 3 and 4 raise their hands.

FOREMAN
(Off)
Three.

They lower their hands.

FOREMAN
(Off)
The vote is nine to three in
favor of acquittal.

#10 is standing angrily now behind #4.

#10
I don't understand you
people! I mean all these
picky little points you keep
bringing up. They don't mean
nothing!

He starts a walk around table. Camera pans with him

till he reaches his seat. He stands behind it. He
continues to talk during his walk. Everyone is
seated at table now but #10.

#10
You saw this kid just like I
did. You're not gonna tell me
you believe that phoney 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!

He whips out a handkerchief and blows his nose.

#10
I mean what the heck, I don't
have to tell you. They don't
know what the truth is! And
lemme tell you, they don’t
need any real big reason to
kill someone either! No sir!

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #5

As #10 talks, #5 gets up from his seat and walks

over to the coat rack. He stands with his back to
#10.

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#10
You know, they get drunk...
oh they're very big drinkers,
all of 'em, and bang,
someone's lying in the
gutter. Oh, nobody's blaming
them for it. That's how they
are! By nature! You know what
I mean?
(shouting it
violently)
Violent!

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #10

#9 gets up from the table and walks to the window,

stands with his back to #10 as #10 talks.

#10
Human life don't mean as much
to them as it does to us!

#11 gets up and walks to the other window as he

goes, #10 whirls to him.

#10
Hey, where are you going?

#11 pays no attention, stands with his back to the

window. #10 turns back to the table. He begins to
sound slightly desperate.

#10
Look, these people'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.

LONG SHOT - THE ENTIRE JURY

#8 gets up and walks to the nearest wall, and

stands with his face to it.

#10
I've known a couple who were
okay, but that’s the
exception, you know what I

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mean?

#2 gets up, and a moment later so does #6. They

each walk to positions along the wall, and stand
with their backs to #10.

#10
Most of 'em, it's like they
have no feelings. They can do
anything. What’s going on
here?

CLOSE UP - #10

#10
(louder)
I'm tryin’ to tell you you're
making a big mistake, you
people. This kid is a liar! I
know it. I know all about
them! I mean what's happening
in here? I'm speaking my
piece, and you...

MEDIUM SHOT - THE RIGHT SIDE OF JURY, FROM BEHIND

FOREMAN

The Foreman gets up and walks to the water cooler.

#12 follows him. They stand with their backs toward
#10.

#10
Listen to me! They're no
good! There's not a one of
’em who's any good.

#7 gets up and walks to the window, stands with his

back to #10.

#10
(looking around
wildly)
Boy, are you smart! Well I'm
telling you we better watch
out! This kid on trial here,
his type... Well don't you
know about them?

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #3

He gets up and, standing at his seat, turns his

back on #10. #4 gets up and starts the long walk

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around the table toward #10

#10
(hysterical)
What are you doing? Listen to
me! I’m trying to tell you
something!

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #10

He gesticulates wildly.

#10
There’s a danger here! These
people are wild! Don't you
know about it?
(roaring)
Listen to me!

He turns furiously, and finds himself face to face

with #4.

#10
(softer)
Listen to me!

#4 stares at him as he trails off into silence.

There is a long pause.

#4
(quietly)
If you open your mouth again
I’m going to split your
skull!

#4 stares contemptuously at #10. There is no sound,

no move. Then #10 looks down at the table.

#10
(very softly)
I'm only tryin' to tell
you...

There is a long pause. Then #4 turns and walks away

from him.

LONG SHOT FROM ABOVE - THE ENTIRE JURY

The only movement and sound in the room are #4's

footsteps. He walks slowly back to his seat. We see
the entire room. The other ten jurors stand in
various attitudes and postures around the walls of

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the room, their backs to #10. #4 reaches his chair.

He pulls it out and sits down, Then, slowly, the

jurors begin to return to their seats. #10 stands
head down, without moving, until the last of the
jurors have silently taken their seats.

