“Madame Bertholt” performed by Marlene Dietrich gave up her German citizenship in 1937 and spent much of her life helping other refugees, fundraising, supporting the Allied cause and entertaining Allied troops.
I had forgotten how many heavy hitters were in this movie: Burt Lancaster, Spencer Tracy, Maximillian Schell...plus for American audiences Werner Klemperer (Kolonel Klink from "Hogan's Heroes") William Shatner from "Star Trek" and one of my all-time favorite actors Richard Widmark (the prosecutor). Great writing, great movie, great reaction.
A brilliant film with a deep message. Legal professionals often try to shield each other from the law, whether out of professional courtesy, sympathy, or fear of someday having to defend themselves in court for prior official choices. So it was very rare in history that they came together and chose to prosecute "kangaroo" judges rather than leave it to history. They asserted that law is not an arbitrary exercise of state power, and must be rooted in the truth and fundamental human rights to have authority.
Rudolph Petersen was played by Montgomery Clift, he was a great actor, watch him in From Here to Eternity, (Burt Lancaster was also in that movie). Clift had a serious car accident that scarred his face and left him in pain. He became addicted to pain killers, which he crushed and put in a drink, vodka and orange juice. Supposedly he was under the influence when this being filmed.
This was originally presented as a one-hour live TV drama with Claud Raines in the Spencer Tracy role (whose mic was turned of when he spoke the word "gas chamber" because the show was sponsored by Westinghouse who made gas stoves and was afraid of the audience making a connection) and later revived as a stage play with Maximilian Schell in the Burt Lancaster role.
I would love to see you react to Young Mr. Lincoln. Based on a Murder case, where Abraham Lincoln defended brothers charged with murder. Excellent film.
That's What She Said: don't know if you'd like this movie, it's another old (1960) movie, again with Spencer Tracy, based on an actual trial, the 'Scopes Monkey Trial' on the illegal teaching of Darwin's Theory of Evolution: "Inherit the Wind". It took place in the 1920s in rural USA. You might find it amusing, or interesting, or fascinating, but I think you'll both enjoy it. Thank you for your always enjoyable 'reactions'. I look forward to many more. If you want to enjoy something much different, one of my favorite movies (with Barbra Streisand and Nick Nolte) is: "Prince of Tides," about a dysfunctional 'southern' family. It's definitely worth your time to watch!🤫
The performance of Spencer Tracy and Fredric March make "Inherit the Wind" a must watch movie, though a dramatized version of the real case, they did a great job of hitting all the major points and spirit of the real trial, strange "Scopes Monkey Trial" will be 100 years old next year, Tennessee is trying to turn the clock back 100 years, and yes I am from Tennessee.
This is a great one for how important the subject and how quickly it was forgotten afterwards. Looking forward to seeing your guy's opinions of this one. Great film.
@ptthatswhatshesaid Same, I'm surprised we weren't all shown this film in highschool. Maybe be they didn't want to encourage us to judge each other at the time.
Your might enjoy these two courtroom dramas: "Fury" with Spencer Tracy (Judge Jackson here) about a criminal trial after a lynching, made in 1936 and "Witness For The Prosecution" released in 1957 with Marlene Dietrich (Mrs Bertholt in this film) and adaptation of an Agatha Christi mystery novel, with the best surprise ending I've ever seen. 6:01 The actor playing Emil Hahn was Werner Klemperer who was a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany and an orchestra conductor like his father. He went on to play several Nazi characters in movies and TV during 1950's and 60's.
Thank you! Not many reactors to this spectacular film. I first saw it in law school and it influenced me a great deal. One big lesson from this is that there IS a HIGHER law, and that FOLLOWING the law, that is, a national law and following orders, can nevertheless be criminal and a violation of that greater, higher law.
In our law school we called it "natural law". I remember doing an assignment about it and using the Nuremberg trials as examples! But I wish I had seen this movie sooner, its fantastic! 👌🏻
The actor, Montgomery Clift, who played the witness who had been forcibly sterilized, starred as Sigmund Freud, in an excellent movie from the following year, 1962, which tells the story of how Freud's experiences with his patients caused him to form his theories step by step. It shows how when Freud was a young physician, the prevailing opinion was that every mental problem had a physical cause.
My thanks to both of you for your reactions to this film. Most of it is very difficult t watch for obvious reasons. Each of you had deep and meaningful thoughts on the serious and compelling subject matter. Very impressive! I am now a subscriber to your channel.
As always, I enjoyed your thoughtful comments. I saw this in the theater with my parents when it came out, at the age of 7, or possibly 8. I don’t remember whether I prevailed on them to take me, or if they thought it would be educational for me. World War II was still very close to children in my era, and I had three close relatives who fought in Europe. I remember being bored by the movie, although the headphones and translation aspect seemed science-fictional to me at the time. Later, as a young adult, I saw it again at the AFI theater during a Spencer Tracy festival and fully appreciated the importance of the movie. Tracy, who has been my favorite actor since childhood, played the chief judge. I highly recommend a truly amazing book, “The Nuremberg Interviews” (Knopf, 2004). It compiles interviews with 50 of the prisoners on trial, conducted by a psychologist, Leon Goldensohn. Although little known by the public, this is one of the most important historical documents of the Holocaust, in my opinion.
The actor playing the feebleminded guy was Montgomery Clift, who was one of the great American actors. When this film came out, it was before most people had seen concentration camp footage - it was very shocking. This was one of the best-written films ever made, and it's message is eternally relevant - especially now.
He never did recover from the serious auto accident that disfigured his face. Look at pictures of him before 1957 and then after. He was a better actor than just his looks as this scene demonstrates.
A lot of very well known actors, the one you mentioned was Maximilian Schell, Richard Widmark is the prosecution lawyer, the one who did not recognise the court was Burt Lancaster. The young military man was William Shatner (who became famous as Captain Kirk in Star Trek). From what I heard the English is very well translated into German. The top judge is Spencer Tracy an excellent actor who played the old man in the film "The Old Man and the Sea". Mrs Berthold was played by Marlene Dietrich. Many of the German actors who played the various roles must have strongly believed that they were helping the world by showing what happened.
