Steven Spielberg explains the powerful ending of ‘Schindler’s List’
In 1993, American filmmaker Steven Spielberg released the emotionally daunting historical drama Schindler’s List. The award-winning feature famously stars Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist who saved more than 1,000 Polish-Jewish refugees from the Holocaust during World War Two.
Spielberg directed a visually stunning film in his adaption of Steven Zaillian’s thematically powerful screenplay, a picture which stars Ben Kingsley and Ralph Fiennes in compelling performances. Schindler’s List is one of the director’s most critically acclaimed movies, winning seven Oscars out of a possible 12 nominations at the 66th Academy Awards, including ‘Best Picture’ and Spielberg’s first victory in the ‘Best Director’ category.
The director took the artistic and conceptual direction to have the film play out in a stark black-and-white, with the only moment of colour being introduced through a young Jewish girl’s red coat in one brief but memorable shot. This visual style symbolised the Holocaust itself, as Spielberg felt it was a lightless life and employed director of photography Janusz Kamiński and art directors Allan Starski and Ewa Braun to help execute his symbolic vision.
While discussion around the movie has swirled since its emphatic release, Spielberg himself has often shared his creative intentions regarding the emotionally challenging but historically vital film. During an interview with The Sunday Times, he said: “Holocaust denial was on the rise again — that was the entire reason I made the movie in 1993. That ending was a way to verify that everything in the movie was true.”
The ending referenced by Spielberg showcases a beautiful sentiment, a moment in which real Holocaust survivors visit Schindler’s grave alongside the actors who portrayed them in the movie. The visitors place stones in the marker, a traditional Jewish sign of respect for the deceased, and Neeson also lays down two roses. The director explained how this touching conclusion was a late addition to the pic, intended to remind the audience of the real people and facts inspired by this story.
Spielberg added: “It had a vital message that is more important today than it even was in 1993 because antisemitism is so much worse today than it was when I made the film.”
Schindler’s List was an emotionally taxing process for all staff and cast, so much so that Spielberg called comedian Robin Williams, who was working on Patch Adams during the time, to cheer the set up in between stressful takes.
Adding yet more realism, the acceptance speech for the film’s ‘Best Picture’ victory saw Holocaust survivor Branko Lustig make the bittersweet yet powerful statement: “It’s a long way from Auschwitz to this stage,” Lustig said. “By helping Steven to make this movie, I hope I fulfil my obligation to the innocent victims of the Holocaust. In the name of the six million Jews killed in the Shoah and other Nazi victims, I want to thank everyone for acknowledg[ing] this movie. Thank you.”
Watch the powerful ending in the clip below.
