Review of Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) by Shawn M — 27 Dec 2008

One of my favourite courtroom dramas, and a film of great importance. It was unprecedented for such material to be covered in a mainstream American movie, and this star-studded production was key in helping the mass public finally realise the true extent of the Nazi atrocities. The film displays graphic footage filmed by American soldiers after the liberation of concentration camps, and doesn't shy away from controversial issues like America's guilt at leaving it so late to enter the war, and Churchill's words of praise for Adolf Hitler. Subjects such as sterilization and race defilement were given exposure like never before, and the film warns against the danger of forgetting such crimes against humanity. Maximilian Schell won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as a defence attorney for the Germans, Spencer Tracy was nominated for the same Best Actor Oscar for his role as Chief Judge of the Trials, and Montgomery Clift was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his legendary seven-minute cameo as a victim of the Nazi regime. The film also includes great performances from Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich and Judy Garland. Like Schindler's List, this film is of social and historical significance and should be shown to all students of history.

And seeing as Montgomery Clift's last film isn't listed on flixster...

The Defector - 1/5.

Montgomery Clift's last film, this was a pitiful end to his illustrious career. The film is of such poor quality that I don't think any distributor has bothered to purchase the rights for dvd release - I actually watched the film on youtube. The writer/producer/director of the film shot himself in the head not long after its completion. A cheap and dire spy film, it is now [barely] remembered as nothing more than a sad display of Clift's physical deterioration.