Then he begins a walk which takes him to a chair at

the far end of the room against a wall. He sags
into it, beaten. He lowers his head into his hands
sits there.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #8

As is everyone else, #8 is embarrassed. He looks

around the table. Than he clears his throat.

#8
(slowly)
It’s very hard to keep
personal prejudice out of a
thing like this. And no
matter where you run into it,
prejudice obscures the truth.

He pauses. There is silence.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4.

#4 looks at #8 steadily.

#8
(softly)
Well I don't think any real
damage has been done here.
Because I don’t really know
what the truth is. No one
ever will, I suppose. Nine of
us now seem to feel that the
defendant is innocent, but
we're just gambling on
probabilities. We may be
wrong.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #8

#8
(looking at #4)
We may be trying to return a
guilty man to the community.
No one can really know. But
we have a reasonable doubt,

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and this is a safeguard which

has enormous value to our
system. No jury can declare a
man guilty unless it’s sure.

CLOSE UP - #4

Listening.

#8
We nine can't understand how
you three are still so sure.

CLOSE UP - #8

He pauses for a moment.

#8
Maybe you can tell us.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4

He looks strongly at #8.

#4
I’ll try.

He looks at #3, and then back to #8.

#4
You've made some excellent
points. The last one, in
which you "proved" that the
boy couldn't have made the of
overhand stab wound, that
killed his father was very
convincing.

He stands up and stretches, and then continues to

stand.

#4
But I still believe the boy
is guilty of murder. I have
two reasons. One: The
evidence given by the woman
across the street who
actually saw the murder
committed.

#3
And how, brother! As far as

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I’m concerned that’s the most

important testimony.

#4 looks down at #3 with some coldness.

#4
And two. The fact that this
woman described the stabbing
by saying she saw the boy
raise his arm over his head
and plunge the knife down
into the father's chest. She
saw him do it... the wrong
way.

#3
(excitedly)
That’s right! That's
absolutely right!

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #8

He listens carefully as goes on, and we can see

that he has no real answer to this.

#4
Now let's talk about this
woman for a minute. She said
that she went to bed at about
11 o’clock that night. Her
bed was next to the window
and she could look out while
lying down and see directly
into the boy's window across
the street.

LONG SHOT - THE ENTIRE JURY

#4
She tossed and turned for
over an hour, unable to fail
asleep, Finally, she turned
toward the window at about
ten minutes after twelve and,
as she looked out, she saw
the killing through the
window of the passing el
train.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4

#4

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She says that the lights went

out immediately after the
killing but that she got a
good look at the boy in the
act of stabbing his father.
(He simulates an
overhand stabbing
movement with his arm
to accent this
statement)
As far as I can see, this is
unshakeable testimony.

#3
That’s what I mean! That's
the whole case!

#4
(leaning over to #3,
and mimicking him)
What do you think?

CLOSE UP - #8

#8 hesitates for a moment, then doesn't answer.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #4

He looks in the direction of #12.

#4
How about you?

MEDIUM SHOT - #12

He has never been sold on voting not guilty, and is

now swayed in the opposite direction, yet he is
apprehensive about how he will look in the eyes of
the other jurors if he shifts his vote again.

#12
Well... I don’t know. There’s
so much evidence to sift.

He pauses, and chews at a fingernail.

#12
This is a pretty complicated
business.

He looks around indecisively.

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#4
(off)
Frankly, I don’t see how you
can vote for acquittal.

#12
Well, it’s not so easy to
arrange the evidence in
order...

#3
You can throw out all the
other evidence. The woman saw
him do it. What else do you
want?

#12
(torn)
Well maybe...

#3
(off)
Let’s vote on it.

FOREMAN
(off)
Okay. There’s another vote
called for. Anybody object?

#12
(suddenly)
I'm changing my vote. I think
he's guilty.

He looks down at the table, ashamed.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #8

Turning his head toward #12, angry, upset, but

helpless.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP - #3

Smiling slightly.

