Judgment at Nuremberg
Short description
Judgment at Nuremberg is a courtroom drama set in post-war Germany, where an American judge, Dan Haywood, presides over the trial of four German jurists who served under the Nazi regime. The defendants are charged with crimes against humanity for their role in enforcing the regime's laws, though the case raises difficult questions about individual responsibility and complicity within a legal system. As testimony unfolds, Haywood must weigh the evidence against the wider political climate of the emerging Cold War, which creates pressure for a verdict that will not alienate the German population. The film also follows the personal struggles of those connected to the trial, including the lead defendant, Ernst Janning, his defense attorney Hans Rolfe, and witnesses drawn into the proceedings.
Stanley Kramer directed the film, which came after Inherit the Wind in his filmography and was followed by It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. The screenplay was written by Abby Mann, with Kramer and Philip Langner producing. Spencer Tracy stars as Haywood, alongside Richard Widmark, Maximilian Schell, Burt Lancaster, Marlene Dietrich and Judy Garland, among a credited cast of 56.
Released in December 1961, the film had a budget of 3 million dollars and took 10 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds a rating of 8.3 from over 82,000 votes, while on TMDB it has 8 out of 10 from 990 votes. The film critics' rating stands at 7.9 from 26 reviews, close to the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- Marlon Brando (1924-2004) wanted to play the role of lawyer Hans Rolfe. The actor even asked director Stanley Kramer (1913-2001) to cast him, which was completely uncharacteristic of Brando. Kramer and screenwriter Abby Mann were flattered that an actor of his stature was interested, but both were impressed by Maximilian Schell’s (1930-2014) performance in the same subject matter in a 1959 project. Schell ultimately played Rolfe and received an 'Oscar' for 'Best Actor' for the role.
- By the time filming was completed, all convicted Nazi criminals held in the American occupation zone of Germany had already been released.
- Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992), who always paid great attention to her appearance, underwent plastic surgery (not her first) before filming. She was extremely disappointed with the results of the filming with her 'new face.'
- The song that Frau Berthold tells Judge Haywood about is "Lili Marlene." During World War II, it was very popular with both German soldiers and the opposing Allied armies. In the 1940s and 1950s, this song was also recorded by Marlene Dietrich, the actress who played the role of Frau Berthold.
- Some episodes in the courtroom include the showing of film footage depicting the atrocities committed in concentration camps.
- Marlene Dietrich struggled with the dialogue scene with Judge Haywood, where her character claims that ordinary Germans had no idea about the atrocities committed by the Nazis during the war. During the war, Dietrich herself was on the side of the Allied powers and held an anti-German position. She found her character Frau Berthold's statement so hypocritical and repulsive that she couldn't deliver it convincingly. This only became possible after a conversation with Spencer Tracy. The actress's grandson later recounted that Dietrich felt unwell after playing this scene. Once, the actress’s daughter, Maria Riva, advised her to “portray her own mother.” Dietrich heeded the advice. Her Frau Berthold is a screen embodiment of Marlene Dietrich's mother.
- The film was shot in Nuremberg, Germany.
- Since the release of her previous musical "A Star Is Born" (George Cukor, 1954), Judy Garland (1922-1969) had gained weight. The actress intended to lose weight, but director Stanley Kramer dissuaded her from the idea.
- To liven up the monotonous scenes in the courtroom, Stanley Kramer tried shooting in motion. In one scene, for example, he decided to circle Richard Widmark (1914-2008) with the camera while his character delivered a speech. This took a lot of time, as the crew had to be trained to move around the actor with the filming equipment and cables.
- Despite serious problems caused by an excessive fondness for alcohol, Spencer Tracy went to Germany for lengthy filming and then worked tirelessly at the Hollywood studio. It is believed that Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003) constantly looked after him, their creative and romantic partnership lasting 26 years until his death. Tracy was most afraid of forgetting his lines. The director scheduled filming in such a way that Tracy wouldn't get tired. Tracy's contract even included a clause stating that his filming day ended precisely at 5 o'clock.
- Marlene Dietrich paid attention to every detail. She demanded, for example, that all her costumes for the role be sewn by designer Jean Louis (1907-1997). At her request, the portrait of her character's husband was redrawn. Every morning she came to the set and immediately began giving instructions on how the lighting should be and where the cameras should be placed.
- Stanley Kramer dreamed of filming in the same courtroom where the Nuremberg trials took place, but he was refused, as court sessions were still being held there. A copy of the courtroom was built on the studio lot, only slightly smaller – for the convenience of filming.
- In the actual courtroom, the distance between where the prosecutor sat and the witness stand was 12 meters, but in the set built for filming, it was reduced to 8 meters. To keep the actors sitting in the distance in focus, many spotlights had to be directed at them, causing the actors to sweat profusely.
- Spencer Tracy's (1900-1967) 11-minute final speech was filmed in one take.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
