“Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don’t.”
These words, spoken by Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist who was also a German spy, is credited with saving the lives of over 1,000 Jews during the time of the Holocaust. Schindler originally was using the Jews for his benefit; to make a profit. As time went on though Schindler realized that his Jewish accountant that he had hired, Itzhak Stern, was using his authority not only to hire the help, but to help save the Jews from being persecuted; from being murdered. Schindler discovered this when Stern brought a one arm man who was greatly appreciative of Mr. Schindler for being given work and for being considered “essential” to Mr. Schindler’s company; an enamelware factory. Schindler at first was furious! He wanted nothing to do with saving or helping the Jews, he just wanted to help himself. He was considered a member of the Nazi party for Pete sack! In the end though, Mr. Schindler realized that killing innocent people just for their religion was not civil nor correct. He realized that, what if that were him being persecuted; what if he were on the other side? Schindler realized he had to do his part to help out as best he could and without being caught.
To do this good deed, Mr. Schindler had to put aside his thoughts from his mind and listen to his heart. He was a man earning millions being a war profiteer who then had to make the choice to spend every last pfennig and risk his life to save others. He spent over what is known as 4 million German marks; a large sum of money back then to help these Jews. But why? Why the sudden need to help? No one will ever know for sure, but things happen for a reason and because of Mr. Schindler, over 1,000 Jews were saved and now their descendants are saved and they are alive and free. Mr. Schindler’s actions were courageous and heroic, no matter the reason why.
The film was made years later to show just how much one person contributed to helping these poor people during their time of need; to show how awful the conditions were and how terribly these people, the Jews, were treated. It was made to show the great and heroic actions of Mr. Oskar Schindler himself and to give credit where credit was due. Mr. Steven Spielberg, director and producer of this film, presented all these characteristics and more in a way that makes you feel like you have been taken back in time to those days and you are living in the chaos yourself.
Mise-en-scene is a term used in film or theatre that means “placing on stage” or “put into the scene”. It refers to sets and backdrops, the use of props and lighting as well as the blocking of the actors’ movements within the dramatic space. The term is also used to describe the space constructed for the camera. Mise-en-scene involves two very important elements; setting and composition. Everything we saw on the screen, the certain way the props were placed, it’s all part of mise-en-scene. The way the pictures fell to the floor, the way the people who lie dead were placed, the way the steam came out of the train; all of these things had to be studied and filmed and taken care of with much care and detail. The whole film itself, for it to be made well and correctly and accurately, had to be focused on with no distractions. Every single little detail that Spielberg added into this film had to be done with tediousness and patience.
The way Spielberg made certain scenes have color while the rest of the movie was done in black and white makes a statement. It states how those scenes or actions were of extra importance and that they should be focused on. The costumes of this film, of any film for that matter, also make a statement. The way the actors and actresses were dressed showed us how the Jews and Nazi leaders and followers and children from that era were clothed. Also, when they weren’t clothed; when the Jews were forced to undress in front of others and their naked bodies pushed up against one another, it makes a huge statement and shows us the terrible reality of some of the actions these people were forced to go and live through.
Another important part of the mise-en-scene that Spielberg had to be brave enough to add was to show people being brutally beaten or murdered on screen. These sets and stage directions for the actors and all the people involved had to reveal the relationship of the people and how a camera angle can do just that; how a backdrop or certain props could make or break a scene or the feeling that was trying to be portrayed. He showed the truth of the hundreds and hundreds of bodies just piled in the middle of the road and how they were killed for no real reason at all besides the fact that they were Jewish. All these details of the film are very important to be seen and to be done correctly because it makes up the composition of the entire film and also because it teaches and shows the people of today how humans can truly be evil; it helps remind us that this did happen once and how tremendously awful it was and that we never want it to be able to happen again.
The characters of this film were based upon true, living human beings that lived during this terrible time of warfare and the Holocaust. Spielberg had to make sure he portrayed these people correctly and their stories correctly as well so as not to offend or hurt anyone or their families. He had to be careful in the way he portrayed certain actions or words that came from these people; he had to make sure he was using correct and accurate information throughout the whole film. As I said earlier, a film like this one has to be taken care of with much care and devotion in order to present it with facts and make it a true part of history. It is very sad that the Holocaust happened and that poor and innocent people were murdered, but Spielberg made sure by making this film that the survivors and the heroes of that era were recognized for their bravery and strength and for helping we make sure that a terrible thing such as this, will never happen again.
I felt that the film was very well produced. As I said in the beginning of this critique, Spielberg brings you back in time and it made me feel as if I had been taken back to the Holocaust myself and that I were living in the horror of it all. The way the scene and people and words and actions come alive on the screen makes it all seem so real and scary. It makes you wonder how any of this ever could have gone on and how could human beings be so cruel. It made me have feelings of anger and sadness, but in the end, happiness, for Mr. Oskar Schindler chose to do what was right and help those less fortunate and those in need. Even though he could not save everyone, he did his part and that shows that yes, there may be evil in this world, but good will always triumph evil no matter how terrible or how long the evil goes on for or how awful it truly is. People care about one another and that light will always shine through; darkness may be able to take control for some time, but the flame of the candle, no matter how long it may be burned out for, as Spielberg shows in the beginning of the movie, will always be able to be relit somehow and someway by those who care.
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