#3
Anybody else?

He looks around the table challengingly.

#3
The vote is eight to four.

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There is a pause.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 11, 12

#12, tormented, gets up and walks to the window.

#11
(to #3)
Why is this such a personal
triumph for you, this one
vote?

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 2, 3, 4

#3
(grinning)
I’m the competitive type!
(to all)
Okay, now here’s what I
think. I think we're a hung
jury. Let's take it inside to
the judge.

There is no answer to this.

#3
Well I want to hear an
argument. I say we're hung.

He turns toward #8.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 7, 8, 9, SHOOTING OVER #3'S

SHOULDER

#3
Come on. You're the leader of
the cause. What about it?

#8
(quietly)
Let's go over it again.

#3
(annoyed)
We went over it again!
(indicating #12 with
a wave of his hand)
Batton, Barton, Durstine and
Osborn up there is bouncin'
backwards and forwards like a
tennis ball...

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CLOSE UP - #12

Standing at the window. He turns around.

#12
(hurt)
Say, listen... what d'ya
think you’re saying here. You
have no right to...

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #3, SHOOTING BETWEEN #8

AND #9

#4 has his eyeglasses off and polishing him.

#3
(to #12)
I apologize on my knees.
(To #8)
Come on! Let's get out from
under this thing. I'm sicka
arguing with you already.

#4
(to #3)
There’s no point in getting
nasty about it. You keep
trying to make this into a
contest.

#3
(grudgingly)
Okay.

#4
Maybe we can talk about
setting some kind of a time
limit.

#7
(off)
Once around, to the dealer.

#4 looks witheringly in his direction. Still

polishing his glasses he turns around to the wall
clock and peers up at it.

#4
It's um...

He squints and then puts on his glasses.

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#4
...quarter after six.

He turns back to the table, taken off his glasses

and lays them down on the table. He looks tired
now. He closes his eyes end clasps his fingers over
the marks left by his eyeglasses at the sides of
his nose. He rubs these areas as he speaks.

#4
Someone before mentioned
seven o'clock. I think that's
a point at which we might
begin, to discuss the
question of whether we're a
hung jury or not.

CLOSE UP - #9

He is looking closely at and obviously as thought

of some thing tremendously exciting.

#9
(leaning forward)
Don’t you feel well?

CLOSE UP - #4

He Looks up at #9, annoyed.

#4
I feel perfectly well...
Thank you.
(to all)
I was saying that seven
o'clock would be a reasonable
time to...

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #9 OVER #4’S SHOULDER

#9
(excited)
The reason I asked about that
was because you were rubbing
your nose like ...

#9 notes #4 glaring at him.

#9
I’m sorry for interrupting.
But you made a gesture that
reminded me...

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#4
(interrupting)
I’m trying to settle
something here. Do you mind?

#9
I think this is important.

#4 looks at him for a moment, then shrugs and leans

back, relinquishing the floor.

#9
Thank you.

He looks around the table for a moment, then back

at #4.

#9
I'm sure you'll pardon me for
this, but I was wondering why
you were rubbing your nose
like that.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 3, 4

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #9

#3
(annoyed)
Ah come on now, will ya
please!

#9
(sharply to #3)
At this point I happen to be
taking to the gentleman
sitting next to you.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 3, 4, SHOOTING PAST #9'S PROFILE

#3 looks annoyed. During these next lines he sight

deeply, gets up from the table and strolls to the
water cooler.

#9
(to #4)
Now, why were you rubbing
your nose?

#4
Well, if it's any of your
business I was rubbing it

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because it bothers me a
little.

#9
I'm sorry. Is it because of
your eyeglasses?

#4
It is. Now could we get on to
something else?

#9
Your eyeglasses make those
deep impressions on the aides
of your nose. I hadn't
noticed that before. They
must be annoying.

#4
(angrily)
They are annoying.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 7, 8, 9

#9
I wouldn't know about that.
I've never worn eyeglasses.

