The Beauty of Life Beyond Horror

Rating: 9/10 (5 September 2004)

Life goes on despite carnage and war! that is the overriding theme of the movie.During one of the darkest hour of human history despite brutality and holocaust ,a radiance of hope emerges from one of the least likely member of the human tribe.
That is reassuring!!
Spielberg masters his craft well to restore our faith in humanity.The black & white picture adds a sense of stark realism, authenticating the plot.The story of the German businessman Schindler is well known so its futile to repeat.His transformation from a war-profiteer to a saviour is miraculous yet heart-warming.Liam Neeson gives a memorable performance as Schindler.So does the brilliant Ben Kingsley as Ithzak Stern.Who can say that this man was so convincing as Gandhi just few years ago? Ralph Fiennes too delivers as the sadistic yet shrewd villain Amon Goeth and so does the other side-actors.Indeed the subtle diplomacy between Schindler and Goeth is one of the stand points of the film.
Dedication can be sensed in every frame of the movie right from the camera work to the background score.It seems the crew members realized the importance of history they were re-creating.The script is taut and does not drag despite the over 3 hrs length of the film.The scene with the little girl in red dress(only color frame in the movie) involves the audience with its underlying innocence.From there on Schindler's transformation affects us too as we realize the enormity of the journey he embarks upon.Beyond the macabre mass murders and "killings for fun" we start to share the collective joy and grief of the struggling community-that sense of togetherness lingers on far after the film ends.That is the biggest reward from the film.
Today there are few thousand Jews left in whole Poland while Schindler's Jews alone have grown beyond 10000.
Whosoever saves one life,saves the world entire.
Who said we cannot make a difference?