Schindler's List (1993)
Biography | Drama | History | War

Schindler's List, a Stephen Spielberg film, is a cinematic masterpiece that has become one of the most honored films of all time.

Winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, it also won every major Best Picture Awards from the New York Film Critics Circle, the National Society of Film Critics, the National Board of Review, the Producers Guild, the Los Angeles Film Critics, the Chicago, Boston and Dallas Film Critics; a Christopher Award; and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Golden Globe Awards. Steven Spielberg was further honored with the Directors Guild of America Award.

The film presents the indelible true story of the enigmatic Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party, womanizer, and war profiteer who saved the lives of more than 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust. It is the triumph of one man who made a difference, and the drama of those who survived one of the darkest chapters in human history because of what he did.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film, which also won Academy Awards for Screenplay, Cinematography, Music, Editing, and Art Direction, stars an acclaimed cast headed by Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Jonathan Sagalle, and Embeth Davidtz.

Editor's Note: Based on a true story, Schindler's List is Steven Spielbergs epic drama of World War II Holocaust survivors and the man who unexpectedly came to be their savior. Unrepentant womanizer and war profiteer Oskar Schindler uses Polish Jews as cheap labor to produce cookware for the Third Reich. But after witnessing the violent liquidation of the walled ghetto where the Krakow Jews have been forced to live, Schindler slowly begins to realize the immense evil of Nazism. When his employees are sent to a work camp, they come under the terrorizing reign of sadistic Nazi Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes). With the help of his accountant, Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley), Schindler creates a list of "essential" Jews. Bribing Goeth, Schindler manages to get 1,100 people released from the camp and brought to the safety of his munitions factory in Czechoslovakia. Spielberg's glorious film is wondrously evocative, visually stunning, and emotionally stirring.

Plot Summary: Schindler's List is Steven Spielbergs black-and-white monumental film based on the true story of Oskar Schindler. Schindler is a businessman in World War II Poland who uses Jews as cheap labor in his factory. After his workers are sent to a concentration camp run by a demonic Nazi soldier (Ralph Fiennes), Schindler and his accountant, Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley), devise a plan to save 1,100 Jews by sending them to his factory in Czechoslovakia.

User Comment: jayson_b Australia • Schindler's List is a long and tough movie to watch. But it pays dividends.

We're all pretty familiar with the story - a German businessman enlists Jews to work in his factory. At first, I believe, as an opportunist, for the Jews are cheap, readily available labour. He does, however, become gradually aware that his factory means the difference between life and death.

And so his 'list' is born. A list of Jews that he requires to 'work' for him. It is, in reality, a list of life and Schindler knows it.

Liam Neeson fills Schindler's boots well. You soon forget he is Neeson at all. Ben Kingsley is, of course, his ever-reliable brilliant self. And Ralph Fiennes easily creates one of the screens most hateful villians (sadly, a villian who actually existed).

There are some tough scenes (most notably, the liquidation of the ghetto, Goeth's (Fiennes) brutality in the camp) and it's all filmed in beautiful black & white - except for the highlighted girl in the red dress, which has a brilliant symbolic meaning later in the film.

A terrible chapter in humanity's history but one told so well by Spielberg and co.

It has a powerful and lasting effect - just as it should.

Summary: Spielberg's most powerful film.

--- JUDY ---

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