Judgment at Nuremberg

Starring: Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich, Maximilian Schell, Judy Garland, Montgomery Clift, William Shatner, Werner Klemperer
Directed by: Stanley Kramer
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Drama
1961

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: In the wake of World War II, an American panel of judges try four German judges accused of war crimes.

Review:

Tim: Wow, Judgment at Nuremberg is a powerful, incredible film based on a true story. It tells an important story about a very challenging time in world history. The story is about four German judges being tried for war crimes, but the film is much bigger that just that. This is really a story about a precarious time in world history. It's a story about the aftermath of World War II in Germany and how a people try to move on from unspeakable, evil acts that occurred right under their noses in their own country. God willing, no country will ever be in this position for the rest of humanity's time on Earth, so this story is hopefully unique. This is an exceptionally made movie about a horrible time.

The film was well received- it was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning two- Best Actor for Maximilian Schell and Best Adapted Screenplay. Including Schells', this film was nominated for an impressive 4 acting nominations- Schell for Best Actor, Spencer Tracy for Best Actor, Judy Garland for Best Supporting Actress, and Montgomery Clift for Best Supporting Actor. That is really impressive. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Film Editing. All that adds up to the fact that you should see this movie.

The cast is pretty incredible. It's led by Spencer Tracy, who gives a very good latter-career performance. He plays the lead judge in the trial at Nuremberg. He infuses the role with intelligence and warmth and connects well with the audience. We immediately like and respect his character and that carries us through the movie. It's a little surprising that Tracy didn't win Best Actor, as he's clearly the main character of the film. Maximilian Schell pulls off a stunner, though. Although Schell has less screen time than Tracy, it's his character we remember the most. I loved the fire and the passion behind his performance. He embodies the intelligent, strong German. It's amazing that his character should have been an unlikeable one- he's the one defending the German judges and their atrocious acts. And yet, we don't dislike him- we respect him greatly. That is an amazing achievement, that the character most likely to get under our skin happens to be the one that sticks with us the longest. Schell transforms this character into a fascinating, respectable man. We may disagree with many of his assertions, but we admire him for his tenacity and determination. Schell was incredible and deserved the Academy Award.

The supporting cast is impressive, too. As I mentioned, Judy Garland and Montgomery Clift were both nominated for Supporting acting awards. And yet, surprisingly, their screen time is fairly minimal. That is made up by the fact that they show up on screen, use every second that is allotted to them, and deliver emotionally charged, memorable performances. It's fascinating to watch Garland struggle with painful memories of her past, drudged up again on the witness stand. As she cringes and writhes in agony at the recollection, we feel her pain right along with her. A few times, I had to ask myself, "Is that really Dorothy?" Montgomery Clift likewise delivers a convincing performance as a German with mental deficiencies. His struggle was so in-your-face and his pain and anguish so transparent that it was impossible not to get emotionally caught up in his scenes. He tugged at the heartstrings with his performance. What he lacked in screen time, he made up for with sheer brilliance in his performance. I was really, really happy he was nominated for an Academy Award. He very much deserved it. The film also features a very strong performance by Burt Lancaster. He's a stoic, rigid, cold persona, but he manages to fascinate anyway. His performance was quite good. Marlene Dietrich was fine, and it was fun seeing a young William Shatner. As a whole, Judgement at Nuremberg boasts one of the best casts I've seen in quite a while.

Now, I often complain about long movies because they often don't know how to use the time they have. I end the film feeling like my time was wasted, which is an awful, unforgivable feeling. Judgment at Nuremberg is a long film- it clocks in at a stunning 186 minutes. Three hours is a long time to watch a film about German judges on trial. And yet, the film never felt excessively long. A lot happens in this film and director Stanley Kramer held my attention throughout. This is a film that does asks a lot of its audience, but the payoff is obvious. I had no issues with the run time.

It's pretty obvious that I loved Judgment at Nuremberg. It's an exceptionally crafted movie that features an incredibly strong cast and it handles a difficult, controversial topic in an appropriate manner. This is a story that should be told and I loved how it was portrayed on screen. This is a movie I'd consider a must-see.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Anatomy of a Murder, Schindler's List