Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)

Stanley Kramer's film is an exceptionally good historical drama that intelligently fictionalises the judges' trial while raising complex questions about responsibility, obedience and justice without easy answers.

The critic praises the 1961 courtroom drama for riveting attention on the moral issues of the Nuremberg trials and its ensemble cast. He singles out Stanley Kramer's taut direction and Abby Mann's screenplay for evoking moral outrage while depicting Germany's struggle with its past.

The trial material might not seem obvious for a film, but Kramer makes this three-hour saga mesmerising through dramatic flair and an all-star cast led by Tracy. The film has great dignity and star power that makes the grim tale watchable, though Kramer is accused of sugaring the pill.

Kramer's courtroom epic is distinguished by its lack of absolutism as it explores even-handedly how culpable those who followed orders were; it features an impressive heavyweight cast including Tracy, Schell and others.

The picture is bold and continuously exciting despite its great length, posing formidable questions about individual and collective accountability that it intends viewers to answer seriously. As courtroom fiction it is only moderately successful, but forensically and as real life it is superb.

The film pins a powerful persuasive statement on the fundamental issue of Nazi war guilt. It cuts through specious arguments to accomplish a fine dramatic statement of moral probity, though it is sometimes compressive and glib.

Kramer's film on the Holocaust features an impressive assembly of star turns in court, with Tracy's effortlessly brilliant performance as the superjudge and Clift's painfully convincing emotional disintegration standing out. There are no surprises in the direction or screenplay, but enough conviction rewards a patient spectator.

The film is twice the size of the concise TV production, with a faster tempo and more trenchant script editing needed to punch it up. Tracy delivers a performance of great intelligence and intuition, creating a gentle but towering figure.

The critic calls it one of the best legal thrillers ever made and among the bravest films of Hollywood's Golden Age. They single out its emotional depth, insightful exploration of justice and complicity, and the powerhouse ensemble cast including standout turns from Montgomery Clift and Judy Garland.