Maximilliam schell won a best actor oscar for this film playing the defense attorney. It is incredible not bevause he was not a good actor but because the cast included oscar winners or nominees like spencer tracy who plays the judge and was also nominated for this film, judy garland nominated for this film as supporting actress, Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Cliff nominated for this film as best supporting actor.
Such a great choice!! Burt Lancaster had another role that isn't often reacted to "The Birdman of Alcatraz" 1962 a true story about a man serving part of a life sentence in Alcatraz a true story based on a book.
There are many of the very best actors & actresses of that era in this film. Including the judge (Spencer Tracy, who was considered to be one the greatest film actors of all time..obviously older in this movie.)
Though basically a dramatic actor up to that point, Werner Klemperer achieved fame in his Emmy-winning comic role of Col. Klink in the sit-com HOGAN'S HEROES.
A great reaction and discussion as always. I can see that you're not "Star Trek" fans. You didn't recognize the young assistant Capt. Harrison Byers as the actor William Shatner who played Captain Kirk in the "Star Trek" original series.
This film was made the year I was born - it's so strange to think how soon it was after the war. I knew about the lampshades - it was once of those things whispered in horror when I was a child.
Thank you. As a retired prosecutor of 33 years in the US, I had forgotten the power of this movie. Your editing, comments and observations brought back to me its importance. I wish there was a similar movie dealing with Nazi doctors and the compromises they too made in violation of their professional oaths.
If you liked Spenser Tracy's performance I reccommend Bad Day at Black Rock, Captians Couragous , Old Man and the Sea. Speaking of Captians, you saw a very young William Shatner
I've loved "Captains Courageous" (1937) since I first saw it 60 years ago. Based on a timeless coming-of-age story by Rudyard Kipling, it still gets to me after 25 view. BTW, Tracy's heroic portrayal of Portuguese fisherman Manuel Fidello won him the Oscar for Best Actor!
Thank you for this reaction, one of my favorite movies. A good movie about how media can influence a criminal investigation Absence of Malice (1981). There are not any courtroom scenes but a good move about prosecutorial misconduct and media manipulation.
I was a little boy in 1961. I didn't see this film until years later, but I do remember the reviews in 1961. (In USA) Most reviews were good, but many criticized how "human" the Yanning character was. Of course THAT was the point of the film. Sure, everyone wanted to hate the Germans (even in 1961), but the truth of what happened was more complicated than "good & evil. Which your discussion showed that you understand. Well done.
@@ptthatswhatshesaid In the US previous decisions (if they haven't been overruled by later decisions) are called "precedent". I suspect the judicial process is essentially the same. In the US there are two basic kinds of law -- mandatory and persuasive. Constitutions are mandatory. Statutes, which implement Constitutional provisions, are mandatory. Case law -- judge-made law -- is persuasive. Case law and statutes from other jurisdictions, such as other states -- "foreign" law -- are "persuasive".
A serious classic. And especially relevant today. A companion piece to this might be the 2001 movie Conspiracy based on the true story of the Wannsee Conference where essentially a bunch of lawyers got together to decide how they were going to enact the Final Solution.
Great reaction. This film is a way of looking at what happened n Germany from the judges who applied laws with no remorse while they sentenced people instead of standing up. Yes, it would have been hard. Someone wrote that for evil to thrive, it only takes good people to do nothing.
Thanks for reacting to this. If you are looking for another great old film with a legal setting, you should really check out Anatomy of a Murder. Great cast and script with a semi-cynical, but realistic view of the American legal system. You won’t regret it.
It's so weird seeing the actor Werner Klemperer playing such a dramatic role when he would later play the incompetent and fumbling Colonel Klink in Hogan's Heroes
Two "courtroom" films I recommend for their mature intelligence and complexity -- both struggle with rescuing justice and the rule of law from politics: "The Verdict" (1980s), with Paul Newman in probably his greatest performance -- has an excellent screenplay. Directed by the same director who directed "12 Angry Men". "A Man for All Seasons". About the conflict between Sir ("Saint") Thomas More and Henry the VIII over Henry wanting another Papal dispensation to divorce his then-wife so he could marry Anne Boleyn. Cinematography is gorgeous; and the screenplay is a splendid exploration of ethical reasoning and why law exists. Screenplay by Robert Bolt, who co-authored the screenplay of "Lawrence of Arabia." Excerpts: _____ Roper was Thomas More's hot-headed and impulsive son-in-law -- Roper: So now you'd give the Devil benefit of law! More: Yes. What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil? Roper: I'd cut down every law in England to do that! More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you -- where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country's planted thick with laws, from coast to coast -- man's laws, not God's -- and if you cut them down -- and you're just the man to do it -- do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake. _____ Imprisoned by Henry VIII for refusing to swear oath to the Act of Succession (Henry making himself head of the church), More is visited by his daughter, Margaret ("Meg"), who urges him to say the words of the oath but think otherwise in his heart. "After all," she argues, “God more regards the thoughts of the heart than the words of the mouth.” More: "What is an oath then but words we say to God? When a man takes an oath, Meg, he’s holding his own self in his own hands. Like water (he cups his hands). And if he opens his fingers then (spreads fingers) he needn’t hope to find himself again. Some men aren’t capable of this, but I’d be loath to think your father one of them. "Listen, Meg: If we lived in a state where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us saintly. But since we see that avarice, anger, pride, and stupidity commonly profit far beyond charity, modesty, justice, and thought, perhaps we must stand fast a little, even at the risk of being heroes." _____ US director Fred Zinneman. All-English cast. Won 6 Oscars. In terms of ethics and the power struggle between More and Henry -- and the stakes -- it is epic, even towering. So many dimensions -- freedom of conscience (More as a Catholic) v. Divine Right of Kings (Henry as a Catholic). "God" divided against "Himself".
