And the Best Picture goes to....
1993
Steven Spielberg
Brank Lustig
Gerald R. Molen, Producers
3 hours 15 minutes
Estimated Budget $22,000,000
Rated R
The Other Nominated Films
The Fugitive
In the Name of the Father
The Piano
The Remains of the Day
Directed by Steven Spielberg Winner, Best Director
CAST
Liam Neeson Nominated, Best Actor
Ralph Fiennes Nominated, Best Supporting Actor
Ben Kingsley
Caroline Goodall
Jonathan Sagall
Embeth Davidtz
Also Nominated for
John Williams Winner, Best Original Score
Janusz Kaminski Winner, Best Cinematography
Steven Zaillian Winner, Best Adapted Screenplay
Michael Kahn Winner, Best Film Editing
Ewa Braun Winner, Best Production Design
Allan Starski
Anna Biedrzycka-Sheppard Nominated, Best Costume Design
Matthew W. Mungle Nominated, Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Judith A. Corey
Christina Smith
Scott Millan Nominated, Best Sound Mixing
Ron Judkins
Andy Nelson
LOGLINE:
During World War II, self-serving opportunist Oskar Schindler shields his Jewish employees from the Nazis.
REVIEW:
Shocking, disturbing, and realistic, Schindler’s List tells a captivating story. Steven Spielberg delivers a haunting film that holds your attention as it depicts human compassion, resilience, and the atrocities of the Holocaust.
The actors give strong performances that fully embody their characters. Liam Neeson’s portrayal of businessman Schindler is remarkable. He initially seeks to profit but has a change of heart after witnessing the brutality of the Nazis in 1943, and he ends up spending a significant portion of his fortune protecting a large group of Jews until the end of the war. Neeson’s poignant speech near the end of the film, where he expresses regret for not doing more, may very well bring a tear to your eye.
Ralph Fiennes is equally compelling with his powerful performance as the ruthless and cruel Nazi Amon Goeth. His portrayal as a despicable madman is truly chilling as he embodies the horrors of the Holocaust. This may be the best performance of Ralph Fiennes career.
Spielberg’s direction is sensitive, yet never shies away from depicting the heartless realities of the Holocaust. His narrative also emphasizes resilience and hope in the act of one man’s kindness. The film’s black-and-white cinematography, masterfully done by Janusz Kamiński, adds a sense of stark realism to the storytelling, and each scene captures the disturbing conditions of the Jewish ghettos and concentration camps with a raw and brutal honesty.
“Schindler’s List” should serve as a reminder of a dark chapter in human history, and is a call that we should never forget the millions who lost their lives during the Holocaust. Yet it should also show how one person can be capable of doing an unimaginable kindness.