Cardon - Schindler & Wallenberg

First I would like to address Raoul Wallenberg by analyzing his emotional demeanor, which was depicted in the film. Grede (the film’s director) depicted Wallenberg’s emotional responses scarcely. Was this done on purpose to show his ability to disconnect from the emotional aspect and completing a job? If he let his innate reactions get the best of him them perhaps he would have been unable to complete such heroic acts. Even after he was advised to return home to Sweden, Wallenberg stayed, because he knew it was wrong if he left the Jews he had been trying so desperately to help, just so he himself could flee danger. Although I had trouble reading his emotional responses throughout the film, his resilience and perseverance came through loud and clear. In present day the question of why more people didn’t stand up in defense of the Jews is often brought up. Hitler and the Nazis were an extreme force to go up against, and the consequences were grave. People feared death and endangering their loved ones. In the beginning of the film Wallenberg mentions that he is familiar with death (b/c of his father). Maybe Wallenberg felt as if he had nothing to loose, therefore he had no plausible excuse not to assist in saving the Jews. One scene that I thought was particularly interesting was when Wallenberg returns to the house where Marja stays, and he takes off his coat, tie, and shirt. He then tells her that his shirt has a tare, remaining in his undershirt. I may be reading too much into this, but I took it as he was trying her method of disrobing. Early on in the film she says that she wants to be naked to remind the soldiers of their humanity (they have real hair, breasts, etc). Was Wallenberg attempting to simply “feel” after all of the horrific events he had just witnessed? I often find myself having trouble being able to separate the individual from the good deed that they have done (i.e. Martin Luther King Jr plagiarizing his dissertation, JFK’s womanizing, etc). I’m not trying to say that what Schindler did is negated by his personal actions, but it does bring up an interesting argument. It does appear that Schindler’s initial intentions (& sentiment) changed over the course of time, because he became aware of the real effect he was having on these peoples’ lives. At first he was simply using the Jews for his own benefit and hell I guess they get to live too. Thankfully in the end we see a change of character in that he ends up spending all his money in an effort to save his workers. He had been driven/compelled in continuing to help the Jews survive even if it were only a few. A lot of this is also because of Schindler’s relationship with Stern. We are able to see Schindler’s transformation from a flawed, greedy, womanizing, Nazi into an open hearted flawed Nazi. One scene in particular really summed up the attitude of the Nazis. As Amon Goeth is standing on his balcony, he begins shooting the Jews for sport, simply because he has the “authority” to do so. Although Schindler didn’t witness this particular occurrence, I believe that it is that sort of behavior that ultimately flicked the switch for him. Goeth’s character throughout the film has a couple of what looks like possible turning points but turns out to be inevitably diabolical.