Judges don't "make laws". What I think you meant was that judges can set Precedent when they rule in cases. If it's a new sort of ruling, legal precedent can by used by later courts or lawyers in similar cases as an example of how the court should interpret the case in court. Precedents aren't carved in stone though and can be ignored, but courts tend to be conservative when overturned previous precedent without a really good new interpretation of the ruling being handed down.
I made a comment which I then removed as it became clear that your understanding was changing. You do fine reaction videos especially about law related subjects.
Thank you very much ☺️ I was only able to check the comments now, so I don't think I catched your previous comment xD Im curious about what it was. I do apologize if it was something that we did not express well 😅 sometimes english can be tricky for us
Never heard of Night of the Generals but sounds interesting 🤔 Conspiracy is a great movie and we have already reacted to it (although it is currently only in our Patreon)
Now that is a question that probably needs an essay to answer. We are in no shape or form specialists on the subject. Will try to at least put some info here though ☺️ - for a long time our population in general did not question or argued much when given orders. - the education levels of the population where very, very low, with a high number of people who did not even knew how to read or write (not nowadays of course, but it took a few generations) - so when a lot of things do not work correctly (especially public infrastructure), nothing is done about it. It is just considered a part of life. An infinite bureaucratic red tape 😑
I highly recommend the film "Nuts" (1987), starring Barbra Streisand and Richard Dreyfuss. A riveting drama about a court determining the mental competency of a call girl (Streisand) accused of murdering one of her "clients". Outstanding cast! Barbra Streisand as Claudia Draper Richard Dreyfuss as Aaron Levinsky (Claudia's lawyer) Maureen Stapleton as Rose Kirk (Claudia's mother) Karl Malden as Arthur Kirk (Claudia's step-father) James Whitmore as Judge Stanley Murdoch (Whitmore was Brooks in "The Shawshank Redemption") Eli Wallach as Dr. Herbert Morrison
Hitler did not build the Autobahn, nor were the autobahns Hitler's idea. The very first controlled-access motorway ever built in Germany, was the route between Cologne and Bonn, and it was completed in 1932. Furthermore, the idea for the construction of the Autobahn was conceived as early as the mid-1920s. On the subject of how much the rank-and-file German citizenry knew about Nazi atrocities, in the case of the concentration camps, virtually everyone in Germany knew about them, they were written about in the German newspapers, and more often than not, they were built right outside and even in the middle of cities, towns, villages, hamlets all over the country, in full view of the public. Dachau is right there in the town, Sachsenhausen is right there in Oranienburg. Furthermore, historians are now of the opinion that the Holocaust was an open secret among the regular German citizenry by 1943 at the latest.
@@steelydanlover1972 specificaly the extermination let's say, Im sure it had to be common knowledge that there was concentration camps. I just thought that people back then saw them more like prisons
@@ptthatswhatshesaid On the subject of the concentration camps, Robert Gellately wrote in his 2001 book _Backing Hitler: Consent and Coercion in Nazi Germany_, that the German public initially understood that Nazi concentration camps were educative institutions for criminals. However, despite censorship, the German public eventually came to understand that if you were imprisoned in a concentration camp there was a very good chance that you die. Prisoners began to appear in public spaces such as factories and city streets, and they often wore distinctive clothing with badges that signified their nationality and crime. The nature of concentration camps was made further obvious by the SS's public displays of violence towards inmates. Numerous interviews with German people mention either a cruel or murderous incident between guards and inmates. Usually, the inmate was beaten to death or shot for either disobeying or being unable to work. On the subject of the death camps, Auschwitz, Bełżec, Chełmno , Majdanek, Sobibór, Treblinka, in 2008, Peter Fritzsche stated in _The Holocaust and the Knowledge of Murder_, an article in The Journal of Modern History, that Peter Longerich purports that it was not widely known that Jews were exterminated using gas chambers. David Bankier purports that by 1943, gas as a killing method was widely discussed, although there were inaccuracies that gave rise to misconceptions of how the gassings were practiced. Reports and interviews only have vague and infrequent references to victims being gassed in cattle trucks of trains in tunnels. This information, if disseminated, was done so via foreign broadcasts and rumours from soldiers. Indictment of German individuals reveal that some of the public knew of the gas chambers, but were censored.[26] In the Munich Special Court in 1943, a woman recalls discussing foreign broadcasts with her neighbour which outlined how Jewish women and children were segregated from the Aryan population and then killed with gas. In 1944, also in the Munich Special Court, an Augsburg furniture removal man was indicted of having declared that the "Führer" was a mass-murderer who had Jews loaded into a wagon and exterminated by gas.
(I am 70 years old) My father was in Patton's 3rd Army 1941-1946 ( 687th FAB)..... One of his last duties in Europe was assisting with the "clean up " Of the newly liberated Buchenwald camp..... A table was set up at the front of the camp showing Shrunken heads and assorted "skin trophies" The Bitch of Buchenwald”: Ilse Koch had "collected"... She would select people with tattoos and have them killed. then tan those hides and make framed pictures, A LAMP SHADE etc.....So there is that....
This was a fantastic Reaction to a very important historically relevant movie. When the Government is allowed to use their 'supposedly blind' justice system to achieve political objectives, then none of the Citizens in that Country are safe. I am NOT a lawyer, however as a security person who is also a Professional Engineer, I am glad I watched this movie when I was at the formative age of 13. It set me on the path of Political Independence throughout my life - for example, I have never belonged to a Political Party in my birth Country, the United States. This movie also reminds me of my extreme fears fears of where my Country was headed if the recent use of the legal system had succeeded (and expanded) had been successful. Without a fair, and blind justice system, a Country is destined to perish.
