Nuremberg: A Fascinating Examination of the Events Through a Fresh Perspective (DVD)

The Film:

The Nuremberg Trials that took place after World War II are hardly a new subject for a film, with Stanley Kramer's brilliant 1961 drama "Judgment at Nuremberg" standing out as the prime example of how compelling the topic can be when brought to the screen (especially with its stunning ensemble), but just because the subject has been explored before doesn't mean that it can't be explored from new angles. This brings us to James Vanderbilt's latest project, simply titled "Nuremberg," in which he tries to do just that by primarily focusing on the trials through the viewpoint of a psychiatrist. It sounds like quite the fascinating idea, but will it be different enough from what we've already seen to make it worth the effort?

The film opens on May 7, 1945, with the capture of Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe), Hitler's second in command, in Austria. Robert Jackson (Michael Shannon), an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, is informed, which prompts him to look into the possibility of holding a trial in which the remaining Nazi leaders can be charged with war crimes. There is some resistance to it at first, but after getting support from The Pope, who has a highly controversial past relationship with the Nazis, it's decided that the trials will take place in Nuremberg, with the cases to be heard by judges from Allied nations.

Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) is brought in to evaluate the mental health of the 22 prisoners who are to be tried. Over the next few months, Kelley forms a particularly close relationship with Göring, with his initial purpose being to write a book about the entire experience. However, he soon realizes the enormity of the entire situation and, despite some obstacles along the way, decides to help Jackson go up against Göring on the stand using the knowledge he's acquired of the man during their many talks. All that remains to be seen is if they can beat a man who's shown himself to be rather intelligent.

When it came to "Judgment at Nuremberg," what we got was a fascinating view of the trial primarily through the viewpoint of the head judge, as played by the legendary Spencer Tracy. Much of it focused directly on the trial itself, with side pieces involving the judge's other activities while in Nuremberg, all of which resulted in a remarkable courtroom piece brought to life by an incredible cast, which also included Judy Garland, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich, Montgomery Clift, and Maximilian Schell, whose brilliant turn as the defendants' counsel earned him the Best Actor Oscar that year.

All that's to say that we've had films that prioritize the trial as the central focus, so it's quite an intriguing idea to attempt to tell the story from another angle. Basing his screenplay on Jack El-Hai's book "The Nazi and the Psychiatrist," Vanderbilt gives us a fascinating look at the relationship between a man who originally just wants to use the opportunity to become famous by writing a book about it and another whose innumerable crimes must be brought to light. However, as Kelley gets to know & understand Göring, he comes to realize that this is no ordinary man. He's proud, intelligent, devious, and completely devoid of feelings for what he did, bringing Kelley to the harsh realization that he's going to be a challenging opponent for Jackson, as one of the prosecutors, to go up against.

This developing relationship between Kelley & Göring may be the primary focus of the film, but like "Judgment at Nuremberg," it also has other elements up its sleeve, including the attempt to arrange the trials in the first place, and, naturally, the opening trial itself. Just trying to put together a tribunal for war crimes was quite the endeavor as it hadn't been done before, nor had such law been written yet. This was a concept that was either going to work in their favor and establish a baseline for future trials, or it was going to blow up in their face and bring international embarrassment, so quite a lot hinged on getting everything right the first time in order to reach the right outcome, making the inclusion of the creation of this unprecedented proceeding rather captivating.

Throw in the film's own incredibly impressive ensemble, including Oscar winners Russell Crowe & Rami Malek, as well as Oscar nominees Michael Shannon & Richard E. Grant (as co-prosecuting counsel from Great Britain), and you get a compelling experience that stands quite well on its own as an examination of the trials from a different perspective. It may still get overshadowed by the greatness of its predecessors, but given everything that it has to offer, it's most definitely worth the two and a half hour investment to explore these important historical events once more.

Video/Audio:

"Nuremberg" comes to DVD in a 2.39:1, 480p Standard Definition transfer of excellent quality. For a DVD, the picture is surprisingly sharp & clear throughout the entire 148-minute duration, perfectly highlighting its incredible period details. Likewise, the 5.1 Dolby Digital audio track is fantastic, giving you all of the dialogue & music in outstanding quality. Overall, Sony Pictures Classics has done a marvelous job in both departments for the film's physical debut.

Special Features:

None.

Conclusion:

James Vanderbilt's "Nuremberg" presents a fascinating examination of the opening trial not only through the intriguing viewpoint of a psychiatrist trying to understand the main defendant, but also through the establishment & proceedings of the trial itself. Brought to life with a remarkable cast that includes two Oscar winners & two Oscar nominees, the film stands quite well on its own as a compelling exploration of these events through a fresh perspective, ultimately making it easily worth the two and a half hour investment.

Score: 4/5

Now available on DVD.

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