Schindler’s List (1993), directed by Steven Spielberg, is a deeply moving historical drama depicting the real-life story of Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist celebrated for saving over a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. Recognized as a crucial portrayal of World War II on film, it remains a powerful touchstone for audiences worldwide, leaving an undeniable mark. Here are seven interesting behind-the-scenes facts about the making of Schindler’s List.
Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler
Liam Neeson famously portrayed Oskar Schindler in the film. That being said, he wasn’t Steven Spielberg’s first choice. A number of famous actors, including Robert Duvall, Daniel Day-Lewis, Kevin Costner, Mel Gibson, Stellan Skarsgård and Bruno Ganz, were considered for the role. Although Spielberg dropped him, Warren Beatty was also considered, with the director once saying, “Warren would have played it like Oskar Schindler through Warren Beatty.”
Knowing Spielberg from the Indiana Jones films, Harrison Ford was also considered. He ultimately turned down the role because he didn’t want his name or popularity to take away from the story and its importance. Spielberg agreed and chose the relatively unknown Neeson to take on the lead role.
In an interview with The New York Times, Spielberg said, “Liam was the closest in my experience of what Schindler was like. His charm, the way women love him, his strength. He actually looks a little bit like Schindler, the same height, although Schindler was a rotund man. If I had made the movie in 1964, I would’ve cast Gert Frobe, the late German actor. That’s what he looked like.”
In preparation for the role, Spielberg had Neeson study recordings of Schindler and the gestures of former Time Warner Chairman Steven J. Ross.
Ralph Fiennes terrified a Holocaust survivor
Ralph Fiennes portrayed Krakow-Płaszów’s camp commandant, Amon Goeth, in Schindler’s List. Steven Spielberg chose Fiennes because of his “evil sexuality.” In preparation for the film, the actor gained 28 pounds to look more like the real Goeth, achieving the weight gain by mainly drinking Guinness.
During filming, Holocaust survivor Mila Pfefferberg was on set meeting members of the cast. When she met Fiennes, she began shaking uncontrollably because he reminded her of the real Goeth.
Steven Spielberg initially didn’t want to direct Schindler’s List
Our third fact is that Steven Spielberg was initially reluctant to direct Schindler’s List. He’d known of the story since the 1980s, after reading Thomas Keneally’s Schindler’s Ark, but, despite becoming a household name by directing Jaws (1975), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and the Indiana Jones franchise, he believed he wasn’t prepared, nor mature enough to make a movie with such an important and monumental story.
Spielberg first approached Roman Polanski to direct the feature. The director himself was a Holocaust survivor and a relative of one of the Schindlerjuden, or “Schindler Jews” – the Jews Oskar Schindler saved. He ultimately turned down the film because it was too personal.
Other directors who were considered include Sidney Lumet, Billy Wilder, Sydney Pollack and Martin Scorsese. It wasn’t until the filming of Hook (1991) that Spielberg decided he was ready.
Steven Spielberg donated all his earning from Schindler’s List
Upon taking on the daunting role of directing Schindler’s List, Steven Spielberg chose to forego payment for the film, referring to it as “blood money.”
Additionally, Spielberg committed all proceeds and residuals from the film to the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, a nonprofit he founded in 1994. Renamed the USC Shoah Foundation – The Institute for Visual History and Education, the organization now archives and safeguards the testimonies of survivors of genocide.
The ‘Girl in the Red Coat’ broke her promise to Steven Spielberg
Schindler’s List is widely recognized for its black-and-white cinematography. However, there is a notable exception: the “Girl in the Red Coat” scene during the liquidation of the Kraków ghetto. Steven Spielberg deliberately used color to show the individuality of the Holocaust victims.
Oliwia Dabrowska, who portrayed the young girl, was only three years old when she was cast. Spielberg, foreseeing the impact of the film, asked her parents to prevent her from watching it until she turned 18—a promise she broke at age 11.
The experience deeply affected her, initially leading to feelings of shame about her role. Over time, however, she has come to embrace the importance of her character, even hanging a still of the scene in her home as a source of pride.
Cheering everyone up on set
Making Schindler’s List was not a fun experience. The film’s content made the cast and crew depressed and in need of cheering up. To accomplish this, Steven Spielberg asked Robin Williams to entertain everyone with jokes and sketches over speakerphone. The director recalled, “Robin knew what I was going through. He would do 15 minutes of stand-up on the phone. I would laugh hysterically… he’d always hang up on you on the loudest, best laugh you’d give him. Drops the mic, that’s it.”
At the same time, Williams was working on material for his role as Genie in Aladdin (1992). This allowed him to try out his new material for the Disney film.
Spielberg also found watching episodes of Seinfeld (1989-98) helped cheer him up. After hearing this, Jerry Seinfeld included references to the film in the two-part episode “The Raincoats.” In it, Jerry and Rachel watch Schindler’s List, but make out throughout the movie, instead of watching it.
John Williams didn’t think he could write the score for Schindler’s List
John Williams is undoubtedly one of, if not the, greatest composers of our time. Many movies, including the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, would be very different if they didn’t have Williams-composed soundtracks.
Initially, Schindler’s List wasn’t going to have a Williams score because the composer didn’t think he was good enough to write one that matched what he saw. Williams was incredibly moved by the film and told Steven Spielberg that a better composer was needed to do it justice. Spielberg responded, “I know, but they’re all dead.”
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With that, Williams went to work writing the score for the film, which received the Academy Award for Best Original Score.