The Gentle 12 (1991)
A sharp Japanese courtroom comedy in which twelve jurors discover that reaching a verdict is far harder than it looks.
The Gentle 12 - Movie Information
- Original Title: 12人の優しい日本人
- Release Year: 1991
- Directed by: Shun Nakahara
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Comedy, Drama
- Runtime: 1h 58m
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- Release Date (Theatrical): December 14, 1991 (Japan)
- Alternative Titles: 12人の優しい日本人：1991 (JP), The Gentle Twelve (US), 12个善良的日本人 (CN)
- Production Companies: New Century Producers, Suntory, Nippon Television Network Corporation
- Production Countries: Japan
The Gentle 12 - Plot
The film opens as a jury is about to acquit a defendant -- a bar hostess who pushed her ex-husband path of an oncoming truck, supposedly in self-defense. Just as everyone seems to be in agreement over the woman's innocence, one juror voices second thoughts.
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The Gentle 12 - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Shun Nakahara
Main Cast
- Sansei Shiomi
- Kazuyuki Aijima
- Koichi Ueda
- Kouichi Nihei
- Mariko Nakamura
- Hiroshi Okochi
- Zen Kajihara
- Yorie Yamashita
- Katsumi Muramatsu
- Michiko Hayashi
Writers
- Koki Mitani
Producers
- Yutaka Okada
The Gentle 12 - FAQs
Is The Gentle 12 a parody of 12 Angry Men?
Yes, The Gentle 12 is a comedic homage to Sidney Lumet's 12 Angry Men (1957). Screenwriter Koki Mitani transplants the premise into a Japanese courtroom setting, subverting the original's tense drama with sharp cultural satire and ensemble comedy, exploring how Japanese social dynamics shape group deliberation.
Who directed The Gentle 12?
The Gentle 12 was directed by Shun Nakahara, a respected Japanese filmmaker known for his work across drama and comedy. The film was released in Japan on December 14, 1991, and features a screenplay by celebrated playwright and writer Koki Mitani.
What is The Gentle 12 about?
The Gentle 12 follows a jury on the verge of unanimously acquitting a bar hostess accused of pushing her ex-husband into the path of a truck. When one juror suddenly raises doubts, the seemingly settled verdict collapses into a spiraling, comedic debate about guilt, innocence, and social conformity.
Does The Gentle 12 satirize Japanese group conformity?
Absolutely. One of the film's central comic engines is its sharp observation of Japanese group dynamics — the pressure to agree, avoid conflict, and defer to consensus. Koki Mitani's script uses the jury room as a pressure cooker to expose how deeply conformity is embedded in everyday social behavior.
Who are the main actors in The Gentle 12?
The ensemble cast includes Sansei Shiomi, Kazuyuki Aijima, Koichi Ueda, Kouichi Nihei, Mariko Nakamura, Hiroshi Okochi, Zen Kajihara, Yorie Yamashita, Katsumi Muramatsu, and Michiko Hayashi, with Etsushi Toyokawa and Yoshihiro Katō rounding out the twelve jurors.
When was The Gentle 12 released?
The Gentle 12 was released in Japan on December 14, 1991. The film is also known internationally as The Gentle Twelve and in Chinese as 12个善良的日本人. Its original Japanese title is 12人の優しい日本人.
What genre is The Gentle 12?
The Gentle 12 blends Comedy and Drama, functioning primarily as a courtroom comedy with strong satirical underpinnings. It uses the confined setting of a jury deliberation room to generate both humor and genuine dramatic tension, making it a distinctive hybrid of genres within Japanese cinema.
What are films similar to The Gentle 12?
Viewers who enjoy The Gentle 12 may appreciate other jury and courtroom dramas such as Perfect Strangers (1950), We're on the Jury (1937), and Ladies of the Jury (1932). These films similarly explore the dynamics of group decision-making and the tensions that emerge in confined deliberative settings.
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