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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Young German lawyer, Maximillian Schell, has the daunting task of defending four nazi judges accused of war crimes, at the Nuremberg trials. Richard Widmark is the rather 'zealous' prosecution council, who never gives up. Spencer Tracey is the senior trial judge, fair minded and who just 'wants to understand'. This was certainly the first such film, that made any attempt to give both sides a fair hearing.
The defence council finds that the evidence against his clients is just the start of his problems, when one of the accussed, Burt Lancaster, decides to declare himself and his colleagues guilty. However, the trial continues with several spectacular and electric courtroom confrontations between Widmark and Schell.
Things become more complicated when events and people outside of the courtroom start to put pressure on the key players in the courtroom. Worse still, Spencer Tracey finds out that his romantic interest, Marlene Dietrich, not only is certain that Burt Lancaster is not guilty, but had her husband executed at another trial, thanks mainly to Richard Widmark.
Montgommery Clift and Judy Garland are two victims of nazi rule, that are asked to give evidence, but will they both attend? This really is marvellous stuff, brialliantly produced and directed, with the four individual verdicts being uncertain till almost at the end of the film.
Maximillian Schell won an oscur for his barn storming performance, with Spencer Tracey, Burt Lancaster and Marlene Dietrich all being a little unlucky in not joining him. Watch out for a young William Shatner (star trek) and a brief cameo from Burgess Meredith (rocky and batman).
Five star entertainment for those into courtroom drama.
The defence council finds that the evidence against his clients is just the start of his problems, when one of the accussed, Burt Lancaster, decides to declare himself and his colleagues guilty. However, the trial continues with several spectacular and electric courtroom confrontations between Widmark and Schell.
Things become more complicated when events and people outside of the courtroom start to put pressure on the key players in the courtroom. Worse still, Spencer Tracey finds out that his romantic interest, Marlene Dietrich, not only is certain that Burt Lancaster is not guilty, but had her husband executed at another trial, thanks mainly to Richard Widmark.
Montgommery Clift and Judy Garland are two victims of nazi rule, that are asked to give evidence, but will they both attend? This really is marvellous stuff, brialliantly produced and directed, with the four individual verdicts being uncertain till almost at the end of the film.
Maximillian Schell won an oscur for his barn storming performance, with Spencer Tracey, Burt Lancaster and Marlene Dietrich all being a little unlucky in not joining him. Watch out for a young William Shatner (star trek) and a brief cameo from Burgess Meredith (rocky and batman).
Five star entertainment for those into courtroom drama.
55 of 62 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is a dark film about a dark subject, but don't be put off. It is also a stunning film that will grip you from beginning to end. The cast-list reads like a who's who of celluloid star quality: Spencer Tracey, Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland and others. All directed by the wonderful Stanley Kramer. Tracey plays a US judge at the Nuremberg Trials, who must sit in judgment over a group of Nazis accused of war crimes. With the new reality of the Cold War, there is pressure on the court to show leniency in order to win over the German people in the new struggle between East and West. It is a deeply troubling film that poses the question - did ordinary Germans know what was really happening, and if they did, where does culpability lie? Maximilian Schell plays a young German lawyer who argues that men cannot be found guilty for merely being loyal to their government; Lancaster plays one of the accused who argues for his own condemnation: 'I made my life excrement, because I walked with them'. All of the performances are excellent and some are among the most powerful you will ever see on celluloid. This is a great film for a rainy day in November.
38 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
The difficult subject of sorting out culpability of the Nazi regime is handled very well by Stanley Kramer and his actors. The film is never on the side of any one party, the Nazis are shown to be often harried reluctantly to commit unspeakable acts and the Allies are seen to be sometimes persecuting a whole nation for truth. The cast are impeccable, Oscar winning Maximillian Schell projects noble indignaty to what Germany has now to face, and Spencer Tracy his usual excellent self, showing the sane face of American justice. Special notice must also go to Montgomery Clift and Judy Garland, both nearly at the end of their careers, and both giving performances of incredible intensity. The only fault of this film is the excessive running time, it often seems ponderous, but ultimately it evokes the pondering that Tracy and his judges had to do. Recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
very good
hubby loved this surprise dvd.My "find"has made him a very happy chappie and it takes a lot of effort to please the old buzzard these days!Ha! Ha!
Published 13 days ago by S. skinner
WOW how have I missed this one!!!!
This absoulutly stunning
With POWERHOUSE perfomances from Tracy, Lancaster, Schell, Widmark, Garland and Clift.... Read more
With POWERHOUSE perfomances from Tracy, Lancaster, Schell, Widmark, Garland and Clift.... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. F. Mulligan
A thought-provoking film
The courtroom scenes are of necessity claustrophobic, but good use is also made of film footage showing the aftermath of the war in Germany. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Anne Elliott
accountability is obligatory but accessibility is another dilemma
Stanley Kramer's intellectual judicial affair is just as much a historical document as it is a valid indictment of the German war crimes or human behaviour in a crisis where... Read more
Published 4 months ago by usman
Top director, top actors, superb movie
With Stanley Kramer directing and with such top performers as Spencer Tracy, Richard Widmark, Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Maximilian Schell, Judy Garland and Marlene... Read more
Published 7 months ago by A. Kitroeff
An Outstanding Judgement
This is an exceptionally well played and well written film featuring an outstanding cast. The film is based on an original tele-play by Abby Mann, who went on to win an Oscar for... Read more
Published 16 months ago by David Gray
Time for the Judges to be held to account!
MAY BE SPOILERS: Three Judges stand in judgement over four Judges. That's basically what this film is about? Read more
Published 18 months ago by Patrick H. Williams
"Dr. Ernst Janning made his life excrement because he walked with...
There were other trials other than all the NSPD biggies. This is a play about the trial of the German judges. Read more
Published 21 months ago by bernie
Sheer Masterpiece
A truly brilliant piece of Movie-making, a stellar cast are assembled to put the viewers through a tense and gruelling event, namely the trial of War Criminals after World-War 2.
Published 22 months ago by Robert Thorburn
Lawyers called to account for Atrocities
This is a marvellous film showing the complexity of the Nazi system and just how easily lawyers created laws that permitted atrocities. Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2009 by Mr. T. M. Randall
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