Ethics and Angry Men
Critical Analysis:
12 ANGRY MEN
Patrick L. Milligan
ORGL 502 – Organizational Ethics
February 22, 2013
12 ANGRY MEN
Introduction
12 Angry Men is one of the most lauded films in education and for good reason. The subject is timeless; the characters are so real and are easy to relate to. The story line is both touching and thought-provoking. I tend to appreciate detail in movies and this one was no different. The film opens with a long, ascending shot of the court house (giving us a sense of its foreboding nature). As we enter, we see a man coming out of a courtroom, obviously distressed. Although he is not a part of the narrative later, it puts us in the right mood for a courthouse and the serious nature of what goes on there. We see someone quite happy and seemingly celebrating a victory with friends. The first was a man who probably lost his case and was desperate and alone. The second is quite the opposite. The audience is informed, through this quick opening scene, that cases can go either way yet and that there can be severe consequences for the parties involved. A bailiff tells the celebrating group to quiet down whereupon we, as an audience, enter the court room.
Context for Discussion
It’s here; in this setting that we see the judge, the jurors, the accused and the lawyers for the first time. The judge then introduces the serious nature of the case before them, reminding them that the decision must be unanimous and that the litmus test is “reasonable doubt”. As the
alternate jurors are excused, you can almost feel their sense of relief as they realize that they will not have to endure any more of this terrible story nor be obligated to decide the fate of someone so young possibly going to the electric chair. The remaining jurors are told to retire to the jury room and we see “the stage” for the first time that we will be watching for the next few hours. It’s a rather long shot that quickly conveys that premise. One
12 ANGRY MEN
Patrick L. Milligan
ORGL 502 – Organizational Ethics
February 22, 2013
12 ANGRY MEN
Introduction
12 Angry Men is one of the most lauded films in education and for good reason. The subject is timeless; the characters are so real and are easy to relate to. The story line is both touching and thought-provoking. I tend to appreciate detail in movies and this one was no different. The film opens with a long, ascending shot of the court house (giving us a sense of its foreboding nature). As we enter, we see a man coming out of a courtroom, obviously distressed. Although he is not a part of the narrative later, it puts us in the right mood for a courthouse and the serious nature of what goes on there. We see someone quite happy and seemingly celebrating a victory with friends. The first was a man who probably lost his case and was desperate and alone. The second is quite the opposite. The audience is informed, through this quick opening scene, that cases can go either way yet and that there can be severe consequences for the parties involved. A bailiff tells the celebrating group to quiet down whereupon we, as an audience, enter the court room.
Context for Discussion
It’s here; in this setting that we see the judge, the jurors, the accused and the lawyers for the first time. The judge then introduces the serious nature of the case before them, reminding them that the decision must be unanimous and that the litmus test is “reasonable doubt”. As the
alternate jurors are excused, you can almost feel their sense of relief as they realize that they will not have to endure any more of this terrible story nor be obligated to decide the fate of someone so young possibly going to the electric chair. The remaining jurors are told to retire to the jury room and we see “the stage” for the first time that we will be watching for the next few hours. It’s a rather long shot that quickly conveys that premise. One
References: Autry, J.A. (1991), Love and Profit, New York, Morrow Publishers. Christensen, Sandra & Kohls, John, (2003) Ethical Decision Making in Times of Organizational Crisis, BUSINESS & SOCIETY, Vol. 42 No. 3. Gibb, J.R., (1961), Defensive Communication, Journal of Communication, 11-12, 141-148. Johnson, Craig E., (2007), Ethics in the Workplace – Tools and Tactics for Organizational Transformation, Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage Publications. Kouzes, James M. & Posner, Barry Z. (1993), Credibility, San Francisco, CA. Jossey – Bass