Genre: Drama/ War
Runtime: 195 minutes
Year: 1993
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Embeth Davidtz
Description: In Poland during World War II, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.
Review: A masterful and touching movie from director Steven Spielberg. Shot in black and white by Janusz Kaminski, who received an Academy Award for his camera work. The goal was to create an authentic atmosphere and this gives “Schindler’s List” that extra power.
The main character is Oskar Schindler, who decides to go to Krakow after the outbreak of WOII to start an enamel factory. He hires Jewish workers, because they are less expensive than Polish workers. The special thing about Schindler is, as he is portrayed, that he’s actually a crook, a profiteer and a womanizer. We never get to know the real Schindler and why he wants to save all those people. In many ways he is like nazi commander Amon Goeth, also a crook, profiteer and womanizer. But where Schindler is an essentially good man, with flaws, Goeth is a sadist and murderer.
It’s incredible that Schindler succeeds in saving many Jews from death. He has contacts and a lot of luck, but what makes him really successful is his audacity and courage. You see that in the scene where he tries to convince fellow factory men Bosch and Madritsch to do even more than they have already done. The two industrials are human and helped their Jewish workers, but realize that there is nothing more to do. Only an adventurer would go even further. And that’s exactly what Schindler does. The greatest achievement is when Schindler goes to Auschwitz, to safe the women and children who were brought to Auschwitz by mistake. By bribe and bluff he manages to let them leave the camp. The only time in this black history that Jews could leave the camp. If it didn’t really happen, nobody would have believed it.
“Schindler’s List” won seven Academy Awards, like best film, director and cinematography. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes only got nominations. Their performances are amazing, as is Ben Kingsley’s. His portrayal of the smart and timid bookkeeper is impressive.
“Schindler’s List” is filled with striking and memorable scenes. A great screenplay, fantastic acting, this is an absolute classis that you have to watch at least once a year. Just two remember all those people who died in that terrible war and the people who did make it.
Rating: 5 / 5
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