Judgement at Nuremberg (1963) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: Judgement at Nuremberg
Year: 1963
Director: Stanley Kramer
Country: US
Language: English

Director Stanley Kramer’s never shied away from difficult subject matter in his directing; many events he captured in his lens as they were happening (Guess Who's Coming To Dinner? was made at the height of the civil right's movement) He never made films for the sake of mindless entertainment or pure escapism, rather he made “message pictures,” although the messages are always meant to appeal to the uninformed.

Released 13 years after the real-life Nuremberg trials, the film has an overall tone of anger,  frustration, and general puzzlement. How could the German people continue to deny their knowledge of what happened in places like Auschwitz? Could the Germans ever prove they weren’t “all monsters?” Where did the US stand on this issue? Kramer prepares to criticize all parties. He condemns the Germans, while being frustrated at the allies for their leniency as a political strategy (they had hoped Germany would join them against Russia)

We must not forget that these trials were not simplistic by any means; not every high ranking nazi was sentenced to death, some like Dr.Schacht (German banker) had been acquitted. The courtroom acts as both court of public opinion and the literal interpretation of the law. Several characters question the legitimacy of the trials themselves, a worthwhile proposition. Why is the US the one leading this court? Why is this not an international effort? While the audience knows who to “root” for, with all the characters flawed in their own ways there’s no true guilt or innocence; no one’s hands are completely clean.

The Nuremberg trials bring up questions of justice, peace, equality and order. Judgment at Nuremberg is a rather complex film with no easy answers; it will have you thinking about the subject matter for months after the initial viewing.  It is a great picture to watch over and over again. Each time you will find something new to reflect about.