William Shatner, the actor best known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek, has recounted his experience working with Judy Garland on Stanley Kramer’s 1961 film, Judgment at Nuremberg, describing the iconic actress as “very fragile.” Shatner, now 94, shared his recollections in recent interviews, offering a glimpse into Garland’s state during the production of the acclaimed legal drama.
Shatner and Garland were part of an ensemble cast that also included Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, and Marlene Dietrich. Judgment at Nuremberg, as depicted in the film, centers on the fictionalized version of the Judges’ Trial of 1947, one of the twelve Nuremberg Military Tribunals held in the aftermath of World War II. The film portrays a tribunal led by Chief Trial Judge Dan Haywood (Tracy), examining the culpability of Nazi judges and prosecutors.
The actor’s comments approach decades after the film’s release, and reflect a long-held understanding of Garland’s personal struggles. Shatner’s recollections, reported by multiple outlets this week, highlight the challenges Garland faced even even as delivering a powerful performance on screen. He played Lieutenant Colonel Harry Bernstein in the film.
Judgment at Nuremberg received ten Academy Award nominations, winning two: Best Writing, Story and Screenplay for Abby Mann, and Best Art Direction. The film is noted for its unflinching examination of the Nazi judicial system and its impact on the Holocaust. It was filmed in part at the Kongresshalle in Berlin, the then American occupation zone in Germany, in December 1961.
While details of Shatner’s specific interactions with Garland remain limited to his recent statements, his description adds to the existing narrative surrounding the actress’s well-documented difficulties. The film’s budget was $3 million, and it ultimately grossed $16 million at the box office.
