Grandstanding, Oscar-mogering 1961 courtroom drama about the Nazi war trials, courtesy of producer-director Stanley Kramer, breast-beating screenwriter Abby Mann, and an all-star cast—watchable enough on its own terms, but insufferably glib next to something like
Shoah. The academy rose to the bait, and Maximilian Schell won an Oscar for his performance as defense attorney, beating down Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, Montgomery Clift, and Richard Widmark. Mann copped one as well.
By
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Reviews/comments (0)