It is so easy to dismiss this as a story of other people in another time in another land. Unfortunately, what was done then, is being done by the leaders of our country in the name of protection from terrorists, and we, the people, sit silently by and let it happen just as the German people did seven decades ago.
We need to watch films like this over and over to remind us of what is important and what we, as civilized humans, can be reduced to out of fear.
This is another great film by the fantastic Abby Mann, who died last month. He won an Oscar for his screenplay, and it was well deserved.
Maximilian Schell was simply fantastic, as was Spencer Tracy, Montgomery Clift, and Judy Garland. Director Stanley Kramer brought out the best in these actors, and others like Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich, William Shatner, and Werner Klemperer.
Don't look upon it as three hours of cinema, but as a class in humanity as only Abby Mann could write.
Judgment at Nuremberg
1961
Action / Drama / History / War
Judgment at Nuremberg
1961
Action / Drama / History / War
Plot summary
In 1947, four German judges who served on the bench during the Nazi regime face a military tribunal to answer charges of crimes against humanity. Chief Justice Haywood hears evidence and testimony not only from lead defendant Ernst Janning and his defense attorney Hans Rolfe, but also from the widow of a Nazi general, an idealistic U.S. Army captain and reluctant witness Irene Wallner.
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April 28, 2014 at 02:01 AM
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Hollywood's best in an important film
It's currently #160 and has quite a few reviews already...
"Judgment at Nuremberg" is a great film and its current rank of #160 is indicative of its greatness. And, it has quite a few reviews already, so I don't intend to write an exhaustive review. Bkoganbing from Buffalo has already written a very nice review explaining the background for the movie that I might normally discuss, so in order not to be so repetitive and dull, I'll just be brief.
The film is about one particular set of trials that followed the end of WWII. It is not THE trial--just one of many. Unlike the well publicized early trials of the obviously evil (most of which were hanged), many other sets of trials followed. In this case, four jurists who knew better but complied with the Nazis are on trial. To learn about the rest of the trials and the outcomes, do an internet search-- it's out there and I've read about the other trials. But this one is a fictionalization of the actual Nuremberg trials of these jurists and it has a lot to offer.
First, the acting is absolutely superb. The film is filled with great actors who were great at seeming natural. Oddly, Maximillian Schell got the Oscar among these other greats and his performance was quite different--extremely florid and loud. I preferred the quieter parts played by Spencer Tracy, Marlene Dietrich*, Burt Lancaster and others. I think Montgomery Clift and Judy Garland were also quite good--mostly because they were emotional wrecks off-screen as well and they seemed to tap into this (particularly Garland). Regardless, you can't find movies with a better cast.
Second, Abby Mann's script is exceptional and you can easily see how Mann took home an Oscar. And, the great camera-work and direction made his script seem all the better.
Third, the film faces the Nazi atrocities without flinching AND poses a question most films about the Holocaust rarely pose--about guilt of the common man as well as the leaders. Not the obvious leaders like Hitler, Himmler and the like but everyone else.
Overall, a very, very impressive film from start to finish.
Quite grim, but also very gripping
What can I say? Judgment at Nuremberg was just wonderful. At three hours, it is just mesmerising from start to finish. The subject matter of the story is admittedly grim and hard-hitting, but in the way it is put across and acted it is also incredibly gripping. The production values are striking, Ernest Gold's music is memorable and Kramer's direction is superb. Then there is the script, intelligent, thought-provoking, poignant, quite simply a brilliant screenplay, and the cast is for me one of the best on film. This film does have a lot of dignity, exemplified by Burt Lancaster's thoughtful performance as Ernst Janning, and a startling turn from Maximillian Schell. Marlene Dietrich is also great, and I also have to mention Judy Garland's touching Irene and Montgomery Clift's Rudolph. Overall, gripping and intelligent helped enormously by adept direction and acting. 10/10 Bethany Cox