Couldn't agree more! Having a blind justice system is extremely important to maintain a free society. We cannot fall in the error of deviating from that because of a greater good or political agenda. I liked the political independence term you used, especially because at the time I and a lot of people that I know feel what we call political homelessness 😅 But yes, following blindly a political party is madness, as an individual its normal to not agree with everything anyway 🤷♂️
Respect! There are not that many reactors deep-diving into this subject with a film like this. If you wanna see more about that time period on a similar level, try "Wannseekonferenz", the latest film about that infamous meeting released in 2022. I believe it's internationally available on many streaming sites. The trailer can be found here on YT too. (I think the English title is just "The Conference". It's even the full movie with english subtitles here on YT: ua-cam.com/video/pTxliHbPHhU/v-deo.htmlsi=_OdE3a6rASJs6zPf)
@@ptthatswhatshesaid Correct. But there have been many movies about this event over many decades, all in their own unique style, like this one chosing to have no film music at all. You'll see bureaucrats decide the fate of millions of people while bickering over jurisdictions, work capacities of their departments and administrative units and who has the hardest "job" of them all. In a way it's even more disturbing than seeing what was done in the camps. There is a chance some things might get lost in translation via subtitles because it's the language, the words and how they are being spoken that make watching this movie a horrifying experience. Great acting and impressive set work on the actual location in the original room in the original villa on that lake near Berlin.
Montgomery Clift was a great actor whose career was cut short because he was gay at a time when that was not accepted, and he also had a drinking problem and almost died in a near fatal car accident. Elizabeth Taylor saved his life because he was choking to death right after the crash, and she cleared his throat so he could breathe. He had restorative plastic surgery on his face, but his scars impacted his career.
After watching this reaction to the very end. I am extremely proud of my Country, the United States, for having the majority of those who voted in our recent election, making a decision that will likely save our Country 🙂, however, I know that many (but not a majority) of my fellow citizens agree that legal freedoms should not be sacrificed to meet a political objective.
PE4Doers is gloating about the triumph of a felon with a history of calling for political violence against his opponents and demonizing minorities so that he can amass power. Save our country? The United States is sacrificing the principle that law applies equally to everyone, and PE4Doers is gleefully goosestepping along the same path that Germans did in 1933.
Basically the problem with America and Nazism are two things: First, Americans act like they bore the brunt of the war, while the brunt of the war was taken by Europe and Russia. America took very little and gave the least sacrifices. They only took the atomic bomb from the Jews and dropped it on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to demonstrate world power. It was the perfect time for conquest for these imperialist ego-capital maniacs. Yes, by dropping the atomic bombs and thus ending the war they saved perhaps millions more lives. But anyway, after that they drained the world's resources to create and then maintain their so-called "American dream". And second: in their American propaganda, Americans very skillfully manage to hide the fact that it was America that took all the inventions of the Reich and adapted them to their daily life. However, great reaction again. Despite everything, the film is well made. Respect to these old school first-class actors. For art there are no boundaries, neither skin color, ethnicity or culture.
One of my favourite group casts ever assembled. A sombre, powerful film and still holds up well.
For more courtroom Spencer Tracey, watch the 1960 film "Inherit the Wind", another Stanley Kramer gem.
“Madame Bertholt” performed by Marlene Dietrich gave up her German citizenship in 1937 and spent much of her life helping other refugees, fundraising, supporting the Allied cause and entertaining Allied troops.
Pronounced "Mar-lane-ah."
Hitler and the Nazis hated what she did, because she was one of Germany’s brightest stars.
I had forgotten how many heavy hitters were in this movie: Burt Lancaster, Spencer Tracy, Maximillian Schell...plus for American audiences Werner Klemperer (Kolonel Klink from "Hogan's Heroes") William Shatner from "Star Trek" and one of my all-time favorite actors Richard Widmark (the prosecutor). Great writing, great movie, great reaction.
Great film, great script and great actors! I agree with all that 👌🏻
A brilliant film with a deep message. Legal professionals often try to shield each other from the law, whether out of professional courtesy, sympathy, or fear of someday having to defend themselves in court for prior official choices. So it was very rare in history that they came together and chose to prosecute "kangaroo" judges rather than leave it to history. They asserted that law is not an arbitrary exercise of state power, and must be rooted in the truth and fundamental human rights to have authority.
Another great courtroom movie based on a real trial. And also staring Spencer Tracy is "INHERENT THE WIND" I think you two would enjoy it very much.
Rudolph Petersen was played by Montgomery Clift, he was a great actor, watch him in From Here to Eternity, (Burt Lancaster was also in that movie). Clift had a serious car accident that scarred his face and left him in pain. He became addicted to pain killers, which he crushed and put in a drink, vodka and orange juice. Supposedly he was under the influence when this being filmed.
He was fantastic in this one! Definitely need to check more movies with him
@@ptthatswhatshesaid Definitely do that.
This was originally presented as a one-hour live TV drama with Claud Raines in the Spencer Tracy role (whose mic was turned of when he spoke the word "gas chamber" because the show was sponsored by Westinghouse who made gas stoves and was afraid of the audience making a connection) and later revived as a stage play with Maximilian Schell in the Burt Lancaster role.
Thank you so very much for reacting to this classic film with a message the world needs to be reminded of as often as possible.
I would love to see you react to Young Mr. Lincoln. Based on a Murder case, where Abraham Lincoln defended brothers charged with murder. Excellent film.
That was a very entertaining film.
Never heard of it. Thank you for the suggestion ☺️
Spencer Tracy's military aid is played by William Shatner who became famous as Capt. James T. Kirk in STAR TREK.
I only realized that after watching the movie 🤦🏻♂️
The German lawyer, Maximillian Schell, should be "very good" indeed. He won an Oscar.
Great review of one of the finest Hollywood 'epics' that had no chase scene or special effects. Movies in B&W can be compelling.
Yes, very compeling from beginning to end 👌🏻
That's What She Said: don't know if you'd like this movie, it's another old (1960) movie, again with Spencer Tracy, based on an actual trial, the 'Scopes Monkey Trial' on the illegal teaching of Darwin's Theory of Evolution: "Inherit the Wind". It took place in the 1920s in rural USA. You might find it amusing, or interesting, or fascinating, but I think you'll both enjoy it. Thank you for your always enjoyable 'reactions'. I look forward to many more.
