Reginald Rose was an American screenwriter whose work is marked by its realistic treatment of controversial social and political issues. His approach helped create the slice of life school of television drama, which was particularly influential in the anthology programs of the 1950s. Rose is perhaps most celebrated for his drama "Twelve Angry Men," inspired by his own jury experience, which probes human nature and collective decision-making. His writing consistently grapples with the complexities of human relationships and morality under pressure.
A young delinquent is on trial for the murder of his aggressive father. The judge has directed the jury to find the boy guilty if there is no reasonable doubt. Eleven of the jurors declare there is no reasonable doubt, but one of them, while far from convinced of the boy's innocence, feels that some of the evidence against him has been ambiguous. At the end of a long afternoon he wins, all the others round to his view.
Soud projednal případ, v němž byl devatenáctiletý mládenec souzen pro otcovraždu a shledán viným. Rozsudkem má být popraven na elektrickém křesle. Nyní se schází 12 porotců, jejichž bezpodmínečně jednohlasý výrok podmiňuje výkon trestu. Jedenáct z těch odpovědných za život nebo smrtobžalovaného chlapce chápe svoji funkci zcela formálně - jediný pochybující podnítí diskusi. Postupně stále dramatičtějsí průběh diskuse mění otázku odpovědnosti v problémy přímo žhavě osobní, odkrývá charaktery a z pout egoismu vyprošťuje přirozený smysl pro právo a spravedlnost.