Book Review: The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai with Contrasts to the 2025 Film Adaptation, Nuremberg

In theaters in late 2025 and recently released to streaming  platforms is Nuremburg, starring Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, and Michael Shannon. Based on the 2013 book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El_Hai, the movie engages in a slightly different take on the author’s work, with a couple of changes that are critical and omit key details. If you’ve not seen the movie yet, and don’t want to have the plot spoiled (alert!), save this article and critique for later. Both the book and movie are excellent and add insights into those Nazi leaders who were on trial during the 1946 Nuremburg Trails.

Left: Book cover to the 2013 work by Jack El-Hai, The Nazi and the Psychiatrist: Hermann Göring, Dr. Douglas M. Kelley, and a Fatal Meeting of Minds at the End of WWII. Softcover edition available on Amazon.

Jack El-Hai’s The Nazi and the Psychiatrist is a gripping exploration of the psychological dynamics between U.S. Army psychiatrist Dr. Douglas M. Kelley and high-ranking Nazi leaders awaiting trial at Nuremberg. The book delves into Kelley’s groundbreaking attempt to understand the minds of men like Hermann Göring, Rudolf Hess, and others, raising profound questions about the nature of evil and the psychological underpinnings of mass atrocity. In 2025, James Vanderbilt’s film Nuremberg brought this story to the screen, offering a dramatized interpretation that both complements and diverges from El-Hai’s meticulous historical account.

El-Hai’s book is a masterclass in narrative nonfiction, blending historical rigor with psychological insight. Kelley’s mission was to determine whether the Nazi leaders were mentally ill or disturbingly ordinary. His conclusion—that these men were not pathological aberrations but rather opportunists and ideologues—challenges the comforting notion that evil is the domain of the monstrous or insane. Instead, Kelley’s findings suggest that such atrocities could arise in any society under the right conditions, a chilling reminder of humanity’s darker potential.

The book’s strength lies in its nuanced portrayal of Kelley and Göring. Kelley is depicted as a deeply ambitious and conflicted figure, whose fascination with his subjects borders on obsession. Göring, meanwhile, emerges as a charismatic and manipulative figure, using his sessions with Kelley to craft a narrative of himself as a misunderstood patriot. El-Hai’s detailed recounting of their interactions reveals a complex dynamic of mutual manipulation, with Kelley seeking psychological insights and Göring seeking to control his legacy. James Vanderbilt’s Nuremberg adapts El-Hai’s work into a psychological thriller and courtroom drama, with Rami Malek as Kelley and Russell Crowe as Göring. While the film captures the essence of their relationship, it takes significant liberties with the source material, emphasizing dramatic tension over historical accuracy.

The film’s writers depart from the historical timeline regarding Dr. Doug Kelley’s exit from Nuremberg in 1945. While the film suggests Kelley was dismissed during the trial by Colonel Burton Andrus, historical records show he returned to the U.S. in late 1945, before the trial concluded. Kelley’s decision to leave was driven by his desire to document his experiences and psychological insights from Nuremberg, which he later published in his influential book. This discrepancy highlights the difference between the film’s dramatic portrayal and the true events, offering readers a clearer understanding of Kelley’s motivations and the significance of his work.

One of the most notable differences is the film’s focus on Kelley’s personal struggles. While the book delves into Kelley’s tumultuous marriage and eventual suicide, the film omits these aspects, presenting Kelley as a more straightforward protagonist. This simplification sacrifices some of the complexity that makes El-Hai’s portrayal so compelling.

The film also amplifies the courtroom drama, with Michael Shannon as Justice Robert H. Jackson leading the prosecution. While the book provides a detailed account of Kelley’s psychological evaluations, the film shifts much of the narrative weight to the trial itself, dramatizing key moments such as Göring’s defiant testimony and his eventual suicide. These scenes, while powerful, sometimes overshadow the quieter psychological insights that are the heart of El-Hai’s book. El-Hai’s work gives much less focus on Jackson while the movie makes the Supreme Court judge a focal character.

Left: Movie poster to the 2025 film Nuremberg starring Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, and Michael Shannon.

Both the book and the film grapple with the banality of evil, but they approach it from different angles. El-Hai’s book is a deeply introspective work, focusing on Kelley’s internal conflict and the ethical dilemmas of his work. The film, by contrast, is more outwardly dramatic, using Kelley and Göring’s interactions as a lens to explore broader themes of justice and accountability. The film adaptation shows actual footage (viewed in court at the trial) of Holocaust victims at various camps. This is horrific and disturbing, as was meant to be during the trial.