If you want to enjoy something much different, one of my favorite movies (with Barbra Streisand and Nick Nolte) is: "Prince of Tides," about a dysfunctional 'southern' family. It's definitely worth your time to watch!🤫
Thank you so very much 🤗
The performance of Spencer Tracy and Fredric March make "Inherit the Wind" a must watch movie, though a dramatized version of the real case, they did a great job of hitting all the major points and spirit of the real trial, strange "Scopes Monkey Trial" will be 100 years old next year, Tennessee is trying to turn the clock back 100 years, and yes I am from Tennessee.
This is a great one for how important the subject and how quickly it was forgotten afterwards. Looking forward to seeing your guy's opinions of this one.
Great film.
Im amazed that I had never heard of this movie! Such quality script and performances 👌🏻
@ptthatswhatshesaid Same, I'm surprised we weren't all shown this film in highschool.
Maybe be they didn't want to encourage us to judge each other at the time.
Your might enjoy these two courtroom dramas: "Fury" with Spencer Tracy (Judge Jackson here) about a criminal trial after a lynching, made in 1936 and "Witness For The Prosecution" released in 1957 with Marlene Dietrich (Mrs Bertholt in this film) and adaptation of an Agatha Christi mystery novel, with the best surprise ending I've ever seen. 6:01 The actor playing Emil Hahn was Werner Klemperer who was a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany and an orchestra conductor like his father. He went on to play several Nazi characters in movies and TV during 1950's and 60's.
Thank you! Not many reactors to this spectacular film. I first saw it in law school and it influenced me a great deal. One big lesson from this is that there IS a HIGHER law, and that FOLLOWING the law, that is, a national law and following orders, can nevertheless be criminal and a violation of that greater, higher law.
In our law school we called it "natural law". I remember doing an assignment about it and using the Nuremberg trials as examples!
But I wish I had seen this movie sooner, its fantastic! 👌🏻
Congratulations for presenting this film !
The actor, Montgomery Clift, who played the witness who had been forcibly sterilized, starred as Sigmund Freud, in an excellent movie from the following year, 1962, which tells the story of how Freud's experiences with his patients caused him to form his theories step by step. It shows how when Freud was a young physician, the prevailing opinion was that every mental problem had a physical cause.
My thanks to both of you for your reactions to this film. Most of it is very difficult t watch for obvious reasons. Each of you had deep and meaningful thoughts on the serious and compelling subject matter. Very impressive! I am now a subscriber to your channel.
Thank you very much ☺️🙏🏻
And welcome!
As always, I enjoyed your thoughtful comments. I saw this in the theater with my parents when it came out, at the age of 7, or possibly 8. I don’t remember whether I prevailed on them to take me, or if they thought it would be educational for me. World War II was still very close to children in my era, and I had three close relatives who fought in Europe. I remember being bored by the movie, although the headphones and translation aspect seemed science-fictional to me at the time. Later, as a young adult, I saw it again at the AFI theater during a Spencer Tracy festival and fully appreciated the importance of the movie. Tracy, who has been my favorite actor since childhood, played the chief judge.
I highly recommend a truly amazing book, “The Nuremberg Interviews” (Knopf, 2004). It compiles interviews with 50 of the prisoners on trial, conducted by a psychologist, Leon Goldensohn. Although little known by the public, this is one of the most important historical documents of the Holocaust, in my opinion.
Thank you very much ☺️
The actor playing the feebleminded guy was Montgomery Clift, who was one of the great American actors. When this film came out, it was before most people had seen concentration camp footage - it was very shocking. This was one of the best-written films ever made, and it's message is eternally relevant - especially now.
He never did recover from the serious auto accident that disfigured his face. Look at pictures of him before 1957 and then after. He was a better actor than just his looks as this scene demonstrates.
A lot of very well known actors, the one you mentioned was Maximilian Schell, Richard Widmark is the prosecution lawyer, the one who did not recognise the court was Burt Lancaster. The young military man was William Shatner (who became famous as Captain Kirk in Star Trek). From what I heard the English is very well translated into German. The top judge is Spencer Tracy an excellent actor who played the old man in the film "The Old Man and the Sea". Mrs Berthold was played by Marlene Dietrich. Many of the German actors who played the various roles must have strongly believed that they were helping the world by showing what happened.
Maximilliam schell won a best actor oscar for this film playing the defense attorney. It is incredible not bevause he was not a good actor but because the cast included oscar winners or nominees like spencer tracy who plays the judge and was also nominated for this film, judy garland nominated for this film as supporting actress, Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Cliff nominated for this film as best supporting actor.
Honestly I thought that everyone was espectacular in this 👌🏻
I highly recommend watching "Valkyrie" and "Sophie Scholl the final days"
Valkyries we have seen before, but Sophie Scholl Im pretty sure she has not seen yet, thank you 🙏🏻
Such a great choice!! Burt Lancaster had another role that isn't often reacted to "The Birdman of Alcatraz" 1962 a true story about a man serving part of a life sentence in Alcatraz a true story based on a book.
It's not a very accurate movie.
A much better recommendation would be from here to eternity with Burt Lancaster and Montgomery Cliff.
@@Dave-hb7lx and the one where he is trying to save the full of art from the Nazis. Can't recall the names right now. "The train"?
One of my favorite movies. I was born in Denmark during the last month of the German Occupation.
You are correct. Edward Binns was in 12 ANGRY MEN.
To watch you two digest an movie I found so difficult to digest, was extremely entertaining and enlightening.
There are many of the very best actors & actresses of that era in this film. Including the judge (Spencer Tracy, who was considered to be one the greatest film actors of all time..obviously older in this movie.)
Everyone was so great in this one! 👌🏻
Though basically a dramatic actor up to that point, Werner Klemperer achieved fame in his Emmy-winning comic role of Col. Klink in the sit-com HOGAN'S HEROES.
Always a reaction worth a listen, thanks..
