The Jury Goes Round 'n' Round (1945) User Reviews

One Funny Woman

[boblipton · 6/10 · 5 July 2019]

The jury is deadlocked. There are eleven votes for guilty, and one vote for not guilty: Vera Vague, because she thinks the defendant has dreamy eye in this funny short.

Although director Jules White inserts a few of his loud and raucous gags -- which I do not consider funny -- the first eight minutes of this movie consist of Miss Vague (whose real name was Barbara Jo Allen) making funny remarks and wrangling with her fellow jurors. Some nice, naturalistic gags include Vernon Dent singing "Home Sweet Home" in an Italian accent, and later, as the jury exercises, getting into a conga line.

Mike Mazurki is one of the jurors, in a rare comedy turn. Everyone gets a bit to differentiate themselves in this offbeat Columbia comedy short.

Vera Vague is guilty..of making her audience laugh itself to death!

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 31 August 2018]

Everyone who has been in a jury of some critical importance can relate to their frustration with that one juror who refused to agree with any of the other jurors, and in the case of this Oscar nominated short, that juror is Vera Vague. Her obstinance causes the just to be sequestered, leading to hysterical sequences involving their attempts to sleep and a wacky dance that occurs at a juror's party. Why the weapon (a machine gun!) used in the murder case is placed with the jurors (fully loaded!) is absurd of course, but the way it is used results in a hysterical twist. Vague gives one of her more restrained performance, obviously smart in spite of her dingbat persona. Her fellow jurors run the gamut of personality types from jolly fat lady to Edgar Kennedy like hot tempered character to a spinster librarian type who knows how to kick up her heels. A real treat, especially for those who can relate to the situation.