It is based on a chapter from Lillian Hellman's 1973 book Pentimento about the author's relationship with a lifelong friend, Julia, who fought against the Nazis in the years prior to World War II.

It co-stars Jason Robards, Hal Holbrook, Rosemary Murphy, Maximilian Schell, and Meryl Streep (in her film debut).

The film received positive reviews from critics, grossed $20.7 million against its $7 million budget, and received a leading 11 nominations at the 50th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (for Zinnemann) and Best Actress (for Fonda), and won three awards: Best Supporting Actor (for Robards), Best Supporting Actress (for Redgrave) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The young Lillian Hellman and her friend Julia, daughter of a wealthy family being brought up by her grandparents in the United States, enjoy a childhood together and a very close friendship in late adolescence.

Julia, having taken on the battle against Nazism, enlists Lillian en route to smuggle money into Germany to assist the anti-Nazi cause.

Lillian departs for the USSR via Berlin, and the movements of her person, and the placement of her possessions (a hat and a box of candy), are carefully guided by colleagues of Julia through border crossings and inspections.

Returning to London, she is told that Julia has been killed in the Frankfurt apartment of a friend by Nazi agents, although the details of her death are shrouded in secrecy.

Although Lillian Hellman claimed the story was based on true events that occurred early in her life, the filmmakers later came to believe that most of it was fictionalized.

On June 30, 1976, as the film was going into production, Hellman wrote about the screenplay to its producer:[4] This is not a work of fiction and certain laws have to be followed for that reason ...

[5] Norman Mailer attempted unsuccessfully to mediate the dispute through an open letter he published in the New York Times.

Gardiner's editor cited the unlikelihood that there were two millionaire American women who were medical students in Vienna in the late 1930s.

The consensus summarizes: "Julia is a handsomely crafted and stirringly performed meditation on friendship and political activism, although its tasteful formalism often undercuts the multifaceted passion of these historical figures.

[12] Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat of Spirituality & Practice described the film as "extraordinary", writing: "Julia gives us a genuine and affecting portrait of a friendship between two women who confirm each other and strengthen their bonds over the years.

"[15] TV Guide gave it three out of five stars and declared it "Beautifully crafted, nominated for 11 Academy Awards, a big hit at the box office--and a dramatic dud ...

If you like red nail polish, faux-cynicism, painfully brave smiles and European train stations, Julia may be your kind of cocktail.