Thank you :)
A great reaction and discussion as always.
I can see that you're not "Star Trek" fans. You didn't recognize the young assistant Capt. Harrison Byers as the actor William Shatner who played Captain Kirk in the "Star Trek" original series.
Ahahah no, none of us has ever watched Star Trek 😅 I do recognize William Shatner as an older actor though, but here he was too young! xD
This film was made the year I was born - it's so strange to think how soon it was after the war.
I knew about the lampshades - it was once of those things whispered in horror when I was a child.
I had no knowledge of it tbh 😬
@@ptthatswhatshesaid Yes, but you guys didn't grow up in Nazi Germany.
Montgomery cliffs performance is fantastic in this film.
@@oldmoviesinbwwithsubtitles3501 I can hardly think of any films where he wasn't fantastic.
Absolutely fantastic! 👌🏻
Thank you. As a retired prosecutor of 33 years in the US, I had forgotten the power of this movie. Your editing, comments and observations brought back to me its importance. I wish there was a similar movie dealing with Nazi doctors and the compromises they too made in violation of their professional oaths.
The only movie I know that deals with a doctor that went along with nazi policies is "Good" with Viggo Mortensen
If you liked Spenser Tracy's performance I reccommend Bad Day at Black Rock, Captians Couragous , Old Man and the Sea. Speaking of Captians, you saw a very young William Shatner
Only realized after watching the movie that it was William Shatner 😅
I've loved "Captains Courageous" (1937) since I first saw it 60 years ago.
Based on a timeless coming-of-age story by Rudyard Kipling, it still gets to me after 25 view.
BTW, Tracy's heroic portrayal of Portuguese fisherman Manuel Fidello won him the Oscar for Best Actor!
@PogueMahone1 really need to check that one out!
Thank you for this reaction, one of my favorite movies. A good movie about how media can influence a criminal investigation Absence of Malice (1981). There are not any courtroom scenes but a good move about prosecutorial misconduct and media manipulation.
Thank you for the recomendation 🙏🏻
After rewatching the movie while editing I think it became one of my personal favourite movies too 👌🏻
I was a little boy in 1961. I didn't see this film until years later, but I do remember the reviews in 1961. (In USA) Most reviews were good, but many criticized how "human" the Yanning character was. Of course THAT was the point of the film. Sure, everyone wanted to hate the Germans (even in 1961), but the truth of what happened was more complicated than "good & evil. Which your discussion showed that you understand. Well done.
Your so right. I suppose those movie "crítics" didn't get the point at all 🤷🏻♂️
I met Maximilian Schell. He was a very nice man.
Maximillian Schell was a great actor.
Sophie's Choice starring Meryl Streep
Judge-made law is court decisions -- interpretations of legislature-made positive law. The interpretations become the law.
Very interesting yes. Here that doesn't happen, but previous decisions can still be used to guide a decision. Its called "jurisprudência".
@@ptthatswhatshesaid In the US previous decisions (if they haven't been overruled by later decisions) are called "precedent".
I suspect the judicial process is essentially the same.
In the US there are two basic kinds of law -- mandatory and persuasive.
Constitutions are mandatory.
Statutes, which implement Constitutional provisions, are mandatory.
Case law -- judge-made law -- is persuasive.
Case law and statutes from other jurisdictions, such as other states -- "foreign" law -- are "persuasive".
A serious classic. And especially relevant today. A companion piece to this might be the 2001 movie Conspiracy based on the true story of the Wannsee Conference where essentially a bunch of lawyers got together to decide how they were going to enact the Final Solution.
This was an excelente movie, and só is Conspiracy. We reacted to that one as well (although only in our Patreon).
Great reaction. This film is a way of looking at what happened n Germany from the judges who applied laws with no remorse while they sentenced people instead of standing up. Yes, it would have been hard. Someone wrote that for evil to thrive, it only takes good people to do nothing.
Very interesting point of view that this movie had 👌🏻
After rewatching it while editing I think it might have become one of my personal favourites
Thanks for reacting to this. If you are looking for another great old film with a legal setting, you should really check out Anatomy of a Murder. Great cast and script with a semi-cynical, but realistic view of the American legal system. You won’t regret it.
It's so weird seeing the actor Werner Klemperer playing such a dramatic role when he would later play the incompetent and fumbling Colonel Klink in Hogan's Heroes
Never seen that one 🤔
Two "courtroom" films I recommend for their mature intelligence and complexity -- both struggle with rescuing justice and the rule of law from politics:
"The Verdict" (1980s), with Paul Newman in probably his greatest performance -- has an excellent screenplay. Directed by the same director who directed "12 Angry Men".
"A Man for All Seasons". About the conflict between Sir ("Saint") Thomas More and Henry the VIII over Henry wanting another Papal dispensation to divorce his then-wife so he could marry Anne Boleyn. Cinematography is gorgeous; and the screenplay is a splendid exploration of ethical reasoning and why law exists. Screenplay by Robert Bolt, who co-authored the screenplay of "Lawrence of Arabia."
Excerpts:
_____
Roper was Thomas More's hot-headed and impulsive son-in-law --
Roper: So now you'd give the Devil benefit of law!
More: Yes. What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?
Roper: I'd cut down every law in England to do that!
More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you -- where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country's planted thick with laws, from coast to coast -- man's laws, not God's -- and if you cut them down -- and you're just the man to do it -- do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake.
_____
Imprisoned by Henry VIII for refusing to swear oath to the Act of Succession (Henry making himself head of the church), More is visited by his daughter, Margaret ("Meg"), who urges him to say the words of the oath but think otherwise in his heart.
"After all," she argues, “God more regards the thoughts of the heart than the words of the mouth.”
More: "What is an oath then but words we say to God? When a man takes an oath, Meg, he’s holding his own self in his own hands. Like water (he cups his hands). And if he opens his fingers then (spreads fingers) he needn’t hope to find himself again. Some men aren’t capable of this, but I’d be loath to think your father one of them.
