There are plenty of films dealing with dark themes in the illustrious filmography of Steven Spielberg. Prior to his success with Saving Private Ryan, Amistad, or Bridge of Spies, the Ohio-born filmmaker, 77, addressed a subject that was more personal to him.
Spielberg helmed the epic historical drama Schindler’s List in the same year (1993), when he broke box office records with Jurassic Park. Adapted from the 1982 novel Schindler’s Ark by Thomas Keneally, the former relates the terrifying true story of German industrialist Oskar Schindler, who employed thousands of Jews during World War II to keep them safe from the Nazi party’s persecution.
Starring Liam Neeson and Ben Kingsley, the film was a box office hit that won Best Picture at the Academy Awards and gave Spielberg his first Best Director Oscar. However, it is also acknowledged for having introduced the Holocaust to a larger public.
Nevertheless, what many might not be aware of is the horrific tale of anti-Semitism that the cast and crew faced while filming Schindler’s List.
Schindler’s List: Crew’s Resilience in the Face of Anti-Semitic Challenges
In the 1990s, Steven Spielberg and his team created a film that opened the eyes of countless moviegoers with its unflinching depiction of the horrors that the Jewish people endured during the Holocaust, resulting in some truly stunning and moving imagery. But the filmmaker’s intention went far beyond simply startling audiences; he also wanted to confront a very real issue that still plagues Jews today.
In an interview with The Sunday Times (via Deadline), the filmmaker discussed his vision for Schindler’s List and its dramatic ending, which was intended to “verify” that everything in the film was “true”. Spielberg explained:
“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.”
Even now, the film’s numerous sequences in which Liam Neeson’s Oskar Schindler saves actual Jews help viewers accept the horrific reality of recent history. Spielberg, 77, further admitted:
“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.”
And it must do so since Holocaust denial is still a startlingly common problem (see USA Today). It may surprise many to learn of the horrifying tale of anti-Semitism the cast and crew experienced during the Schindler’s List filming. Neeson, who brilliantly embodied Oskar Schindler, revealed in a conversation with THR in February of this year that:
“I heard my own driver talking in a not very nice way about Branko Lustig. It was just a throwaway comment about their salary or something. He mumbled to himself something like, “Well, of course, he’s a Jew.”
Well, the desire to pay tribute to the memory of the Holocaust victims and tell their stories with the utmost respect and authenticity drove Spielberg and the crew to continue with the production.
Robin Williams’ Impact on Steven Spielberg’s Journey with Schindler’s List
As we learned above, Steven Spielberg did not always have an easy time bringing the horrific Holocaust drama Schindler’s List to life. But he did have one thing to look forward to that would cheer him up: weekly phone calls from the late Robin Williams.
According to Deadline, Spielberg stated during a film retrospective held at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York:
“He [Robin Williams] would call and do 15 minutes of stand-up on the phone. He would never say goodbye; he would always just hang up on the biggest laugh he got from me. Mic drop.”
Liam Neeson, Caroline Goodall, Embeth Davidtz, and Ben Kingsley were among the stars who collaborated with Spielberg on the film. Regardless of the film’s sentiments, Kingsley recalled how anti-Semitism lurked throughout the production. He remarked:
“It was just for us.”
Neeson also mentioned that during the filming of scenes at Auschwitz, he was deeply impacted by a comment made by Branko Lustig, one of the film’s producers:
“He pointed over to the huts at Auschwitz and he said, ‘You see that hut? I was in that hut.’ It hit me, big f***ing time. Big time. I kept screwing up all the lines.”
Well, after grossing over $300 million globally (see Box Office Mojo), the 1993 flick went on to become a critical darling (Rotten Tomatoes), leading to seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
If you have not seen Schindler’s List yet, do yourself a favor and stream it on FuboTV.
