A human's identity and heritage can never be changed, so why must we be judgmental towards others when they are the way they are? Steven Spielberg brings us one of the most emotive and stunning pieces of historical cinema ever filmed while never wishing to put his status or accomplishments in Hollywood above the story portrayed on the screen; grateful to all those who kept this story alive until it was acknowledged and dispersed among the global population. This act of humility and courtesy exceeds all other achievements and material possessions Steven Spielberg has acquired in his career, making him a revered and respected figure throughout the world; reflecting the sentimentality and fragility of the director in the somberness and dire recreations of the events which will be engraved in our world's history for the rest of time.
The film commences in 1939, when Hitler has assumed his place in office and has signed into policy a plan to eradicate all those who are Jewish and living in Europe. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) is a German businessman looking to make a lot of money in the city of Krakow where the Germans have conquered the city and taken all the Jewish residents as prisoners. With the war being an enormous advantage for him in building his business, Oskar wants to employ the very people who are despised by his people in an effort to save money. He sees the Jewish population not as worthless vermin, but as equals and is willing to negotiate with them in an ordinary fashion, without any degrading language or malicious intent. Bribing many of the SS officials to let him hire the Jews they wish to take into concentration camps, Oskar's business is a colossal success and he has enough money to last him a lifetime. Content and proud, Oskar has everything he could ever dream of, but one day while riding his horse, he witnesses the massacre and imprisonment of the many Jewish folks who have been an essential part of his business and living a stable life in Krakow, Poland. Experiencing a change of heart toward the Nazi Party, Oscar conspires to illicitly employ as many of the Jews who were imprisoned into his workforce by bribing the ruthless head of the local camp, Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes). At first, Amon sees this as nothing more than a business transaction, but soon starts to develop second thoughts about Schindler's relationship with his workers after he witnesses him perform a kind deed of giving the prisoners water while boarding a train and being stuffed like sardines in a can. Schindler also finds out from his trusty accountant Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley), that Amon kills for the joy of it and doesn't hold back when handed an opportunity to stain his hands with Jewish blood, treating all those under his command like animals. Oskar then tries to talk sense into Amon about the true meaning of power while also reassuring his Jewish maid Helen Hirsch (Embeth Davidtz), that she will make it through her miserable stay at the Goeth household despite her knowing that she will be dead very soon. Oskar soon starts to dedicate his fortune to bribing more of the Nazi officials in order to get more and more Jews working in his new factory located in his hometown. On the surface, he presents his factory as a weapons manufacturer, but on the inside, it's a safe haven for the ostracized race to live in until the end of Hitler's tyrannical reign, allowing all the Jews to resume their traditions and former lives without any disruption or discrimination on his part or the guards'. The question is, will Goeth and the higher command take notice of his plan to foil theirs, or will Schindler achieve one of the most honorable deeds a human being has ever sought out to do, in the hopes of preserving the many generations which have been rooted out because of who they are?
The film is an absolute masterpiece and delivers a jarring blow to our conscience by exposing us to the horrors of the Holocaust like we've never seen before. Approximately three hours in length, this epic story uses each frame to its fullest potential and never loosens the grip on our souls as we relive the grueling days of those lives who were threatened and taken during the extermination of the Jewish population in Europe. Sincere in its intent, the movie is a tale of hope and survival like I've never seen it before and very possibly could be the best portrayal of the Holocaust in recent years.
Making the film in black and white was one of the wisest decisions made by the production team on this particular film because it makes it that much more believable and tactile for the audience in the sense that we are reliving those events by the use of simplifying the technological abilities of the equipment used for filming. In black and white, the film looks almost like a documentary and we might as well be looking at archived footage shot by witnesses who were there on the scene at each momentous event that these rescued Jews have experienced, from the raid of their community in the Polish town of Krakow, to their granted sanctuary at Schindler's factory. Striking in appearance with an impressive artistic direction, the picture had no need for color because of its dismal subject matter and its sole dependence on human emotion and plot to move the audience in whatever way they were able to be moved.
