Sir Ben Kingsley talks about playing Itzhak Stern in Schindler's List 

That scene in the movie got me crying. When a tear ran down his cheek I started crying. Sir Ben Kingsley is an incredible actor! I just love him! ❤️

His performance was Superb. Your so right his Stern is so perfect with his Mannerisms,Looks and his sad Resignation that all is lost. But he a very tough character,his accidental trip on a death train and return showed he was a just as terrified of the Madness as every other poor Innocent victim of that Insanity. Ben Kinsley deserved a Oscar,but they had all been won. A fine actor for so long.

I hope u realize, that the depiction of Ithzak Stern is a fusion of at least three different individuals working for Schindler. Dont be the classic ignorant american, not doing research and the spouting off in the comment section.

When he wanted that drink after resisting for so long it just seemed all is lost I could not stop crying

He was chosen as a leader and savior of his people although unwillingly, truly a great man.

Agree, it is truly a great film.

You would think the West would learn something at least from the movie. But here we are 20-25 years after and antisemitism is raising its ugly Hess again and the Holocaust is being denied As a 2G, I wi set what the people who made the movie think now?????

@@shalevedna It’s mostly in the Muslim world that it’s denied, not the West.

Spielberg has made a lot of great films - but I think Schindler's List is his best.

100%

It's surreal beyond words that Sir Ben *_ALSO_* played Eichmann fairly recently.

Ben Kingsley has such a range. He can alternate between playing loud, brash, and intimidating characters like Don Logan in Sexy Beast and meek, wise characters, like Gandhi and Itzhak Stern.

I prefer "witness" over "conscience" not because Spielberg said it, but because there was a scene where Ben Kingsley's character said something like, "What's the difference whether this plant makes munitions or not?" And Schindler says, "Because less will be made," undermining the war effort in a small way. In General Bradley's book there were a few logistical shortages like ammunition and fuel in liberating France and heading to the border. One was because some people running plants back in the states thought the war would be over by Christmas, so what's the point of manufacturing arms they won't be able to sell?

Ralph Finnes playing Amon Goeth

Yes both were profound actors.

never again ☮️

In the summer of 1994, i was sharing a noon meal with a female acquaintance. A short, older gentleman walked by our table, she stopped him for a chat. After about a minute, he crossed his arms at his waist, left over right. After seeing my eyes widen, without a break in the conversation, he angled his body so that i could get a better look at the tattoo on his outer left forearm (I’m sure he was surprised a 20something like me knew what the tattoo meant, but he covered it well). As i touched it, i said, “which camp?” He, ‘Auschwitz.” Me, “how many in your family were murdered?” He, “74.” He didn’t want to accept my condolences, but the acquaintance knew me well enough to say, “she means it.” I had read the Diary of Anne Frank at roughly the same age she was when she wrote it, and had seen “Schindler’s List” the previous year (and was the youngest in the sparse audience by at least 20 years).

To see his range, you should watch Sexy Beast (movie) too.

In college, I portrayed a character in a theatrical production where the primary antagonist was Adolf Eichmann. During one performance, some survivors of the Holocaust were in the audience. There was a monologue I had to deliver which was *TO* the audience. That was an extremely heavy, emotionally vibrant night. I can hardly explain it. I felt as though I was in a version of "Schindler's List", and the only thing that bothered me was that most of the cast was too young to understand how serious the storytelling was and needed to be. I published the first two books of my own series of six over 2021 & 2022. War is a critical part of the storytelling, and I take it VERY seriously. 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨

Not sure if you will ever see this, seeing as how you posted your message five years ago, but I felt the need to add my own memories along with it. Back in the mid to late 90's when I was still in high school, I had a teacher who's last name was Goethe. This didn't mean anything to me initially, since I knew little of WWII at the time. At some point later in the term however, he brings in this film. The initial mood in the room after he speaks about how important such a film is not what you'd call solemn, considering all the cocky teenagers present, myself included. Twenty minutes in, the room is completely silent, save the film. Half way into the film and there has been heard the sounds of quiet sobbing. I myself was already used to losing loved ones, and was a little prepared to deal with such scenes, as horrible as they were. But then I chanced to look upon my teacher as he broke down in tears at the cruelty inflicted upon those people by a person he shared a name and blood with, and I too began to cry. Because in seeing the pain and sadness in this person took it from being a series of recorded events, and made it reality for me. I never intend to watch this film again. I will never need to, for I will never forget.

As close to reality as it can be? Clearly you never watched the footage from 1945. Yes, brilliant movie, 'nuff said.

@@tdamtoft Sadly I must agree. Great movie, being watched in the soft, warm security of a comfortable seat with a full belly, wearing warm clothes....

Nicely articulated. Anyone who disagrees with "Evil flourishes when good men do nothing." Should get a psychological evaluation.

That's not really accurate if you know many of the Germans did not hate the Jews they just would also be murdered if they tried to help them too. Certainly many Nazis enjoyed their work though but stories like Valkyrie or Rommel and indeed Schindler show some did not agree with the fuer but their lives were also endangered for that.

Great actor awful person

All 3 actors imo:. Kingsley, Neeson and Fiennes. Superb in their roles.

Yes. Stern is in fact the hero of the movie.

Can't disagree with that. The acting by all the cast was superb, even the supporting cast and extras.

Wow. xx

I remember this well as I worked at the ABC cinema in Golders Green when we screened it around 1998/1999 I think. An incredibly moving experience.

There is one on HBO and you can find it on RU-vid

There was an interview with Spielberg that was pretty informative. Of what they did and why. I know it's not visual but you can picture it in your head what he's saying. It was a fascinating interview.

So true. Unfortunately though, most people are often too ignorant to know what the right side actually is, on certain subjects... Ignorance is the ultimate tragedy of humanity, as it leads to all kinds of completely unnecessary and avoidable problems for people. Sigh...

It's not even top 10

@@spirokolioulis3404 Is that so? I'd love to know what your top ten are.

I agree it's one of the best and most important films! But I think you meant to say Göth (or alternatively spelled: Goeth if you don't have the ö). Goethe was a famous poet, among other things

@@patrickfrei9322 German has never been my strong suit.

@@jackfitzpatrick8173 haha no worries :D

He didn't, sadly. While SL took a lot of Oscars in early 1994, including Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Score and Adapted Screenplay, none of the actors won an Oscar. Which is a damned shame.

yeah I know what you mean.

Best supporting should‘ve been Ralph Fiennes without a question, Kingsley was amazing as well though

FYI ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Kingsley)

It was called Anne Frank the whole story. It wasn’t the diary

@@traceyfairbairn2982 Ben Kingsley is really good

@@thejoeker3947 he’s amazing. I’ve watched both movies several times and just found out the other day it was him in both parts

@@traceyfairbairn2982 it’s ironic that He played Itzhak stern and the used Itzhak Perlman as the violin solos in John Williams music score.