Negative Positive
Title: Thought-Provoking Classic
Review: What a wonderful film of ideas this is! The themes of justice and responsibility from many differents perspectives are explored, along with the temptation of political expediency. Except for the wooden performance of Richard Widmark, the stellar cast is magnificent. Especially heart-breaking are the performances of Montgomery Clift, Judy Garland, and...most of all...Burt Lancaster. Spencer Tracy gives a rock-solid performance of a deeply just man who does not waver in his responsibility despite pressures of empathy towards the Burt Lancaster character, the German people, and the political climate demanding leniency towards the defendants. When I see such an important, thought-provoking film as this, it saddens me to know that the "great" films of our era are populated with hobbits, CGI special effects, and comic-book characters. I'm afraid a film of ideas like this one would never find funding in present-day Hollywood.
Is the review positive or negative? 