"Listen, Meg: If we lived in a state where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us saintly. But since we see that avarice, anger, pride, and stupidity commonly profit far beyond charity, modesty, justice, and thought, perhaps we must stand fast a little, even at the risk of being heroes."
_____
US director Fred Zinneman. All-English cast. Won 6 Oscars.
In terms of ethics and the power struggle between More and Henry -- and the stakes -- it is epic, even towering. So many dimensions -- freedom of conscience (More as a Catholic) v. Divine Right of Kings (Henry as a Catholic). "God" divided against "Himself".
The Verdict we already recorded the reaction and will be posting it on UA-cam soon ☺️
I was here for the opening Song .... ya cut it!
Sorry! 😂 Always afraid of copyright infrigements when it comes to songs 😅
@ptthatswhatshesaid I don't think the Nazis have any copyright claims! Seriously!
@@jamesalexander5623 😂😂😂
As far as I know, this is the first channel to react to this movie
I only found 2 other reactions to this film. That is a shame, its such a great movie!
See the 1980s film "The Verdict" with Paul Newman.
We just did! Very good ☺️ eventually will upload the UA-cam edit of it
Judges don't "make laws". What I think you meant was that judges can set Precedent when they rule in cases. If it's a new sort of ruling, legal precedent can by used by later courts or lawyers in similar cases as an example of how the court should interpret the case in court. Precedents aren't carved in stone though and can be ignored, but courts tend to be conservative when overturned previous precedent without a really good new interpretation of the ruling being handed down.
Yes, sorry for me not being able to explain it well. Set a precedent yes!
Victor's justice and revenge. Post facto laws to punish the losing side.
Fantastic movie. The truth however is that far too many guilty individuals got away with mass murder.😮
To put it simply, what the German people didn't know, they didn't want to know. What you might call barely plausible deniability.
Great reaction. Please, watch the movies - FAIL SAFE - and - THE ODESSA FILES
Thank you! ☺️
I made a comment which I then removed as it became clear that your understanding was changing. You do fine reaction videos especially about law related subjects.
Thank you very much ☺️
I was only able to check the comments now, so I don't think I catched your previous comment xD Im curious about what it was. I do apologize if it was something that we did not express well 😅 sometimes english can be tricky for us
React to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil directed by Clint Eastwood
This is an excellent movie and I would recommend "Night of the Generals" and "Conspiracy".
Never heard of Night of the Generals but sounds interesting 🤔
Conspiracy is a great movie and we have already reacted to it (although it is currently only in our Patreon)
31:58.... wrong example.
German officers tried at the Malmedy massacre trial were sentenced to death. None of those were executed.
Conspiracy (2001) next?
Already seen it sorry 😅 excellente movie, I might do a UA-cam edit of it in the future. At the moment its a Patreon exclusive
You should watch THE CAINE MUTINY
Fundamental in the US:
"Justice and the Rule of Law are to be ABOVE politics." -- John Adams.
Love it when it happens!
Werner Klemperer and other actors playing Nazis in the movie were Jewish.
Albert Speer escaped the hangman.
How did the dictatorship of Salazar impact Portugal?
Now that is a question that probably needs an essay to answer. We are in no shape or form specialists on the subject. Will try to at least put some info here though ☺️
- for a long time our population in general did not question or argued much when given orders.
- the education levels of the population where very, very low, with a high number of people who did not even knew how to read or write (not nowadays of course, but it took a few generations)
- so when a lot of things do not work correctly (especially public infrastructure), nothing is done about it. It is just considered a part of life. An infinite bureaucratic red tape 😑
I highly recommend the film "Nuts" (1987), starring Barbra Streisand and Richard Dreyfuss.
A riveting drama about a court determining the mental competency of a call girl (Streisand) accused of murdering one of her "clients".
Outstanding cast!
Barbra Streisand as Claudia Draper
Richard Dreyfuss as Aaron Levinsky (Claudia's lawyer)
Maureen Stapleton as Rose Kirk (Claudia's mother)
Karl Malden as Arthur Kirk (Claudia's step-father)
James Whitmore as Judge Stanley Murdoch (Whitmore was Brooks in "The Shawshank Redemption")
Eli Wallach as Dr. Herbert Morrison
Hitler did not build the Autobahn, nor were the autobahns Hitler's idea. The very first controlled-access motorway ever built in Germany, was the route between Cologne and Bonn, and it was completed in 1932. Furthermore, the idea for the construction of the Autobahn was conceived as early as the mid-1920s. On the subject of how much the rank-and-file German citizenry knew about Nazi atrocities, in the case of the concentration camps, virtually everyone in Germany knew about them, they were written about in the German newspapers, and more often than not, they were built right outside and even in the middle of cities, towns, villages, hamlets all over the country, in full view of the public. Dachau is right there in the town, Sachsenhausen is right there in Oranienburg. Furthermore, historians are now of the opinion that the Holocaust was an open secret among the regular German citizenry by 1943 at the latest.
Really thought that the camps and the exterminations where kept secret and denied at a public level 🤔
@@ptthatswhatshesaid Did you think that both the concentration AND extermination camps were kept secret? Or just the extermination camps?
@@steelydanlover1972 specificaly the extermination let's say, Im sure it had to be common knowledge that there was concentration camps. I just thought that people back then saw them more like prisons
@@ptthatswhatshesaid On the subject of the concentration camps, Robert Gellately wrote in his 2001 book _Backing Hitler: Consent and Coercion in Nazi Germany_, that the German public initially understood that Nazi concentration camps were educative institutions for criminals. However, despite censorship, the German public eventually came to understand that if you were imprisoned in a concentration camp there was a very good chance that you die. Prisoners began to appear in public spaces such as factories and city streets, and they often wore distinctive clothing with badges that signified their nationality and crime. The nature of concentration camps was made further obvious by the SS's public displays of violence towards inmates. Numerous interviews with German people mention either a cruel or murderous incident between guards and inmates. Usually, the inmate was beaten to death or shot for either disobeying or being unable to work.
