Judgement at Nuremberg

[Madame]

I've seen so many good films over the years, but this one had the biggest impact on me, on my life, by far. I've mentioned elsewhere that, until then, I had no idea of the true horror of the Holocaust, it just wasn't discussed.

The cast was superb -- Spencer Tracy as Chief Judge Dan Haywood, the very-easy-on-the-eyes AND brilliant Maximilian Schell as the German defense counsel (and deserving Oscar winner), Richard Widmark, Burt Lancaster, Judy Garland, Montgomery Clift, Marlene Dietrich, and a very young and handsome William Shatner, to name a few. I have the DVD in my collection.

This is a must-see.

[stenka razin]

Madame, bravo...a great choice...For those reading this, a brief description below:


After the end of World War II, the world gradually became aware of the full extent of the war crimes perpetrated by the Third Reich. In 1948, a series of trials were held in Nuremberg, Germany, by an international tribunal, headed by American legal and military officials, with the intent of bringing to justice those guilty of crimes against humanity. However, by that time most of the major figures of the Nazi regime were either dead or long missing, and in the resulting legal proceedings American judges often found themselves confronting the question of how much responsibility someone held who had "just followed orders." Judgment at Nuremberg is a dramatized version of the proceedings at one of these trials, in which Judge Dan Haywood (Spencer Tracy) is overseeing the trials of four German judges -- most notably Dr. Ernst Janning (Burt Lancaster) and Emil Hahn (Werner Klemperer) -- accused of knowingly sentencing innocent men to death in collusion with the Nazis. Representing the defense is attorney Hans Rolfe (Maximilian Schell), while prosecuting the accused is U.S. Col. Tad Lawson (Richard Widmark). As the trial goes on, both the visiting Americans and their reluctant German hosts often find themselves facing the legacy of the war, and how both of their nations have been irrevocably changed by it. Judgment at Nuremberg also features notable supporting performances by Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, and Montgomery Clift. Originally written and produced as a play for television, the screen version of Judgment at Nuremberg was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, with Maximilian Schell and Abby Mann taking home Oscars for (respectively) Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.

[Ralph]

This was an important movie. It came out when discussion about Nazi genocide and The Final Solution was emerging from the shadows. The role of judges in validating and imposing Nazi "law" was an important element of Third Reich tyranny and one that was little understood.

It's a gripping film that has weathered well.

[Corlyss_D]

One of my favorite films. I'm sure it was a coincidence that the Eichmann trial began in April 1961 and was still going on when the film was released. Instead of being an historical drama of sorts, the film suddenly became as topical as current events. I've seen the film many times and marvel at its feeling of authenticity. Many brilliant performances make for compelling drama, but what moves me still to tears is Montgomery Clift's halting Petersen and his uncomprehending, stammering attempts to defend his mother against the charge that she, and therefore he, was a mental defective. I understand from a couple of biographies of Clift that I read in the 1980s that by then he was severely impaired by drug-addiction and alcohol, and that he wasn't really acting in the scene. It was all his friends on the set could do to hold him together long enough to finish his scenes. From director Sidney Kramer's memoirs:

Finally I said to him, "Just forget the damn lines Monty. Let's say you're on the witness stand. The prosecutor says something to you, then the defence attorney bitterly attacks you, and you have to reach for a word in the script. That's all right. Go ahead and reach for it. Whatever the word may be, it doesn't really matter. Just turn to (Spencer) Tracy on the bench whenever you feel the need, and ad lib something. It will be all right because it will convey the confusion in your character's mind." He seemed to calm down after this. He wasn't always close to the script, but whatever he said fitted in perfectly, and he came through with as good a performance as I had hoped.

[TopoGigio]

Judgment at Nuremberg was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, with Maximilian Schell and Abby Mann taking home Oscars for (respectively) Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Maximilian Schell was very handsome,but polemic at least.The last interview to Marlene Dietrich out of focus is
considered almost a fake by many people.
Currently, he is the narrator of the oratorio Joshua of Franz Waxman,published at DG,its a strange CD...

[Madame]

Judgment at Nuremberg was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, with Maximilian Schell and Abby Mann taking home Oscars for (respectively) Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Maximilian Schell was very handsome,but polemic at least.The last interview to Marlene Dietrich out of focus is
considered almost a fake by many people.
Currently, he is the narrator of the oratorio Joshua of Franz Waxman,published at DG,its a strange CD...

On the other hand ... he's still alive

Here's a 'sampler' trailer from the film: