44/50x2: Schindler's List

This film was not exactly what I was expecting. I can't believe such an epic film from so many years ago I hadn't really known what it was exactly about.

Schindler's List stars some amazing and talented actors. Liam Neeson stars as Oskar Schindler, Ben Kingsley as Itshak Stern and Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth.

Schindler and Goeth are both part of the Nazi party. Schindler's main concern, however, is finding a way to get richer during the war, while Goeth actually enjoys the killing of Jews.

Schindler comes up with an idea to start a business for pots and pans, fronted by some Jewish businessmen (because Jews at the time couldn't own a business) and led by Stern as the bookkeeper.

Schindler is first alone in Poland when coming up with this idea and grabs Jewish workers from the Krakow Ghetto where they are all being forced to live.

Goeth comes in later to set up a new concentration camp and ends up poaching a few of Schindler's workers, but soon Schindler bribes Goeth into allowing a sub-camp and is able to keep his workers and continue earning money. Stern, meanwhile, is the eyes and ears for Schindler and as he hears Goeth may execute some people, Schindler asks to use them at his camp - pretty much saving their lives.

Soon, Goeth receives orders to destroy all of the remains of the dead and ship everyone, including Schindler's workers, to Auschwitz.

Schindler, though, uses a lot of the money he has gained throughout the war in order to save his workers. In fact, Schindler and Stern draw up a list of over 1,000 Jews that he wants to keep for his new factory in his hometown of Czechoslovakia.

Though his original intent during this war was to become rich, Schindler's heart is changed and he becomes friends with his workers, especially Stern.

Much like Brian's Song, I feel the story that this film was based on is historic and what Schindler ended up doing for these people was amazing. The film itself wasn't as great as I was expecting. The main three actors are amazing, but I just felt it was far too long and really didn't get going quick enough for me.

I had to switch DVDs when watching this film, which is odd nowadays and shows how long this film is. The best part of the film for me was on DVD No. 2. When Schindler began to realize that all of his workers and people has grown to care about could be taken from him and murdered, he did all he could to act to save them - including giving up most of his fortune. And, in the end he felt he hadn't done enough.

One cool thing for me though, I didn't really notice that the film was in black and white. I am not a huge black and white fan, but this film really did work very well in that aspect - so much so that I hardly even noticed.

Grade: