Very Hollywood in its form (magnificent settings, dusty prison, etc.), James Vanderbilt’s production stands out from the classic trial film by the richness of its approaches, thanks to a remarkable script construction. From a historical perspective, the film explains why the Allies took the risk of giving the Nazis a platform, rather than hanging them all immediately.
The victors are convinced that, without a trial, the Germans will once again feel humiliated, as by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, and that history would then repeat itself. But to avoid this, we must counter Göring, master of rhetoric and hypocrisy, capable of turning the accusations around in this unique trial in the history of humanity.
A psychological thriller
To enrich the subject, Nuremberg is also constructed as a psychological thriller. A battle of arms between two men who are completely opposed to each other and are determined to make their vision of the world triumph. On the one hand, Göring (Russel Crowe), extremely manipulative, friendly, joking, polite, intelligent, precise, madly in love with his wife and daughter, appears far from the cliché of the vociferous war leader. “I wasn’t arrested, I surrendered, I’m exactly where I want to be.”he says arrogantly. On the other, Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek), ready for any psychological pressure to unravel the intentions of his adversary in order to allow Judge Jackson (Michael Shannon) to knock the Reichsmarschall off his pedestal and prevent him from leaving his legacy in what journalists are already calling “the greatest show on Earth. “If we could psychologically define what evil is, we could ensure that such an atrocity never happens again.”he explains.
Confessions of the Nazi shrink
Intelligently, Nuremberg (from the book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai) also poses painful questions, both on a human and political level. Were the Nazi leaders all bloodthirsty madmen or fairly ordinary men drunk with power and devoid of scruples? Are they the products of an era, of an ideology, or can they come back in any country, with other ideologies but the same objectives, or in other sectors like the economy, for example? The more the plot progresses, the more each spectator is led to draw parallels with the current world.
“Contrary to popular belief, the Allies did not choose Nuremberg for its Nazi past”: look back at an extraordinary trial
Finally, how can we not highlight Russell Crowe‘s performance, infinitely subtle, sometimes charming, sometimes authoritarian? Faced with a Rami Malek who is a little too monolithic, in a role that nevertheless involves high risks, the New Zealander proves once again that he is one of the greatest contemporary actors.
Nuremberg
Historical drama Screenplay and direction James Vanderbilt (after The Nazi and the Psychiatrist de Jack El-Hai) Photography Dariusz Wolski Musique Bryan Tyler Montage Tom Eagles With Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, Leo Woodall, Mark O’Brien… Duration 2h28
