Judgment at Nuremberg

As well as the social dramas The Defiant Ones and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Stanley Kramer is also known for the star-studded courtroom drama Judgment at Nuremberg.

Retired American judge Dan Haywood (Spencer Tracy) has the task of choosing the fate of four German judges who used their offices to conduct Nazi sterilization and cleansing policies.

There were three performances in Judgment at Nuremberg that really impressed me. First off is Maximilian Schell as the defense attorney. He has dialogue that draws the audience to him. He literally commands the movie when he's on screen, so it's safe to say he rightfully earned that Oscar. The next one is Montgomery Clift as a victim of the Nazis' actions. He's only in the movie for one scene, but he floored me with that scene. The third actor is Burt Lancaster as one of the Germans on trial. He has a great speech towards the end that both deepened my appreciation for him and wondered why he wasn't nominated.

Along with the actors mentioned above, the cast includes Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich and Judy Garland. There's also a pre-Star Trek William Shatner in a supporting role. Even though it's over three hours long, Judgment at Nuremberg enthralls the audience from beginning to end. Kramer provides, pun intended, testimony on one of the most important trials of the 20th century.

My Rating: ****1/2