How could someone as terrible as Hitler come into power? What’s the attraction?
In the film “Nuremberg,” Hitler’s #2 man — Hermann Goering (Russell Crowe), in prison awaiting trial for war crimes — has an answer.
“He promised we can reclaim our glory,” says Goering. “Wouldn’t you follow a man like this?”
The year is 1945 and Hitler is dead. More than 70 million people have died in World War II…more than any other conflict in history. An American psychiatrist, Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) is charged with evaluating imprisoned Nazi defendants who are awaiting trial for crimes against humanity — the first of its kind. Executing the men would have been easier, but U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson (Michael Shannon) is dead-set on trying the Nazis for their crimes on a world stage.
This way, everyone can see what these men have done. Then maybe it won’t happen again.
Kelley’s biggest responsibility is keeping an eye on Hermann Goering, a portly, manipulative narcissist who promises he will “escape the hangman’s noose.” Kelley and the sly, slick Goering — who worked directly under Hitler — develop a close, even friendly, relationship and Kelley comes to a disturbing conclusion. From a psychiatric perspective, the Nazis were not uniquely evil.
Instead, Kelley finds the Nazis to be surprisingly normal opportunists who “exist in every country of the world, who would willingly climb over the corpses of half of the public if they could gain control of the other half.”
Despite the heartbreaking and horrific topics the film explores, director James Vanderbilt keeps the momentum going. And although we probably know the outcome, we aren’t necessarily convinced that justice will prevail. Goering is too confident, he’s too wicked and too smart. Kelley even tells a journalist that Justice Jackson doesn’t stand a chance.
I couldn’t help but think, it shouldn’t be so hard to get the bad guys. And more importantly, what responsibility do everyday people have in their rise to power?
Kelley’s German interpreter, Sgt. Howard Triest (Leo Woodall), sums up the situation nicely. We learn at the end of the film that, despite his blonde hair and blue eyes, he is Jewish and barely escaped the Holocaust with his life. It’s clear who he blames.
“People let it happen,” he says. “They didn’t stand up to them until it was too late.”
Movie Times: Click here
Genre: Drama
Director: James Vanderbilt
Actors: Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Rami Malek, Leo Woodall
Running Time: 2 hours and 28 minutes
Rating: PG-13
