 As a producer, Steven Spielberg (I) (qv) shopped directing duties  on this film to numerous colleagues, because he was afraid he  couldnt do the story justice. He was turned down by  Martin Scorsese (qv) (who was interested but ultimately felt it  was a subject that should be done by a Jewish director),  Roman Polanski (qv) (who didnt feel he was yet ready to tackle  the Holocaust after surviving his childhood in it) and  Billy Wilder (qv)) who turned it down because was in retirement).  Apparently, it was Wilder was convinced Spielberg to direct it  himself.