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Schindler's List ReviewThis without doubt the best Holocaust movie have seen to date, and one that never fails to bring tears to the eyes. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this is an outstanding account of the heroic act of Oskar Schindler to save more than 1000 Jews during World War II. It is also one of the longest movies that have been made on the Holocaust, lasting for 3 hours, 15 minutes. The last 10 minutes are incredibly poignant and where I stop holding back my emotions.
Schindler's list begins just prior to the Jewish ghetto in Krakow being created. Oskar Schindler was a member of the Nazi Party and a none too successful businessman though he did make some money in his life thus far. He realises that the war offers an opportunity to make a lot of money and goes on to bribe his way in to the favour of a number of influential senior SS offers. He also convinces two elderly Jewish men confined in the ghetto to put up the money for his new business venture of producing products for the German war effort such as pots and pans, and mess tins. Although a Nazi, Schindler was not like the SS troops who were involved in the mass killing of the Jews and once he realises what is actually going under under the regime, he plots to save his workforce and his business. He takes a number of risks for which he could have got him in to serious trouble but managed to stay within the law throughout. The version of the film I have is in black and white from start to finish, and to be honest I like it that way in this case, but there is one little girl that you will see in a red coat. This has been done to later emphasise that no one was safe, not even young children. Schindler's List goes a long way to demonstrate the callous and ruthless nature of the SS during the war and in particular their dealings with Jews. Everything is taken from real-life accounts, following interviews by Spielberg with Holocaust survivors. The "Schindler Jews" that survived were very fortunate and lived through the war in relative luxury being treated far better than most. |