He points to his eyes and smiles lightly.

#9
Twenty-twenty.

#7
Listen, will you come on
already with the optometrist
bit!

#9
(firmly to #7)
You have excellent
recuperative powers!

#7 looks disgustedly at him. Now #9 turns to #4.

Camera moves in on #9's face for close-up.

#9
(quietly)
The woman who testified that
she saw the filing had those
same marks on the sides of
her nose.

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CLOSE UP - #4

Digesting this.

LONG SHOT - ENTIRE JURY

There is a silence in the room for a moment. Then

we hear a slow babble of ad lib conversation. #9
stands up, very excited.

#9
Please!

The conversation continues.

#9
Please!

It quiets down.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #9

#9
Just a minute, and then I'll
be finished. I don't know if
anyone else noticed that
about her. I didn't think
about it then but I've been
going over her face in ay
mind. She had those marks.
She kept rubbing them, in
court.

He demonstrates.

#5
(off)
He's right! She did do that a
lot.

#7
So what if she did?

#9
This woman was about forty-
five years old. She was
making a tremendous effort to
look thirty-five for her
first public appearance.
Heavy make-up. Dyed hair.
Brand-new clothes that should
have been worn by a younger

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woman. No eyeglasses. Women

do that. See if you can get a
mental picture of her.

MEDIUM SHOT - #3

At water cooler, glaring at #9. He begins to stride

toward the table, camera dollying with him. He ends
up standing behind #5 shouting across at #9.

#3
(loud)
What d'ya mean, no glasses’?

#4
(after a pause)
No. They couldn't.

#3
(To #4)
Listen, what are you saying
here? I didn't see any marks.

#4
I did. Strange, but I didn't
think about it before...

#6
Now that we're talking about
it, I saw them. I mean it
never occurred to me...

#3 steps back, thinking. #9 leans back and opens up

his bottle of pills. He slips one tiny pill under
his tongue. He suddenly looks very old and very
tired.

MEDIUM SHOT - #8, #9

#8 looks warmly at #9. #9 drops the stopper of his

bottle. #8 picks up it for him, smiles at him,
hands it to him.

MEDIUM SHOT - #'S 3, 4, 5, SHOOTING PAST #’S 8 AND

9

#3
Well what about the lawyer?
Why didn't he say something?

#8
There are twelve people in

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here concentrating on this

case. Eleven of us didn't
think of it either.

#3
Okay, Clarence Darrow. Then
what about the District
Attorney? You think he'd try
to pull a trick like that,
have her testify without
glasses?

#8
Did you ever see a woman who
had to wear glasses, and
didn't want to because she
thinks they spoil her looks?

CLOSE UP - #6

#6
My wife. Listen, I’m telling
ya, as soon as we walk outa
the house...

#8
(off, interrupting)
Maybe the District Attorney
didn't know either.

#6
Yeah, that's what I was just
gonna say.

MEDIUM SHOT - CENTERED ON #3

He is stopped by this momentarily. He stares around

the room.

#3
Okay. She had marks on her
nose. I’m givin' ya this.
From glasses. Right? She
never wore 'em out of the
house so people' d think she
was gorgeous. But when she
saw this kid kill his father
she was in the house. Alone.
That’s all.

CLOSE UP - #6

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#8
(Across to #4)
Do you wear your glasses when
you go to bed?

MEDIUM SHOT - #’S 3, 4

#4
No, I don’t. No one wears
eyeglasses to bed.

LONG SHOT - ENTIRE JUKY

There is silence, save for the sound of the rain.

No one moves.

#8
It’s logical to say that she
wasn’t wearing them while she
was in bed, tossing and
turning, trying to fall
asleep.

#3
(angry)
How do you know?

#8
I don't knew. I guessed. I'm
also guessing that she
probably didn't put on her
glasses when she turned, and
looked casually out of the
window. And she herself said
that the murder took place
just as she looked out, and
the lights went off a split
second later. She couldn’t
have had time to put glasses
on then.

