Nuremberg: A Review

NUREMBERG

It is now eighty years since the end of the Second World War. Despite all those decades, the aftereffects of World War II still reverberate through our lives. Nuremberg covers the first of a series of trials where the Nazi high command was judged by the Allies. With strong performances and an engaging story, Nuremberg brings the truth of how true evil can appear so charming.

Nuremberg is two stories that eventually fold into one. In one story, U.S. Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelly (Rami Malek) is brought in to examine the surviving Nazi leadership for evaluation. The highest-ranking Nazi official taken alive is Hermann Goring (Russell Crowe), who willingly surrendered to the Allies. Kelly examines him as well as other Nazi officials such as the fanatically antisemitic propagandist Julius Streicher (Dieter Reisle) and Labor Front director Robert Ley (Tom Keune). Kelly needs Sergeant Howie Triest (Leo Woodall) to translate for him. Kelly, however, realizes something that none of the other Americans do. Goring understands and speaks English. Eventually winning his trust, Goring soon begins if not a friendship at least a less guarded relationship with Kelly.

In exchange for getting the apparently bonkers Rudolf Hess (Andreas Pietschmann) to cooperate with the Allies, Goring asks Kelly to secretly take letters to Goring's wife Emmy (Lotte Verbeek) and daughter Edda (Fleur Bremmer). It is not long before Kelly begins blurring the line between seeing Goring and his family as human and remembering the monstrous acts that Goring oversaw and knew about.

That is the second story. Associate Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson (Michael Shannon) is anticipating that he will be named Chief Justice. He was not anticipating being the American prosecutor at the newly established International Military Tribunal. He initially struggles with the entire concept of this trial, with others pointing out that there is no international law on which to hold the Nazis accountable. He finds that many would prefer that they be shot and be done with it. Jackson, however, soon becomes convinced that this trial is needed. The prosecution and the judges will be made up of the Allies: British, French, Soviets and Americans. Jackson will work with British Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe (Richard E. Grant) as the primary prosecutors.

Kelly begins working with and even bonding with the outwardly charming Goring and his family. He becomes convinced that Goring will manage to beat the rap, Jackson in Kelly's view severely underestimating Goring. Whatever fondness for Goring that Kelly might have is shattered when footage of the various extermination camps is shown. Kelly has talked to too many persuasive lips and is thrown off the case. He still can help guide Jackson in bringing the narcissist Goring to account for the horrors that he and the others committed. Will Kelly and Jackson, with some help and encouragement from Maxwell-Fyfe and even Sergeant Triest, help them unmask the satanic evil of the Nazi regime? Will justice truly be served?   

Nuremberg is a long film at close to two and a half hours. Yet for the most part, Nuremberg does not feel long or slow. The film moves remarkably well. It also never short-changes the Kelly/Goring story and the Jackson story. That is a major credit to writer/director James Vanderbilt, who adapted Jack El-Hei's book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist for Nuremberg. 

The film has many standout performances. Leading the cast is Russell Crowe as Hermann Goring. He does what all good portrayals of villains do. He rarely if ever rages or appears out of control. Crowe's Goring is cold, calculating, shrewd. He reveals Goring to be terrifying in his charming manner. One can see how Kelly could be metaphorically seduced by Goring's outwardly courtly, if pompous, manner. Kelly quickly deduces that Goring speaks and understands English when Crowe gives him a quick startled look on hearing that some of the Americans call him "Fatso". As their conversations continue, it is unclear if Goring does ultimately see Kelly as a friend or is playing him for a fool. My guess is that it is a mix. 

Crowe keeps to a correct German accent. Nuremberg should be recognized for making the situation realistic in terms of languages. Germans speak with a German accent when speaking in English. The Americans require translators. Vanderbilt does not allow for the accents to grow to cartoonish levels. Things are played perfectly straight. It is so nice to see Russell Crowe remind us of how good he can be as an actor.

Another standout is Leo Woodall as Howie Triest. He is called on to speak German and speak with an American accent. That last detail is important for two reasons. First, we get a surprising revelation about how the Detroit Tigers fan speaks flawless German. Second, Woodall himself is British. As such, both the character and the actor have to speak in an accent not their own. Woodall does an exceptional job on a technical level. He also does an exceptional job in terms of his acting. One of his final scenes, where he reveals his past, is deeply moving. 

As Nuremberg is almost two stories split into one, we had Michael Shannon give an equally strong performance as Justice Jackson. He could be prickly and ambitious. However, he could also use his moral outrage to push none other than then-Pope Pius XII to metaphorically bless the trial. It is one of Nuremberg's flaws however, that Richard E. Grant was given very little to do as Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe. He does have a great moment when interrogating Goring. However, it would have been nice to see him do more than look disdainful and drink tea.

The showdown between Crowe's Goring and Shannon's Jackson is one to watch. We see two actors playing well against each other. It shows Goring's cleverness and Jackson's initial bumbling. 

In their smaller roles John Slattery as the firm Colonel Andrus and Colin Hanks as Kelly's less patient fellow psychiatrist Gustave Gilbert did well.

I would say that Rami Malek is the weak link. It was not a terrible performance. However, Malek did purse his lips quite a bit. It soon became a distraction. I will give Malek and Vanderbilt credit in how it did not portray Kelly as saintly or even righteous. He was motivated by the thought of future fame. Kelly dreamed of seeing his work be the basis of a book where he could analyze evil. It helps that Gilbert, we learn, had the same idea. He did change somewhat in his motives. 

One of Nuremberg's most effective to downright shocking moments is during the trial itself. As Jackson presents footage from the extermination camps, the film uses actual archival footage rather than hide it or go with reenactments. This footage has been featured in documentaries. However, this is the first time that I can recall it being used in a feature film. I do not think something like Judgment at Nuremberg did such a thing, though to be fair that film did not center around the first trial. 

I think many people in the audience that I saw Nuremberg with had never seen this footage. The stunned silence, broken by occasional sobs and gasps, had the necessary effect. The use of this footage is a chilling reminder of how demonic the Nazi regime was. 

At a time when terms like "genocide" and "Nazi" are tossed about rather casually, seeing the images of Holocaust survivors should stun and horrify viewers. Nuremberg does not shy away from presenting us with these images of man's inhumanity towards man. The film even allows for moments of humanity to seep through. Earlier, Sergeant Triest told Kelly how he plans to mock the monstrous Streicher before he is hanged. When the Americans go to get him to the gallows, Triest sees what a pathetic, cowardly man he is. Whether he is moved to genuine compassion or sees that gloating will not bring him peace, only the viewer can answer.

"It matters. More than you know", Sergeant Howie Triest tells Dr. Douglas Kelly late in the film. Kelly had been thrown out for telling the press via a beautiful reporter that he felt Goring would demolish Jackson. Triest reminds him that remaining silent, even after all that he had seen, would be a betrayal of all those murdered. That, I think, is the theme of Nuremberg. Holding those who do evil in the sight of man and God however you perceive Him, matters.

We cannot forget. We must not forget. We must maintain permanent vigilance, lest we too fall for the charms of someone like a Hermann Goring.

DECISION: A-