Poetically speaking, the score of the film is one of the most beautiful compositions ever produced, elevating the film to new heights and anchoring all the emotions that arise as a result of hearing the tender and searing violin solo of Itzhak Perlman during the ghetto massacre and the last moments of the film. I don't think the film served to bring out any emotions within us with a forceful intent, but it does evoke an innate pain and sympathy we have for those victims of violence and humiliation who have fallen or survived, thanks to the delicately composed theme music which was performed solely for this film.
The acting was brilliantly executed by all the cast members, with neither of them taking the lead, but rather splitting the scene's energy and distributing it evenly among each other to produce the right amount of tension and level out the playing field which at times may seem a bit crowded because of how rich and profound these characters are. Although none of us will ever truly know the personalities of each individual, we have to learn to trust the writers and the actors in their portrayal of such historical magnitude, in order to perceive it as the truth. Liam Neeson as Schindler was a luminescent beacon of hope, guiding us with his charisma and kindness towards a brighter world that just didn't exist when the Nazis invaded most of Western Europe in the early 40's. He was a perfect match to play Schindler because of his gentle glare and his formidable stature which inspired comfort rather than fear. His character is the epitome of generosity and tolerance which inspires us all till this day. Ralph Fiennes on the other hand exuded an insidious monstrosity which overshadowed his handsome nature, making him a perfect match to play the menacing villain, Amon Goeth. All the other actors were a great support for these two frenemies, making me shudder and wanting to take them away from the hell which they were confined to for the time being.
Full of hidden meaning, this film has a marvelous moral for all of us to learn and stick to in our everyday lives. First of all, we mustn't mock or scorn those who are different from ourselves. No matter how many times it's been said, it seems the world has something in their ears or they are just too stubborn to take it into account. We as civilized creatures on this earth should, after so many years, have learned to treat all the people of this earth as equals. It doesn't matter if they're black, white, yellow, red or green; why should we waste our time and energy criticizing those who we find threatening? Fear of the unknown or the knowledge of something you haven't witnessed, causes us to assume the worst and carry out barbaric methods of dealing with those who we are either threatened by or don't understand. We are animals with instincts, but let's not categorize ourselves into that class of species. By utilizing our intelligence and attempting to gain an understanding of our surroundings, we are a supreme race, united by our ability to obtain truth and lead a discussion with one another in order to strengthen our bond and understanding of each other. But by the examples of the existing conflicts in the Middle East and other parts of the world, we still haven't conquered our animal instincts and still aren't capable of suppressing our inner beasts in order to differ ourselves from our animal counterparts. It amazes me how Hitler was able to lead such an evil agenda in the hopes of uniting a nation, and the nation had followed his lead. For the purpose of creating an ideal race, they were willing to weed out their fellow men; men and women who have lived with them side by side, peacefully, without any serious complaints to their well-being were able to be obliterated under the rule of one man who wanted nothing but power at any cost. I guess power is what moves us and is our main incentive. Whether it be at work, in our family or on a larger scale like race, we are somehow captivated and mesmerized by the opportunity of holding power. Although there's nothing wrong with power, it's how we choose to distribute it and act upon it that we show our true colors as human beings and just how little we have improved in our intelligence levels. Self-indulgence is still our strongest suit and we stand tall and proud basking in our own decadence. We are still animals but thank goodness there are people like Oskar in this world, who are able to put a stop to the madness and do the right thing for the sake of humanity, looking past the differences which divide us till this day. Coexist and you will find peace, but I don't think we are capable of suppressing our primitive urges to produce effective results just yet.
Time will tell, but it's up to us to prove that we are better than this. I hope that this epic film will be exhibited as a glimmer of hope to all generations, present and future, who in turn will learn from history's mistakes and believe in themselves and others enough in order to change our perspective of the world and make the right choice when it comes to informing others about the identities we should and shouldn't assume in public.
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