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Have you ever wondered what it really means to put your heart and soul into a film? Steven Spielberg’s profound connection toSchindler’s Listis compelling evidence of this very question, marking it as his most personal creation. The film, whose challenging production gradually turned into a passion project for the director, has since emerged as one of the most defining works that best explained the evil of the Holocaust.
Nonetheless, the journey to bring this heart-rending masterpiece to life was fraught with solemn notes of heartbreak, particularly for another acclaimed director. That being said, Billy Wilder, recipient of seven Academy Awards, envisionedSchindler’s Listas a final ode to the loss of his own family during the Holocaust.
Spielberg once shared the tender yet devastating interaction between him and Wilder.
Exploring the What-Ifs: Billy Wilder & the Almost-DirectedSchindler’s List
The epic tale ofSteven Spielberg’s historical drama film,Schindler’s List,is not only a masterpiece of cinema but also a bittersweet story of a missed opportunity for another legendary director.
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Billy Wilder, the celebrated filmmaker behind classics such asThe ApartmentandSunset Boulevard,had his heart set on making the Liam Neeson-starrer movie his “last” work. It was a deeply personal tribute to the former’s own family members who perished in the Holocaust.In an interview withEWback in 2011, Spielberg, 77, recalled his heartbreaking chat with Wilder, who said:
I know you’ve had it since it came out in the early ’80s, and I would love Schindler’s List to be my last film, because I know how to tell that story, because I lost family in the Holocaust, and I feel that my existence is inexorably tied to that period. As a Jew and as [an Austrian] Jew, I need to make this picture.
Sadly, Wilder’s hopes were dashed when Spielberg revealed that he had already secured the rights to Thomas Keneally’s book,Schindler’s Ark, to bring the story of Oskar Schindler tothe big screen:
When I told Billy that I was going off to Poland in four months to shoot the picture, he was devastated. I was devastated that he didn’t know that I had been publicly preparing the film for almost a year.
Despite the disappointment, the directors remained friends, with Wilder offering his support & admiration for Spielberg’s dedication to telling such an important story. The latter added:
But he [Wilder] understood, and one of the first phone calls that I got when Schindler’s List started to screen was from Billy Wilder. It was a great phone call.
Schindler’s Listwent on to become a landmark film in Hollywood history, earning critical acclaim and multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture. However, you would be mistaken if you believed that Billy Wilderwas the onlydirector vying for the director’s duties.
In the Director’s Chair:Schindler’s ListNearly Had Martin Scorsese’s Touch?
WithSchindler’s List, Steven Spielberg’s career underwent a dramatic sea change, of course, on a positive note. Bringing his Jewish upbringing & faith to the screen also allowed the director to experience something deeper and more personal than before.
Yet, this pivotal moment could have lookedentirely different, asMartin Scorsesecandidly reminisced on his once-potential adaptation ofSchindler’s List.In an interview withDeadline, Scorsese revealed why he ultimately decided to pass on directing the 1993 flick:
I did [The Last Temptation of Christ] I did it a certain way, and ‘Schindler’s List’ was scuttled by its reception.
TheMean Streetsdirector, 81, realized that the weight and importance of telling the story of the Holocaust required a specific perspective, one that he, as a non-Jewish filmmaker, may not be able to fully capture:
I used the phrase at the time, ‘I’m not Jewish.’ What I meant was, it’s the old story that the journey had to be taken by a Jewish person through that world, and I think Steven also learned that.
In a display of humility and respect, Scorsese recognized that Spielberg’s Jewish upbringing and heritage gave him a unique emotional connection to the material.
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Scorsese’s decision to step aside and allow Spielberg to bringSchindler’s Listto life ultimately resulted in a cinematic masterpiece that resonates deeply with audiences to this day.While it’s fascinating to imagine what a Martin Scorsese-helmed version may have looked like, it’s clear that the right filmmaker stepped forward to tackle the harrowing subject matter.
Schindler’s Listis streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3310
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
