Strongly, Extremely & Essentially Recommended.

Rating: Null/10 (12 September 2014)

Judgment at Nuremberg has been a part of my collection for sometime but every time I thought of checking it out, its 3 hours of runtime would always end up altering my decision even though I'm generally game for World War II events, especially the stuff related to Holocaust & Nazi Germany. But after watching it at last, I've got one thing to say; the 3 hours simply fly by.
Inspired by one of the cases that took place during the Nuremberg trials, Judgment at Nuremberg concerns the trial of 4 Judges who served before & during the Nazi regime in Germany and who either passively or actively abused their offices to conduct Nazi's racial policy which eventually resulted in the extermination of millions of people across Europe.
Ingeniously directed by Stanley Kramer, the film as a whole is one of the most important works in cinema that goes through both sides of the same coin where the prosecutor wants to blame the entire nation for Nazi's crimes against humanity while the defense attorney is fighting for the little glory that he can abstract for his country which is already going through a lot of humiliation, suffering & guilt.
Over the course of its 3 hours of runtime, the film raises some interesting questions about the social or political nature of the crimes these judges were being tried for, the factors that may have influenced or affected their decisions, the geo-political complexity of the whole ongoing trial, the understanding required about Germany's own state that led to Hitler's rise in power & the secrecy with which the entire extermination process was carried out.
The script is masterfully written by Abby Mann who wisely weighs the arguments of both sides & let the viewers come to their own conclusions. The camera-work is equally fascinating, especially in the courtroom sequences where it would pan around continuously but then instantly zoom & focus on a particular character, thus alerting its viewers to pay more attention during that vital moment. Editing paces the story so well that the 3 hours of runtime is never felt & the music gets its own moments to shine as well.
Coming to the performances, the quality of work done by its ensemble cast is of the highest order & every single actor ends up giving his/her best shot. Even the tertiary cast ends up packing a punch for the mere small details like shivering of hands or lump in throat while talking or fear or embarrassment in their eyes end up providing an immense amount of authenticity to the whole narrative. And the performances from its main cast effortlessly takes it to the next level.
Spencer Tracy plays the Chief Judge presiding over the trial & in a way, he depicts us viewers because just like him, we're supposed to hear both sides of the case & come to a decision that's not an easy one to make. And Tracy perfectly balances kindness, charm & authority to deliver an admirable performance here. Burt Lancaster is a silent spectator for the most part but when he gets to speak, he leaves a lasting impression. Yet it's actually Maximillian Schell who completely steals the show with his highly energetic performance as German defense attorney Hans Rolfe.
On an overall scale, Judgment at Nuremberg isn't an easy film to pass a judgment upon. The subject matter it deals with & the points it brings on the table really makes you question both justice & fairness and leaves many things to ponder about even when it's finished. Thought- provoking, deeply affecting & profoundly moving, Judgment at Nuremberg is one of the most significant works in cinema history that's strongly, extremely & essentially recommended.