The article proposes an analysis of the film Twelve Angry Men to address, with a propaedeutic spirit, three issues: i) the conceptual core of rhetoric, ii) abductive reasoning, and iii) the relation between argumentation and emotions. Regarding the first issue, three points are considered: the place of logos, pathos and ethos within rhetoric; the relation between rhetoric and dialectics; and the idea of persuasion. Regarding the second one, the three dimensions of abduction are presented, that is, the inferential, methodological and intuitive ones. Finally, the third issue is outlined with some suggestions concerning the role of emotions within argumentation and the requirement of minimum ethical standards for rhetorical practice. The three issues are not neutral and require deep considerations.