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Film Review

Schindler’s List is one of the most spellbinding historical films of all time. The film follows the life of a German businessman named Oskar Schindler during one of Germany’s darkest times, the Holocaust. Millions of Jews were murdered by the Nazis during the time, for the sole reason that they were Jewish. Before the Holocaust, Schindler sought to establish an enamelware factory in the Polish city of Krakow. Itzhak Stern acted as Schindler’s financial advisor as he tried to set up the enamelware business (Gambaccini & Miller). Schindler had to pay hefty bribes to the reigning Nazis so that he could establish his business. However, Schindler soon became aware of the plight of the Jews who were routinely killed by the thousands on the whims of the Nazis under Hitler. Schindler maintained a good relationship with the Nazis such that he was able to keep his workers who were Jews from being sent into the concentration camps. Schindler’s List is a spellbinding movie that revisits one of the most horrific events in human history accurately and realistically.

Directed by renowned movie producer Steven Spielberg, ‘Schindler’s List’ employs several techniques to add to the credibility of the film. The first is the depiction of the movie in black and white so as to give it a sense of timelessness. The decision to use black and white was an excellent one because when watching the film, it provides a sense that it was shot at the time of the actual events. There is also the use of appropriate symbolism, costumes and music in the film. The main symbolic thing in Schindler’s List is the red coat worn by a little girl (Chen). Schindler first saw the girl walking on the street, then saw her dead just a little while later. The colour red is used to show the blood shed by the Jews during the Holocaust. The music used in the film by John Williams also sets an appropriate mood for the sombre events in the movie. Some of the themes in Schindler’s List include selflessness, the value of human life and corruption. Schindler is shown to be selfless because he sacrificed his money to save the lives of the Jews, despite belonging to the Nazi party. The bribes made to Amon Goth and the Nazis also depict corruption.

The film ‘Schindler’s List’ enhanced my understanding of history. Most of the time, people speak of the horrible things that Hitler and the Nazis did to the Jews but do not discuss the details of what happened. After watching the films, I got a clear understanding of just how much the Jews suffered under the wicked and heartless Nazis. The film is historically accurate as it is based on real-life events that happened in Germany and Poland during the Holocaust. It is a useful teaching tool for teachers as it gives students perspective and information on the circumstances around the Holocaust. Through Schindler’s eyes, the audience gets to see the immense suffering of the Jews, and how the actions of one man can make the difference in thousands of lives.

In conclusion, Steven Spielberg does a splendid job in recreating the Holocaust. The film is set in Germany and Poland, the actual locations of the Holocaust. The costumes also reflect those from the era. ‘Schindler’s List’ is a reflection of some of the issues in society today, such as corruption and oppression. To deal with these issues, the world needs more people like Schindler who would do anything to right something they see to be wrong. Schindler saw the baseless persecution of the Jews and gave up his wealth to save them, risking his own life in the process.

Works Cited

Chen, Xiaolin. “The Use of Symbols in Schindler’s List.” In 3rd International Conference on Contemporary Education, Social Sciences and Humanities (ICCESSH 2018). Atlantis Press, 2018.

Gambaccini, P., and T. Miller. “Schindler’s List.” (2017).