Rating: 
Summary: A Numbing But Unforgettable Depiction Of The War Trials!
Review: This is truly an astonishing movie. After seeing it one wonders that Spencer Tracy did not win the Academy Award for his performance here. Of course, another actor in the cast, Maxmillian Schell, playing the German defense attorney, did! In many ways the movie is the senior brother to "Schindler's List", acting to probe thoughtfully through the mist of euphemisms, excuses and exaggerations of the era. And sifting out some remarkable, memorable, and noble notions about what human beings should be held responsible for in terms of their social attitudes, civic behavior and public actions. Ostensibly, the action takes place after the more sensational trials of the Nazi hierarchy, when the public appetite for blood, revenge, and harsh justice had been somewhat abated. Tracy plays a relatively obscure retired rural American judge called upon to act as one of the three presiding judges in overseeing the trials of prominent German jurists who had co-operated, collaborated, and then presided over the gradual civil drift from a nation whose conduct and laws were based on a corpus of jurisprudence to one characterized by crackpot eugenic policies, blatant racism, & officially-sanctioned violence and mayhem. Burt Lancaster plays a pre-eminent German judge, one famed for his legal treatises and international reputation as a jurist. Through the prism of the testimony of both the judges on trial and their cross examination by a zealous American military prosecutor played masterfully by a young Richard Widmark, the viewer begins to understand much more about the slippery slope most of the jurists had unwittingly embarked upon. Add into this equation the introduction of a sensational set of key witnesses played by Judy Garland and Montgomery Clift, and the full emotional impact and profound significance of what these judges had allowed to happen truly gels. This is an unforgettable and remarkably unique movie, truly a classic and cautionary tale based on the historical record of what the Germans did to each other, based on fact. And by the way, be sure to listen carefully to the final several scenes in which Tracy takes full advantage of several opportunities to cut through all the equivocations, half-truths, and "honest mistake" nonsense, literally electrifying the screen with the power of his monologue and his superb acting. He was truly one of a kind, too. Wow! Don't miss this
Rating:
Summary: Nuremberg revisited
Review: This may be one of the most significant movies for the youth of today...2004. We live in a country that is founded upon freedom and yet our government is threatened by those that are different. This movie asks the most salient question of the halocost... "How could this happen?"
The first time that any one of us condemns an innocent man to suffering...for the good of our country. This is the answer. This movie is thought provoking because it is about people like you and I...and we must ask ourselves if we are criminals for judging other human beings to be different and therefore a threat to our society.
This movie is about yesterday, today and tomorrow...and yes, IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN... The most sobering element of this movie is the truth that the accused leaders could be any one of us, doing our duty and following our leaders, for the good of our country.
I hope that the young people of America are able to view this film. I have several young future leaders that I will insist view this movie as soon as possible. My comments cannot do this movie justice. I only hope that each of you can have the opportunity to watch this movie, not for enjoyment, but for enlightenment.
Rating:
Summary: Probably the best movie I have ever seen
Review: This movie asks the question how can good people be swayed so much by society that they refuse to see the cruelty and injustice of their actions. I can not help but remember Aristotle's saying, "We are by nature social beings." This movie brings home that even the most extraordinary human beings can rarely be independent of the societies in which they live.
Rating:
Summary: Star-Studded Recounting of Legendary Nazi Trials
Review: This star-studded film vividly captures the characters on all 3 sides of the spectrum: The accused, the victims, and the international tribunal judging the perpetrators of unspeakable atrocities against fellow human beings. It is shocking to see how many of the people responsible for the gruesome deaths of millions justified their actions. After hearing witnesses who often were tortured, mamed by sadistic doctors, and had their loved ones murdered, I can not grasp the fact that the majority of those on trial were released after serving minimal prison terms. Some of them are still among us, while millions of victims lie in their graves at the hands of an evil minority! Stellar performances by an International cast. Most noteworthy are Montgomery Clift and Judy Garland as testifying victims, Maximilian Schell as Prosecutor (Oscar Winner), Marlene Dietrich as wife of a defendant, and an elderly Spencer Tracy, trying to make sense of it all. Effective use of B&W photography, first rate sets and costumes, along with many other production values, make this a timeless Classic. Although considerd over-long by some, I recommend this film to be shown to high school classes as a reminder that these things happened in a not so distant past.*****
Rating:
Summary: Thought-Provoking Classic
Review: What a wonderful film of ideas this is! The themes of justice and responsibility from many differents perspectives are explored, along with the temptation of political expediency. Except for the wooden performance of Richard Widmark, the stellar cast is magnificent. Especially heart-breaking are the performances of Montgomery Clift, Judy Garland, and...most of all...Burt Lancaster. Spencer Tracy gives a rock-solid performance of a deeply just man who does not waver in his responsibility despite pressures of empathy towards the Burt Lancaster character, the German people, and the political climate demanding leniency towards the defendants. When I see such an important, thought-provoking film as this, it saddens me to know that the "great" films of our era are populated with hobbits, CGI special effects, and comic-book characters. I'm afraid a film of ideas like this one would never find funding in present-day Hollywood.
Rating:
Summary: A great film about the War-Crime trials.
Review: With an all star cast, Judgment at Nuremberg certainly delivers with powerful acting and great directing by Stanley Kramer.
Burt Lancaster portrays one of four-nazi judges convicted of war crimes at the Nuremberg trials. The year is 1948, two years since the main Nuremberg trials concluded and 3 years since World War 2 ended. Throughout the film, mention is made of the cold war. The invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Berlin Airlift are mentioned. Also, Emil Hahn (Played by Werner Klemperer, the future Colonel Klink) states, after he is sentenced, "...Tomorrow the Bolsheviks sentence you!" Speaking of perfromances, fine performances are also given by just about the entire cast, from Spencer Tracy as Judge Dan Heywood, to Montgomery Clift playing Rudolph Peterson, a victim of nazi atrocities. Judy Garland and Marlene Dietrich also give great performances. But it is Lancaster, Richard Widmark and Maxmilian Schell (Who won an Oscar for Best Actor) who steal the show.
In addition to everything listed above, the film's music fits it like a glove. The cinematography is also good. In addition, this version also includes the original theatrical trailer.
This is definately one of my ten favorites and deserves a spot in the collection of any film buff (It has a spot in mine).
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