‘Nuremberg’s’ Truth

As Daryl Miller points out (“ ‘Nuremberg’ Probes the Mind, Raises Haunting Questions,” July 15), the TNT movie “Nuremberg” provides much for the viewer to think about on the subject of mankind’s capacity for inhumanity. Pity that more of my acquaintances--Jewish and non-Jewish--were not even aware it was broadcast.

Concerning the presentation of four minutes of unnerving archival footage, with current technology it would be no surprise if some innocent viewer asked if, or assumed that, the graphic horror was a special effects creation of the digital age. Those who deny the Holocaust happened might even claim the footage is a patent fabrication.

Consider this: The Nazi officials on trial at Nuremberg in 1945 did not dispute that these things happened. But today, the Holocaust deniers would allow time to erase the truth about man’s capacity for

evil, and allow it to happen over and over again.

JEFF SCHOENWALD

Thousand Oaks

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In her TV Times cover story on “Nuremberg” (July 16), Susan King writes that Stanley Kramer dramatized the same trial in his 1961 film “Judgment at Nuremberg.” She is wrong, and so is Alec Baldwin in his comments.

His “Nuremberg” deals with the actual historical trial of 22 accused top Nazi war criminals, starting with Hermann Goering. In Kramer’s movie, and in the original and equally powerful 1959 “Playhouse 90” television version (in which I played a modest part), writer Abby Mann created a fictitious trial of seven German judges who had prostituted their calling to serve the Nazis.

TOM TUGEND

Sherman Oaks

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I had the pleasure of watching “Nuremberg.” It was four hours well spent. However, I feel it necessary to correct Alec Baldwin’s quote that “[Stanley] Kramer’s film deals with fiction--a kind of fictional amalgam of historical figures. We are doing the court transcripts of the trial”--as if “”Judgment at Nuremberg” did not.

There were several trials in Nuremberg after the war. Kramer’s film was based on a different trial and dealt with war crimes brought against judges of the Court of the Third Reich. He most certainly did use the actual court transcripts from that particular trial. Spencer Tracy’s character was a composite of several American judges.

“Judgment at Nuremberg” had 11 Academy Award nominations. Abby Mann took home the Oscar for his remarkable screenplay, as did Maximilian Schell for his compelling performance. My husband was presented the Irving Thalberg Award, given to those artists who achieve the highest quality of filmmaking.

KAREN KRAMER

Valley Village

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Hermann Goering was played by Brian Cox as a character to feel sorry for, one who has sinned and is trapped in his inability to conjure up remorse. Even as he manipulates, he is presented as someone to be hugged, for perhaps a hug or two will turn him into the big teddy bear he physically resembles.

Francis Biddle was portrayed as a villain, whereas he was a second-rate administrator with too strong a sense of self-importance. And Supreme Court Associate Justice Robert Jackson was a New Deal politician of the first rank (and one of my own heroes in that role). His career was devoted to the pursuit of liberal justice under law and the Constitution. He was not a namby-pamby intellectual as Alec Baldwin conceived him. He knew in his bones what had to be done at Nuremberg.

That Jackson got off on the wrong foot as an on-the-floor, in-your-face prosecutor is not surprising. His major courtroom experience had been in arguing appeals before the Supreme Court as solicitor general; there, briefs are all one has, and there are no witnesses. But for Cox to assert that “Goering ran rings around Jackson” is at odds with the production itself. The first day, Goering outwits Jackson; the second (and last) day of interrogation, Jackson prevails overwhelmingly.

I hope that the great motion picture “Judgment at Nuremberg” never again gets slandered by being even mentioned in the same paragraphs with this turkey.

GILBERT S. BAHN

Moorpark

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You reported that Alec Baldwin discovered that Robert H. Jackson didn’t even have a law degree. Jackson, formerly the attorney general of the U.S., attended Albany Law School, completed a two-year course in only one year and was admitted to the bar at 21.

Baldwin was totally miscast, 20 years too young for the part and lacking the power and command of that great actor Spencer Tracy.

GERALD SHERMAN

Palm Desert