Nuremberg Review

At the end of the second world war, preparations are being made to put Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe) and the surviving members of the Nazi high command on trial for crimes against humanity. As part of this, an army psychiatrist named Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) is brought in to assess the mental health of the prisoners. While there, Kelley forms a strange bond with the former Reichsmarschall, as he attempts to figure out what it is about these men that enabled them to carry out such atrocities.

The Nuremberg trials are some of the most well known criminal court proceedings in history. They laid the groundwork for global efforts against genocide and war crimes. The story of Douglas Kelley, however, is not so well known. And if Rami Malek’s incredible performance is anything to go by, he’s not exactly what you’d expect of a psychiatrist working for the US Army at the end of World War 2. But his excitement, and his fascination with his new patients are as surprising as they are intriguing. Especially when it comes to his work with Hermann Göring, who proved to be quite the challenge.

Russell Crowe is phenomenal as Hitler’s second in command. He is able to show us many sides of the rather flamboyant Nazi; his charisma and intellect, as well as his vanity. While the chemistry he shares with Malek only emphasises the strange relationship the two men shared. The two of them are locked in this high stakes game of cat and mouse, as one bides his time and the other attempts to figure out what his opponent has planned. And while this game plays out in the prison, all around them preparations are being made for the trial.

What began as an adaptation of Jack El-Hai’s The Nazi and the Psychiatrist quickly turned into something bigger while writer/director James Vanderbilt was doing research for the film. Nuremberg explores not only the immense effort that went into putting on the trial, but the difficulty in making it happen in the first place. Michael Shannon’s introduction as Justice Robert H. Jackson – who strongly believed the Nazis should be tried for their crimes, rather than simply shot – is almost as informative as it is hilarious! An odd thing to say of a movie like this, but it’s true. Which is probably why it’s so enjoyable that John Slattery is at his most John Slattery-ness as Colonel Burton Andrus, the man with the most unenviable task. He was responsible for running the prison that housed Göring and his pals, and keeping them alive long enough to stand trial.

As with all historical dramas, Nuremberg is a rather condensed take on history – the events covered in the movie took place over the course of more than a year. Even so, Vanderbilt has clearly strived to present as accurate a depiction of this monumental event, with courtroom scenes written using the original transcripts, and filmed on an exact replica of the courtroom. There are times, however, when it can feel like the film is skimming several stories instead of getting to the meat of one. Richard E. Grant, for instance, plays a pivotal role as the prosecutor for the British, but is given very little screen time. While the French and Soviet prosecutors are absent entirely. That said, Grant is unsurprisingly brilliant as Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, and he shares a wonderful rapport with Shannon throughout.

Despite a certain degree of skimming, one thing that isn’t lost is what this trial meant for the world, and the ramifications it had. Jackson’s feelings about the importance of giving these men their day in court rather than simply executing them are as relevant today as they were back in 1945. As are Dr Kelley’s findings regarding the atrocities that were committed by the Nazis and how they were allowed to happen. All of which is rammed home in a few scenes towards the end of the movie involving a beautifully emotional performance by Leo Woodall as Sgt. Howie Triest. With Nuremberg, Vanderbilt isn’t exactly holding up a mirror to society, but he does seem to be reminding us of the significance of the lessons learned at Nuremberg, as well as their relevance today.