The book meticulously documents Kelley’s psychological assessments, including his use of Rorschach tests and his observations of the defendants’ behavior. The film, however, condenses these elements into a few key scenes, prioritizing narrative momentum over psychological depth. This shift makes the film more accessible to a general audience but less satisfying for those seeking the detailed analysis found in the book. Another key difference is the portrayal of Göring. In the book, Göring is a complex figure, both repellent and charismatic, whose interactions with Kelley reveal his cunning and self-delusion. The film leans into this portrayal, with Crowe delivering a commanding performance that captures Göring’s larger-than-life personality. However, the film’s dramatization of Göring’s courtroom antics sometimes veers into theatricality, losing some of the subtlety that characterizes El-Hai’s account.

El-Hai’s book excels in its depth and nuance, offering a richly detailed portrait of Kelley and his subjects. It challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about human nature and the capacity for evil. However, its focus on psychological analysis and historical detail may feel dense to some readers. The film, on the other hand, is a more streamlined and emotionally engaging narrative. Its visual and dramatic elements bring the story to life in a way that the book cannot, making it a powerful introduction to the subject for a wider audience. However, its emphasis on drama over detail means that it sometimes sacrifices accuracy and complexity for the sake of entertainment.

The Nazi and the Psychiatrist and Nuremberg offer complementary perspectives on the same story. El-Hai’s book is an essential read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the psychological and ethical dimensions of the Nuremberg trials, while the film provides a compelling dramatization that brings these events to life for a modern audience. Together, they illuminate the enduring relevance of this dark chapter in history and the lessons it holds for the present. One of the book’s greatest strengths is its ability to humanize its subjects without absolving them of their crimes. El-Hai does not shy away from the horrors perpetrated by the Nazis, but he also resists the temptation to reduce them to one-dimensional villains. This balanced approach makes the book both thought-provoking and unsettling, as it forces readers to confront the uncomfortable reality of evil’s ordinariness.

However, some readers may find the book’s focus on Kelley’s personal life to be a distraction from the main narrative. While Kelley’s story is undeniably fascinating, his struggles with alcoholism and his eventual suicide can feel tangential to the broader themes of the book. Additionally, those looking for a comprehensive account of the Nuremberg Trials may be disappointed, as the book focuses primarily on Kelley’s interactions with the Nazis rather than the trials themselves. (For a complete history on the trial, check out The Anatomy of the Nuremberg Trials: A Personal Memoir by Telford Taylor, published in 2013.)

I highly recommend both Nuremberg and The Nazi and the Psychiatrist. Begin with the movie to immerse yourself in the characters and settings, then delve into the book for a deeper understanding. If you read the book first, the movie will seem disappointing. The book will then fill in gaps the movie had to omit. Rami Malek shines in his portrayal of Dr. Douglas Kelley, and Russell Crowe captivates as Hermann Göring (web sources note that Crowe had to gain weight for the role—expanding his size to 277 pounds). British actor Leo Woodall delivers a standout performance as Sergeant Howie Triest, though the prison scenes are undermined by John Slattery's unconvincing and strained portrayal of Colonel Andrus.

For a comprehensive overview of the defendants and their various sentences, visit the Jewish Virtual Library webpage: The Nuremberg Trials: Brief Overview of Defendants & Verdicts

Nuremberg Defendants:

• Martin Bormann
• Karl Doenitz
• Hans Frank
• Wilhelm Frick
• Hans Fritzsche
• Walter Funk
• Hermann Goering
• Rudolph Hess
• Alfred Jodl
• Ernst Kaltenbrunner
• Wilhelm Keitel
• Erich Raeder
• Alfred Rosenberg
• Fritz Sauckel
• Hjalmar Schacht
• Artur Seyss-Inquart
• Albert Speer
• Julius Streicher
• Constantin von Neurath
• Franz von Papen
• Joachim von Ribbentrop
• Baldur von Schirach

Bibliography

El-Hai, Jack. The Nazi and the Psychiatrist: Hermann Göring, Dr. Douglas M. Kelley, and a Fatal Meeting of Minds at the End of WWII. New York: PublicAffairs, 2013.

"The Nuremberg Trials: Brief Overview of Defendants & Verdicts." Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed April 2, 2026. https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/brief-overview-of-defendants-and-verdicts-at-nuremberg-trials.

Taylor, Telford. The Anatomy of the Nuremberg Trials: A Personal Memoir. New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2013.