Twelve Angry Men: A Warning to the Modern Age
I have stated before my love for retro media and all things older than I. In the world of film, there are a great many classics that have stood the test of time, their messages and themes often still ringing true today.
Some are brought up again where people believe them to be relevant, like discussing “The Stand” or “World War Z” when Covid swept the world. Mentioning “1984” (both the book and the film) when world powers that I shall not name grow more and more totalitarian by the day.
But today, in the digital age of the internet, finding other people who are just like ourselves has never been easier. Yet, ironically and simultaneously, it has ushered in a massive generation of loneliness not seen before. We may find connections and groups of like-minded people through the screens we interact with, but unless we touch grass, the separation of human interaction can take a serious toll on people. As primates, we are social creatures by nature, and loneliness can be a big long-term problem. A problem that has been boiling up in the western world and elsewhere for a long time.
An even more venomous and fierce by-product of the internet, is the twisted sub-culture of “Cancel Culture”, where people can pick up their torches and pitchforks and bring down the next target that falls into their red scope.
In the world of the internet, the biggest names across social media and other sites or in the outside world, can be taken down several pegs for even the slightest transgression or misplaced word, here now or in the past, encouraging a pack mentality from others where they will ferociously attack any who does not fall in line with the status quo. This seems counter-productive to the free and inclusive environment some good parts of the internet seem to encourage, sometimes being shunned by the very people we once connected with across vast distances.
Everybody hates Cancel Culture. Until they find the opportunity to cancel someone.
With all of this in mind, there is only one film I have seen recently for the first time that I believe not only has stood the test of time (Top 30 at least on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes) but holds a timeless and important theme and message that ties in to all of this mess quite poetically.
Twelve Angry Men.
I more specifically mean the 1957 original starring Henry Ford and Lee J. Cobb, but from what I’ve heard, the 90’s remake is quite good too. Based on an original play, “Twelve Angry Men” in my opinion captures the essence of group mentality, due process, misplaced senses of justice and cognitive bias that is often rampant in modern culture both digitally and in the outside world.
For those unfamiliar, the film follows the events inside a single room of twelve jurors who are tightly locked in on the decision on whether or not an 18-year-old boy is guilty of murdering his own father. With the death penalty guaranteed if guilty, these “Twelve Angry Men” near literally hold the boy’s life in their hands. As the movie poster said “It’s gonna explode like twelve sticks a’ dynamite!”.
Before I continue with each point of relevance this film holds to the modern world, I want to first commend this film for its power in its limitation.
It takes place near exclusively in one room, with nothing more than a great script with great writing and great actors, giving great performances. It’s a slow burn, and such stories and pacing are near extinct in today’s platform of short attention spans and heavy emphasis on bright, loud sounds and effects to deliver quick entertainment.
The first important note about this film and the themes it touches, is when the men first sit down after their time in the courtroom and where the vote is near unanimous.
All the unnamed jurors but one say the boy is guilty, but #8 (Henry Ford) speaks to the contrary, if only to merely talk for a moment out of respect for the defendant. This moment of reasonable doubt is miniscule at first and surprises the others, but as they exchange thoughts more and more, cracks in the evidence begin to show.
This is important to think about because virtually every single juror is a middle-aged, mid-class, working white man, albeit with some of Hispanic ethnicity. They seem to assume that they all agree without a doubt (without much discussion) as to what the verdict will be, and when presented with an exception, it’s all the more jarring. It shows that we are more than what our appearance, status and creed may show at first, and while we may find acceptance and validation in groups we feel we belong in, there may be more differences among us than we expect.
Bias within the jury is also laid bare upon mention of the defendant’s ethnicity and background, as the boy too is Hispanic. While the Hispanic jurors obviously empathise with the boys situation, some of the others are still sceptical and make certain stereotypical assumptions, which make the viewing audience begin to question the validity of this jury which is supposed to be without bias.
These arguments even lead to one juror delivering an uncomfortably bigoted rant which ultimately excludes him from further proceedings for the remainder of their time.
This film being somewhat self-aware of the time-period’s troubles with racial discrimination is greatly appreciated and while we may believe that we have come a long way since then in terms of inclusiveness and equality, racism, bigotry and bias’s of a political, personal or even philosophical basis can still be found in certain places of the modern world, if you only know where to look.
One juror (played by Lee J. Cobb) even sticks fast to condemning the defendant as guilty due to personal rooted grief in regards to a falling out with his own son, revealing what is extreme personal bias that does not relate to the case at hand. Such a reveal as this is a stern warning to anyone of any time period, here until now, to not let personal feelings and unhinged emotions stand in the way of what is right.
A problem which the internet and social media, catches and spreads like wildfire.
It should also be noted that more of the jurors had reasonable doubt and thoughts of innocence than was originally thought despite saying guilty. It was only until Juror #8 decided to stand against the tide, did the others commend his bravery and begin to turn their vote around.
Perhaps I don’t need to explain the significance of that too much, as the lesson to be found there is subtle yet powerful, and aids only to the troubles of pack mentality rampant in todays society.
All in all, “Twelve Angry Men” is a timeless classic for a reason, as its morals and lessons are timeless. More films like these ought to be remembered in times like these, and by following their stories, we can hope to combat the stigma, hatred and pandemic of loneliness that plagues the modern world.
For while we may attach to what is familiar and shun what is different, we may find that we are not so similar, or different as we may believe.
Thank you for reading and have a beautiful day!
Daniel
