Critics Give Spielberg a Day in the Sun for ‘List’ : Awards: He’s honored as best director by the National Society of Film Critics for his Holocaust drama, which also takes the best picture crown.

Steven Spielberg’s directing efforts--until now largely overlooked by film reviewer groups--were finally honored by the National Society of Film Critics on Monday, as the group voted to name him best director of 1993 and his film “Schindler’s List” the best movie of year.

The win gives Spielberg’s Holocaust drama a sweep in the Triple Crown of critics’ year-end voting, and marks only the second occasion in recent movie history that the nation’s preeminent critics’ groups have agreed on the year’s best film.

In December, the Los Angeles Film Critics’ Assn. and the New York Film Critics’ Circle both picked “Schindler’s List” as the choice for best film of the year, but overlooked Spielberg for director. The only time all three groups agreed was in 1990 when they selected Martin Scorsese’s “GoodFellas.” The only other time that the Los Angeles and New York film critics agreed was in 1986 when both picked Woody Allen’s “Hannah and Her Sisters.”

This year’s triple win by “Schindler’s List,” plus the movie’s six nominations for Golden Globes, which will be awarded Jan. 22, put it in a strong position for the upcoming Oscar race. The winners of the critics’ voting can be indicators for the Oscar races. But when all three groups agree, there is no real precedent. “GoodFellas” was nominated for best picture Oscar, but was beaten out for best picture by “Dances With Wolves.”

The results of the National Society of Film Critics, voted in New York at the Algonquin Hotel, most notably differed from the two other groups in the choice of director. The others had voted the honor to New Zealand director Jane Campion for her romantic drama “The Piano.”

On the other hand, all three groups gave the best actress prize to Holly Hunter for her non-speaking role as a Scottish woman finding love outside a prearranged marriage in 19th-Century New Zealand.

The best actor prize went to David Thewlis in “Naked,” for his role as an alienated, loquacious young man who is adrift in London.

The winners and runners-up:

Picture: “Schindler’s List.” Runner-up: “The Piano.”

Director: Steven Spielberg, “Schindler’s List.” Runner-up: Jane Campion, “The Piano.”

Actor: David Thewlis, “Naked.” Runner-up: Anthony Hopkins, “Shadowlands,” “Remains of the Day.”

Supporting actor: Ralph Fiennes, “Schindler’s List.” Runners-up: (tie) Tommy Lee Jones, “The Fugitive”; Leonardo DiCaprio, “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” and “This Boy’s Life.”

Actress: Holly Hunter, “The Piano.” Runner-up: Ashley Judd, “Ruby in Paradise.”

Supporting actress: Madeleine Stowe, “Short Cuts.” Runner-up: Gwyneth Paltrow, “Flesh and Bone.”

Screenplay: Jane Campion, “The Piano.” Runner-up: John Guare, “Six Degrees of Separation.”

Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski, “Schindler’s List.” Runner-up: Stuart Dryburgh, “The Piano.”

Foreign language film: “Story of Qiu Ju” (China). Runner-up: “Trois Couleurs: Bleu” (France).

Documentary: “Visions of Light,” Arnold Glassman, Todd McCarthy, Stuart Samuels. Runner-up: “It’s All True.” Richard Wilson, Myron Meisel, Bill Krohn and footage by Orson Welles.

Special citation for experimental film: “Rock Hudson’s Home Movies.” Mark Rappaport.