A portrayal of life for the Jewish communities during the Holocaust, based around Oskar Schindler. (Schindler's List (DVD))

Member Name: Jcapulet

Product:	Schindler's List (DVD)
Date:	03/12/08 (127 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: the acting and production portray the horror very realistically.

Disadvantages: An uncomfortable film to watch, but something that needed to be made.

I had read the book, originally named "Schindler's Ark", as an A-level student studying European fascism and was moved by the whole history of the holocaust, repulsed at the actrocities and hopeful when we learn that there were people like Oskar Schindler were willing to do something. Oskar Schindler is by no means an angel from heaven, his reasoning in some parts are quite selfish, however, as time goes on his reasoning and actions become clearer resulting in helping as many Jews as he could, but not as many as he could have, had he not squandered much of his fortune. However, he himself understood this and lived with regret in this regard, but in the end he did what he could and that's what counts I guess.

As a Ralph Fiennes fan, I can't help but review this film. It was the first film that I had ever seen with him involved with and was awstruck with his acting ability and to this day there are still some scenes in the film whereby I have no idea how he manages to portray a whole sentence with one look, or convey a whole message through his actions in just one scene for example. The scenes between Amon ( Ralph's character ) and Helen and Amon and Lisiek inparticular are amazing. How he portray his love and yet hate for Helen at the same time, or Amon questioning his feeling of power towards Lisiek immediately after the "I pardon you" scene in the bathroom.

The film begins with following the lives of certain people that we come back to and follow through out. We have Oskar Schindler (played by Liam Neeson ) a charming ladies-man who is always looking for the next big idea to make it big, Itzhak Stern (a hardworking, very intelligent and gentle Jewish man who is found helping the Jewish community with their housing problems, wo eventualy become Oskar's right hand man ) Poldek Pfefferberg ( played by Jonathan Sagall ) who plays a Jewish man with many connections and can get you pretty much anything you want at the right price, who eventually works for Oskar ) and his girlfriend ( who later becomes his wife, ) Marcel Goldberg ( played by Mark Ivanir, a friend of Poldek but who chooses to protect his own interests and works for the Nazis as a Jewish representative ) a Jewish family who are forced to leave their home ( which is eventually taken over by Oskar himself ) and take what possessions that can with them. The husband and wife share a love that goes beyond the 'material' aspects of their lives however. These are just to name a few, we witness Jewish people and families in general who live in fear and atrocious conditions under constant fear of death at any stage of their 'journey'.
As time goes on all their lives cross paths and they become intermingled in this sad and horrific holocaust portrayal. Eventually we meet Amon Goeth ( Ralph's character. A sadistic bully on a power-trip who fights against his love for a Jewish woman called Helen ) Helen Hirsch ( played by Embeth Davidtz, who plays a gentle but emotionally strong, hard working woman who manages to survive Amon's beatings and cruelty, although at other times he treats her with a little more respect, though that doesn't last long as he fights his feelings for her ) we meet at the concentration camp when Amon chooses her to become a servant ( along with a young boy called Lisiek ) and we also meet Emilie Schindler (played by Caroline Goodall, a patient and loyal wife who can only look the other way so far until she asks Oskar to stop. When Oskar cannot give her what she wants, she leaves, but is there for him in the end regardless. )

The main character Oskar finally gets his break when his new right hand man ( Itzhak Stern, played by Ben Kingsley ) organises some meetings with rich Jewish business men to invest money into his company. Oskar hires Jewish workers, with the help of Itzhak who knows which people need more help than others to avoid ill treatment from the Nazis. As time goes on his workers are at risk when they are moved to a concentration camp from their ghetto and this when Oskar and Amon meet. Oskar forges a deal with Amon to release these workers, all except Itzhak who Amon makes his personal accountant and book keeper. However, through Itzhak and bribery of Marcel, Oskar is able to help many Jewish people on a daily basis from the extreme conditions of working in the concentration camp under the sadistic Amon Goeth who likes to practice his target shooting on a daily basis with anyone who should be passing his window. Oskar tries to rein in the power-driven Amon but he soon resorts back to his ways. As the 'final solution' plans are gradually put into place, Oskar realises that more must be done to help, however, using much of newly acquired fortune for briberies and an extravagant lifestyle, Oskar realises that he cannot do as much as he should, but uses what he has left to 'buy' his thousands of workers safety so he can move them cross the border to a safer area. Through a breakdown in paperwork they end up at a different concentration camp, but Oskar manages to retrieve his workers to safety. As the war comes to an end, Oskar realises that he must flee since he was offically a member of the Nazi party and the workers collect enough gold amongst themelves to produce a ring for Oskar, engraving the words "he who saves a single soul saves the world entire" taken from the quote in Talmud Yerushalmi (Sanhedrin 4:9) "He who saves a single life, saves the entire world." However, the quote differs in the Talmud Bavli, so differing Jewish opinions will always have something to say regarding this part of the film. The Jewish workers also give Oskar a letter from them all, explaining his role in securing their lives should the Allies take him in for questioning.

The film ends with Oskar's grave in Jerusalem, where cast members alongside some of the remaining Schindler survivors from the film (and living relatives of those who have since died ) place stones on top of the grave, as a token of gratitude in accordance to Jewish tradition.

As with many issues concerning the holocaust in general and Oskar's motives, the work of Thomas Keneally in Schindler's Ark is much debated. However, both the book and film paint an unfortunally realistic account of the holocaust, one of the most powerful images being of the young girl in the red coat that Oskar witnesses from afar during the Jewish raids and then again at the concentration camp later on. It's not the type of film you can watch with a box of maltesers and enjoy, because it's a very emotive and thought provoking film, but a story which should be told in all its horror nevertheless for future generations.

Summary: A controversial account of Oskar Schindler's role in helping to save Jewish lives.