#3
Walt a second...

#8
(strong)
And here's another guess.
Maybe she honestly thought
she saw the boy knife his
father. I say that she saw
only a blur.

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#3 walks furiously over to #8. Camera dollies in on

them.

#3
How do you know what she saw?

He turns to the others.

#3
(lond)
How does he know all these
things?

He turns back to #8.

#3
You don’t know what kind of
glasses she wore! Maybe she
was farsighted. Maybe they
were sun glasses! What do you
know about it?

#8
I only know that the eyesight
is in question now.

CLOSE UP - #11

#11
She had to he able to
identify a person 60 feet
away, at night, without
glasses.

CLOSE UP - #2

#2
You can’t send someone off to
die on evidence like that.

MEDIUM SHOT - #3 STANDING BEHIND #8

#3
Don’t give me that!

#8
Don’t you think that the
woman might have made a
mistake?

#3
(shouting)

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No!

#8
It’s not possible?

#8 turns away and walks down toward #12, camera

panning with him. He speaks to #12's back.

#8
It's not possible.

#12
(quietly)
Yes.

#8 walks around the room, camera panning with him,

to #10 who still sits slumped in the chair. He
stand over #10.

#8
(softly)
Do you think he's guilty?

#10 shakes his head tiredly, giving in completely.

#8 turns to the table.

MEDIUM SHOT - #8 IN FOREGROUND, #'S 6, 7, 9, AND #3

IN BACKGROUND

#3 stands behind #9.

#3
I think he’s guilty!

#8 walks toward the table, camera panning with him.

#4 is now in shot.

#8
Does anyone else?

#4
(quietly)
No. I’m convinced.

#3
(angrily to #4)
What’s the matter with you!

#4
I have a reasonable doubt
now.

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#9
It's eleven to one.

CLOSE UP - #3

He glares angrily at all of them.

#3
(loud)
Well what about all the other
evidence? What about all that
stuff... the knife... the
whole business.

CLOSE UP - #2

#2
You said, we could throw out
all the other evidence.

CLOSE UP - #3

Glaring at #2, speechless. New camera dollies hack

slowly, holding on #3. He stalks down towards the
Foreman's end of the table, not able now to sit
down with the others. He stands with his back
towards them. There is a long pause. He is full in
camera at left of frame. The others, in background,
all watch him and wait. #3 doesn't move.

#7
(very subdued)
Well what d’we do now?

There is another long pause.

#5
(to #3)
You're alone.

#3 whirls around furiously.

LONG SHOT - THE ENTIRE JURY, SHOOTING FROM BEHIND

#7

#3 is far in background.

#3
(loud)
I don't care whether I'm
alone or not. It's my right!

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#8, who still stands behind #4, speaks softly but

firmly.

#8
It's your right.

They all wait.

CLOSE UP - #3

Watching them an if at bay.

CLOSE UP - #8

Watching.

MEDIUM SHOT - THE FACES OF #'S 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

Watching.

MEDIUM SHOT - THE FACES OF #'S 9, 11, 12, FOREMAN

Watching.

CLOSE UP - #3

Staring at them.

#3
Wait what d’ya want! I say
he's guilty.

CLOSE UP - #8

We want your arguments.

CLOSE UP - #3

#3
I gave you my arguments.

CLOSE UP - #8

#8
We’re not convinced.. We want
to hear them again. We have
as much time as It takes.

LONG SHOT - ENTIRE JURY, SHOOTING FROM BEHIND #7

#3 is far in background. He stands there,

frustrated, for a moment. Then he begins. Slowly

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the camera moves in on him.

