Editing Judgment at Nuremberg (section)

==Reception==
The [[world premiere]] was held on December 14, 1961, at the {{lang|de|[[Haus der Kulturen der Welt|Kongresshalle]]}} in [[West Berlin]], Germany.<ref name="la times dec 14" /> 300 journalists from 22 countries were in attendance<ref name="la times dec 24">{{cite journal |last=Scott |first=John L. |date=December 24, 1961 |title=Berlin 'Judgment' Draws Jas, Neins |journal=[[Los Angeles Times]] |page=Calendar, p. 4 }}</ref> and earphones offering the soundtrack dubbed in German, Spanish, Italian and French were made available.<ref name="la times dec 14" /> The reaction from the audience was reportedly subdued, with some applauding at the finish, but most of the Germans in attendance leaving in silence.<ref name="la times dec 24" />

Kramer's film received positive reviews from critics and was lauded as a straight reconstruction of the famous trials of Nazi war criminals. The cast was especially praised, including Tracy, Lancaster, Schell, Clift and Garland. The film's release was perfectly timed, as its subject coincided with the trial and conviction in Israel of Nazi [[Schutzstaffel|SS]] officer [[Adolf Eichmann]].

[[Bosley Crowther]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' declared it "a powerful, persuasive film" with "a stirring, sobering message to the world".<ref>{{cite journal |last=Crowther |first=Bosley |authorlink=Bosley Crowther |date=December 20, 1961 |title=The Screen: 'Judgment at Nuremberg' |journal=[[The New York Times]] |page=36 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1961/12/20/archives/the-screen-judgment-at-nurembergpalace-shows-stanley-kramer.html |access-date=2024-02-18}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote: "With the most painful pages of modern history as its bitter basis, Abby Mann's intelligent, thought-provoking screenplay is a grim reminder of man's responsibility to denounce grave evils of which he is aware. The lesson is carefully, tastefully and upliftingly told via Kramer's large-scale production."<ref>{{cite journal |date=October 18, 1961 |title=Judgment at Nuremberg |journal=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=6 }}</ref> ''[[Harrison's Reports]]'' awarded its top grade of "Excellent", praising Kramer for employing "an ingenious device of fluid direction" and Spencer Tracy for "a performance of compelling substance".<ref>{{cite journal |date=October 21, 1961 |title=Film Review: Judgment at Nuremberg |journal=[[Harrison's Reports]] |page=166 }}</ref>

[[Brendan Gill]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'' called the film "a bold and, despite its great length, continuously exciting picture", which asks questions that "are among the biggest that can be asked and are no less fresh and thrilling for being thousands of years old". Gill added that the cast was so loaded with stars "that it occasionally threatens to turn into a judicial ''[[Grand Hotel (1932 film)|Grand Hotel]]''. Luckily, they all work hard to stay inside their roles."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Gill |first=Brendan |date=December 23, 1961 |title=The Current Cinema |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |page=68 }}</ref> [[Richard L. Coe]] of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' declared it "an extraordinary film, both in concept and handling. Those who see this at the [[Warner Theatre (Washington, D.C.)|Warner]] will recognize that the screen has been put to noble use."<ref>{{cite news |last=Coe |first=Richard L. |date=February 15, 1962 |title='Nuremberg' Is Great Film |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |page=D6 }}</ref>

''[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' of Britain dissented, writing in a mostly negative review that "this large-scale trial film undermines faith in its philosophical and historical merit by colouring the better part of its message with hackneyed court-room hysteria", explaining that "in a series of contrived scenes&nbsp;... the point is hammered home right down to the last shock-cut. The same specious technique (zoom-lens shots and camera-circlings predominant) and showmanship turn the trial into little more than a travesty—notably in the melodramatic switch in the character of Janning."<ref>{{cite journal |date=February 1962 |title=Judgment at Nuremberg |journal=[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]] |volume=29 |issue=337 |page=19 }}</ref>

The film grossed $6 million in the United States and $10 million in worldwide release.<ref>{{cite web |title=Box office / business for Judgment at Nuremberg |website=[[IMDb]] |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055031/business |access-date=21 February 2016 |archive-date=31 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331203717/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055031/business |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The television network premiere of the film was shown on [[ABC (TV station)|ABC]] on 7 March 1965; it was interrupted to show news footage of the violence on [[Selma to Montgomery marches#"Bloody Sunday" events|"Bloody Sunday"]] during the [[Selma to Montgomery marches]].<ref name=Politico13>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/this-day-in-politics-088518 |title=600 begin Selma-to-Montgomery march, March 7, 1965 |first=Andrew |last=Glass |date=7 March 2013 |work=[[Politico]] |accessdate=28 April 2021}}</ref> The juxtaposition of the film about Nazi atrocities and the news footage of violence against African-American people resulted in sympathy and greater support for the civil-rights cause.<ref name="Combs2013">{{cite book |first=Barbara Harris |last=Combs |title=From Selma to Montgomery: The Long March to Freedom |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WgQ3AgAAQBAJ |date=26 November 2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-17376-9 |page=40}}</ref><ref name="Raymond2015">{{cite book |first=Emilie |last=Raymond |title=Stars for Freedom: Hollywood, Black Celebrities, and the Civil Rights Movement |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GxA1CgAAQBAJ |date=8 June 2015 |publisher=[[University of Washington Press]] |isbn=978-0-295-80607-5 |page=195}}</ref>