Schindler's List, directed by Steven Spielberg, is the true life story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who starts a factory in Poland using a Jewish labour force. As the war progresses he sees the horrors of the Holocaust, so decides to save the lives of more than 1100 Jews.
Tackling this subject was always going to be an emotional assignment for Steven Spielberg and in choosing the great Thomas Keneally"s book to illustrate this horrific chapter in history, Spielberg found a perfect vehicle. The story of Oskar Schindler is naturally involving, but also comprehensive in this subject matter with it"s portrayal of Nazi corruption, Ghetto life and the Camp horror. Individual sub plots further illuminate the totality of the human suffering, such as the one armed machinist, the cleaner for the Commandant in the camp, the ransacking of Jewish possessions after the trains have left and the disguised Jewish lady, pleading for the rescue of her parents. The black and white cinema photography is a triumph and conveys the horror, brutality, the period and tension perfectly. The acting is on the whole flawless, especially Ralph Fiennes performance as a psychotic Camp Commandant and Ben Kingsley as Itzak Stern. Also impressive is the way the audience is educated about these historical events without the need for documentary and over simplistic story telling techniques. The use of the girl in the red dress is also indicative of the Spielberg"s art of conveying terror in simple and easily comprehendible ways. Whilst the lessons from this film are all too apparent, the sentimental and spoon feeding of the last ten minutes in the Czech factory and outside as Schindler and his wife prepare to flee are the negatives to this otherwise landmark piece of film making. Highly recommended.
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