Judgment at Nuremberg - Starring Spencer Tracy

Judgment at Nuremberg

I love films that Spencer Tracy is in.  He often seems to pick films that have very worthwhile concepts to discuss.

This is a film about the trails at Nuremberg for the Nazi leaders after World War II.  One of the many themes of this movie is personal responsibility and whether people should have to have consequences for their actions and pay some kind of restitution; or whether the guilt of one is the guilt of all, and no one should throw the first stone.

Does the concept of obeying orders of government relieve a person of the responsibility of obeying the commandments of God?  To whom to we owe our greatest loyalty? 

Does might make right?  Because something is expedient does that make it right?

Here is the official trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfOgZXIQ6fo

Here are some quotes that I love from the movie

** Judge Haytood – “There are those in our own country, too..who today speak of the protection of country, of survival.  A decision must be made in the life of every nation...at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy...to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way.

      The answer to that is: Survival as what? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult.

       

      Before the people of the world…let it now be noted...that here in our decision, this is what we stand for: Justice...truth...and the value of a single human being.”

** Judge Haywood – “But to be logical is not to be right.  

And nothing on God's earth could ever make it right.”

** Herr Jenning – “I never knew it would come to that. 

You must believe it.”

Judge Haywood - “Herr Janning...

it came to that the first time you sentenced a man to death...you knew to be innocent.”