#3
Everything... every single
thing that came out in that
courtroom, but I mean
everything... says he’s
guilty. Do you think I'm an
idiot or something? Why
dontcha take that stuff about
the old man... the old man
who lived there... and heard
everything, or take the
knife, what, just because
he... found one exactly like
it? That old man saw him.
Right there on the stairs.
What’s the difference how
many seconds it was? What's
the difference? Every single
thing. The knife falling
through a hole in his
pocket... you can't prove
that he didn't get to the
door. Sure, you can hobble
around the room and take all
the time you want, but you
can't prove it! And that
stuff with the el! And the
movies! Now there’s a phoney
deal if I ever saw one. I
betcha five thousand dollars
I'd remember the movies I saw
the night I killed my
father... as if I ever would!
I’m telling you, every single
thing that went on has been
twisted and turned in here.
That business with the
glasses, how do you know she
didn’t have them on? The
woman testified in court...
and that whole thing about
hearing the boy yell...
Listen, I've got all the
facts here! You guys...

He pauses and looks around.

#3
(shouting)
Well what d’ya want? That's
it!

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CLOSE UP - #8

Waiting.

CLOSE UP - #3

Looking furiously around.

LONG SHOT - THE ENTIRE JURY, FROM BEHIND #3.

#3
That's the whole case!

No one answers.

#3
Somebody say something.

No one does.

#3
You lousy bunch, of bleeding
hearts!

No one moves. Everyone watches.

#3
You're not gonna intimidate
me!

There is no answer.

#3
I’m entitled to my opinion!

There is no answer. And suddenly he strides swiftly

to #8, stands in front of him with utter hatred.
Camera moves in on them. #3 clenches his fists and
stares at #8. #8 stares impassively back. It seems
as though #3 mist inevitably hit #8. #8 waits for
it, hands down. #3 half-raises both flats, stands
there tensely, his face contorted in silent rage.
Then suddenly he turns to the table and bangs both
flats down on it. Camera moves in close on his
face.

#3
(thundering)
All right!
(Softly now)
Not guilty.

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Camera holds on his face close, as he suffers

silently, while we begin to hear the quiet noise of
chairs being moved and footsteps shuffling about
the room. We hear a knock on the door and the door
being opened.

LONG SHOT - THE ENTIRE JURY, SHOOTING DOWN FROM

BEHIND FOREMAN'S PLACE

Everyone is up. The guard stands in the doorway.

Silently the jurors get their belongings and begin
to walk toward the door. Camera moves in close on
door, catching the face of each juror as he exits.

LONG SHOT - THE JURY ROOM

Only #'s 3 and 8 are left now. #8 walks to the

door. He in the doorway and looks back at #3. Then
he steps out of the room. #3 still starve at the
table, head down. The guard looks at him.

GUARD
(politely)
Let's go, mister.

#3 looks up. Then slowly he goes for his coat. He

gets it, puts it on, and slowly walks toward the
door. The guard steps outside. As #3 passes the
table he stops, then walks over to it. The knife is
sticking He reaches over, pulls it cut. He holds it
up in front of him and looks at the doorway. Then,
with a last burst of anger he flips it into the
table. It quivers there. He turns and walks out,
slamming the door. The knife quivers in the table
in the empty room. Camera moves in for eye level
shot of the knife. Behind it we see the window.
Rain beats against it.

DISSOLVE TO:

MEDIUM SHOT - A REVOLVING DOOR

The door to the courthouse building, shooting from

outside.

Rain beats against it. It begins to turn now, and

the jurors start to emerge. One by one they walk
into the rain, each reacting with his own
maneuvers. One turns up his collar. One pulls down
his hat. One holds a newspaper over his head. They
begin to move down the steps in groups and singly
now. #8 is alone. He walks into close-up, rain

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hoaxing his face. He raises his collar, looks

around, and then, walks off. The others begin to
spread out now. Some turning left, some right, same
going straight ahead.

Camera moves back and up, ending with a long shot,

through the pelting rain, of the steps and the
jurors spreading out silently in all directions,
never to see each other again.

And finally they are gone, and the rain beats down
on the empty steps.

FADE OUT

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