Listeners will be drawn into the intense psychological tension as Kelly grapples with the moral implications of his role in evaluating Goering's fitness for trial. Alex highlights Malek's nuanced performance, which effectively conveys the psychiatrist's internal conflict as he navigates the complexities of his professional duty while confronting the horror of Goering's actions.
The episode also examines the supporting cast, including Leo Woodle as the translator and John Slattery as Colonel Andrus, whose roles add depth to the narrative. The film's use of stark documentary footage serves as a haunting reminder of the atrocities that necessitated the trials, and Alex emphasizes the importance of this historical context in understanding the film's significance.
Director James Vanderbilt's adaptation of Jack El-Hai's book showcases not just the procedural challenges faced by the Allies but also the psychological toll on those involved in the trial. With a runtime of two and a half hours, the film maintains a gripping pace, compelling viewers to grapple with the weighty themes of justice, accountability, and the complexities of evil.
With a score of 8.5 out of 10, this episode invites listeners to reflect on the essential legacy of the Nuremberg Trials and the imperative of remembering historical atrocities, ensuring that justice prevails against the backdrop of human nature's darkest impulses.
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Alex First: The psychological drama Nuremberg
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 delivers a powerful examination of the first
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 ever trial for crimes against the peace of
00:00:07 --> 00:00:10 the world, focusing on the complex
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 relationship between Nazi leader Hermann
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 Goering and U.S. army psychiatrist
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 Lt. Col. Douglas Kelly in
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 1945. This groundbreaking
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 legal proceeding was only made possible
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 through unprecedented collaboration between
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 Allied powers, setting the stage for how the
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 world would deal with crimes against
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 humanity. Russell Crowe portrays Goering,
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 Hitler's second in command, with a disturbing
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 smugness that perfectly captures the Nazi
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 leader's narcissistic personality. The
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 film highlights the jarring contradiction of
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 a man who showed deep affection for his wife
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 and child while remaining utterly dismissive
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 of the 6 million Jews he helped send to
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 their deaths. Crowe's performance
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 emphasizes this duality, making his
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 character both fascinating and revolting,
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 particularly in scenes where his smirking
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 demeanor betrays a complete lack of remorse
00:01:06 --> 00:01:07 for his actions.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 The story primarily follows Lt. Col.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 Douglas Kelly, played by Rami
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 Malek, who arrives in the bombed out German
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 city unaware that he will be tasked with
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 evaluating Goering's psychological fitness
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 for trial. Malick delivers a
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 nuanced performance as he navigates the
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 challenging role of a psychiatrist who forms
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 an unsettling professional relationship with
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 one of history's most notorious war
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 criminals. The film explores
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 the toll this assignment takes on Kelly's own
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 psyche, with Malik effectively portraying the
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 character's internal struggle between
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 professional curiosity and moral revulsion.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 Supporting characters add crucial depth to
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 the narrative. Leo Woodle plays Sergeant
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 Howie Trieste, a German speaking translator
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 whose background is revealed in one
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 particularly powerful scene that stands as
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 one of the film's most memorable moments.
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 John Slattery portrays the steadfast
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 Colonel Burton C. Andrus, whose primary
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 mission is preventing the Nazi prisoners
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 from committing suicide, a constant concern
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 throughout the proceedings. Michael Shannon
00:02:19 --> 00:02:22 appears as Justice Robert H. Jackson,
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 the lead prosecutor facing the monumental
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 task of securing convictions in this
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 unprecedented trial, bringing gravitas
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 to a role that embodies the weight of
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 historical responsibility. The film doesn't
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 shy away from showing the brutal reality of
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 Nazi atrocities. Most notably, it
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 includes disturbing black and white footage
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 of mass graves and and bulldozers moving
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 piles of corpses, imagery that
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 serves as a stark reminder of why these
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 trials were so crucial. This
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 documentary footage is integrated
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 effectively, though viewers should be
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 prepared for its graphic nature.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 The inclusion of such historical footage adds
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 an undeniable authenticity to the narrative
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 and forces viewers to confront the real
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 world horrors that that necessitated these
00:03:12 --> 00:03:12 trials.
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 Director James Vanderbilt, working from Jack
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 EL Hay's non fiction book the Nazi and the
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 Psychiatrist, crafts a taught psychological
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 thriller that also serves as an important
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 historical document. The film
00:03:27 --> 00:03:30 meticulously details the challenges faced by
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 the Allies in mounting this groundbreaking
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 prosecution, including numerous
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 tactical mistakes and procedural difficulties
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 that complicated their efforts. At two and
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 a half hours long, the film maintains its
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 grip throughout, offering a thorough
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 examination of this pivotal moment in legal
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 and world history. The movie
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 particularly excels in showing the immense
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 pressure faced by the American and British
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 authorities to get this right,
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 to ensure that justice would be served in a
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 way that would stand up to historical
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 scrutiny. Through careful attention to detail
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 and and strong performances across the board,
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 it illustrates both the procedural challenges
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 and the psychological toll on those
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 tasked with bringing these war criminals to
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 justice. The film effectively
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 conveys the historic significance of
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 establishing legal precedents for prosecuting
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 crimes against humanity. Most
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 importantly, Nuremberg serves as a powerful
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 reminder of why these trials were necessary
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 and and why their legacy must be preserved.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 It stands as a testament to the importance of
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 holding accountable those who commit crimes
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 against humanity, while also exploring the
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 psychological complexities of evil and those
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 who must confront it directly. The film's
00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 M rating reflects its mature themes and
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 disturbing content, earning it an 8
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 1/2 out of 10 rating for its compelling
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 portrayal of this crucial historical event
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 and and the psychological drama at its core.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 The adaptation successfully balances its
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 exploration of Goering's psychology with the
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 broader historical significance of the
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 Nuremberg Trials, creating a compelling
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 narrative that forces viewers to confront
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 difficult questions about human nature,
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 justice and accountability. Through
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 its careful attention to historical detail
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 and powerful performances, the film
00:05:28 --> 00:05:31 delivers an important message and about the
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 necessity of bearing witness to historical
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 atrocities and ensuring justice is served,
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 no matter how challenging the process may be.
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 You've been listening to movies first
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 available at Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 iHeartRadio or your favourite podcast
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 player. You can also stream on
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 demand@bytes.com this has been another
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 quality podcast production from
00:05:55 --> 00:05:56 bytes.com.