On the subject of the death camps, Auschwitz, Bełżec, Chełmno , Majdanek, Sobibór, Treblinka, in 2008, Peter Fritzsche stated in _The Holocaust and the Knowledge of Murder_, an article in The Journal of Modern History, that Peter Longerich purports that it was not widely known that Jews were exterminated using gas chambers. David Bankier purports that by 1943, gas as a killing method was widely discussed, although there were inaccuracies that gave rise to misconceptions of how the gassings were practiced. Reports and interviews only have vague and infrequent references to victims being gassed in cattle trucks of trains in tunnels. This information, if disseminated, was done so via foreign broadcasts and rumours from soldiers. Indictment of German individuals reveal that some of the public knew of the gas chambers, but were censored.[26] In the Munich Special Court in 1943, a woman recalls discussing foreign broadcasts with her neighbour which outlined how Jewish women and children were segregated from the Aryan population and then killed with gas. In 1944, also in the Munich Special Court, an Augsburg furniture removal man was indicted of having declared that the "Führer" was a mass-murderer who had Jews loaded into a wagon and exterminated by gas.
(I am 70 years old) My father was in Patton's 3rd Army 1941-1946 ( 687th FAB)..... One of his last duties in Europe was assisting with the "clean up " Of the newly liberated Buchenwald camp..... A table was set up at the front of the camp showing Shrunken heads and assorted "skin trophies" The Bitch of Buchenwald”: Ilse Koch had "collected"... She would select people with tattoos and have them killed. then tan those hides and make framed pictures, A LAMP SHADE etc.....So there is that....
This was a fantastic Reaction to a very important historically relevant movie. When the Government is allowed to use their 'supposedly blind' justice system to achieve political objectives, then none of the Citizens in that Country are safe. I am NOT a lawyer, however as a security person who is also a Professional Engineer, I am glad I watched this movie when I was at the formative age of 13. It set me on the path of Political Independence throughout my life - for example, I have never belonged to a Political Party in my birth Country, the United States.
This movie also reminds me of my extreme fears fears of where my Country was headed if the recent use of the legal system had succeeded (and expanded) had been successful. Without a fair, and blind justice system, a Country is destined to perish.
Couldn't agree more! Having a blind justice system is extremely important to maintain a free society. We cannot fall in the error of deviating from that because of a greater good or political agenda.
I liked the political independence term you used, especially because at the time I and a lot of people that I know feel what we call political homelessness 😅 But yes, following blindly a political party is madness, as an individual its normal to not agree with everything anyway 🤷♂️
What PE34Doors means is that he wants his new Fuehrer Trump to be above the law.
Respect! There are not that many reactors deep-diving into this subject with a film like this. If you wanna see more about that time period on a similar level, try "Wannseekonferenz", the latest film about that infamous meeting released in 2022. I believe it's internationally available on many streaming sites. The trailer can be found here on YT too. (I think the English title is just "The Conference". It's even the full movie with english subtitles here on YT: ua-cam.com/video/pTxliHbPHhU/v-deo.htmlsi=_OdE3a6rASJs6zPf)
Thank you very much 🙏🏻 the movie Conspiracy from 2001 recreates that same meeting if I am not mistaken
@@ptthatswhatshesaid Correct. But there have been many movies about this event over many decades, all in their own unique style, like this one chosing to have no film music at all. You'll see bureaucrats decide the fate of millions of people while bickering over jurisdictions, work capacities of their departments and administrative units and who has the hardest "job" of them all. In a way it's even more disturbing than seeing what was done in the camps. There is a chance some things might get lost in translation via subtitles because it's the language, the words and how they are being spoken that make watching this movie a horrifying experience. Great acting and impressive set work on the actual location in the original room in the original villa on that lake near Berlin.
Very relevant today in Trump's America.
Montgomery Clift was a great actor whose career was cut short because he was gay at a time when that was not accepted, and he also had a drinking problem and almost died in a near fatal car accident.
Elizabeth Taylor saved his life because he was choking to death right after the crash, and she cleared his throat so he could breathe. He had restorative plastic surgery on his face, but his scars impacted his career.
Damn.. had no idea
Did you hear about soap made from humans? Unfortunately we are watching the threatening of such movements here today!
After watching this reaction to the very end. I am extremely proud of my Country, the United States, for having the majority of those who voted in our recent election, making a decision that will likely save our Country 🙂, however, I know that many (but not a majority) of my fellow citizens agree that legal freedoms should not be sacrificed to meet a political objective.
PE4Doers is gloating about the triumph of a felon with a history of calling for political violence against his opponents and demonizing minorities so that he can amass power. Save our country? The United States is sacrificing the principle that law applies equally to everyone, and PE4Doers is gleefully goosestepping along the same path that Germans did in 1933.
Unfortunately this is happening in The United States.
Talk less, listen more. Engage EMOTIONALLY.
We're sorry, this is how we are 😂😅 we engage both emotionally and verbally
Basically the problem with America and Nazism are two things:
First, Americans act like they bore the brunt of the war, while the brunt of the war was taken by Europe and Russia. America took very little and gave the least sacrifices. They only took the atomic bomb from the Jews and dropped it on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to demonstrate world power. It was the perfect time for conquest for these imperialist ego-capital maniacs. Yes, by dropping the atomic bombs and thus ending the war they saved perhaps millions more lives. But anyway, after that they drained the world's resources to create and then maintain their so-called "American dream".
And second: in their American propaganda, Americans very skillfully manage to hide the fact that it was America that took all the inventions of the Reich and adapted them to their daily life.
However, great reaction again. Despite everything, the film is well made. Respect to these old school first-class actors. For art there are no boundaries, neither skin color, ethnicity or culture.
You're an idi*t.
As if all that shouting my counsel on both sides would be allowed! Typical Hollywood trial behavior.
Cannot disagree with you! 😂 I cannot imagine lawyers screaming like that in a courtroom in real life!
Thank you.