THE CHOSEN
US, 1981, 108 minutes, Colour.
Robby Benson, Maximilian Schell, Rod Steiger, Barry Miller, Ron Rifkin.
Directed by Jeremy Paul Kagan.
The Chosen is a pleasing adaptation of Chaim Potok's celebrated novel. It focuses on New York and its Jews in the years of World War Two and its aftermath to the establishing of the State of Israel. It focuses on Hassidic Jews and their strict, other-worldly way of life and Jews who had adapted to living in the United States. The film focuses on two young men and their fathers, paralleling and contrasting them. Rod Steiger is excellent as the acidic rabbi - one of his best performances. Robbie Benson (Jeremy, Lucky Lady, Tribute) gives a fine performance as his son. They are well matched by Maximilian Schell as the more liberal Jewish writer and Barry Miller (Saturday Night Fever, Fame) as his son. The story is told from the point of view of the Barry Miller character with voice-over.
The film captures the atmosphere of the city and the times, is warmly human. Musical score is by Elmer Bernstein. Direction is by Jeremy Paul Kagan whose credits include Katherine, Heroes, The Big Fix, Sting II, The Journey of Natty Gann.
1. The impact of the film? Enjoyment? Understanding of Jewish culture and religion? The adaptation of Potok's work?
2. The audience knowledge of Jewish background, religion and culture? The Hassidic Jews and the explanation of their European origins, strictness, spirit and spirituality? Orthodox and liberal Jews? The interpretation of Scripture - in literal ways, with interpretation? The differing viewpoints? The Jewish world presented with sympathy, clarity? The impact for American audiences? World-wide audiences?
3. New York in the 1940s, the streets, homes, ghettos? College? The broader American context?
4. Musical score for mood, feeling? Jewish melodies? Hymns and ceremonies? The contemporary American music, the big band style?
5. The presentation of the Hassidic Jews: their background in Europe, in Russia, their response to rabbis? The theme of heart and head? The importance of the dream and Danny's interpretation of king and clown? The letters of M and L? The word for king, indicating head before heart? The word for clown with heart before head? Reb Saunders and his application of this to Daniel? Daniel and his explanation to Reuven? The interpretation of the Scriptures, the reading of Talmud, committing it to memory, traditions and interpretations, unworldly, clothes, hair? The attitude towards the State of Israel? To the coming of the Messiah? The adaptation of this aspect of Judaism to America? Isolation, the playing of baseball? The background of Reb Saunders' Russian experience and his saving his village? The attitudes towards the State of Israel? Masculine-feminine relationships (and the isolation of men and women at the wedding celebration)? The contrast with liberal Jews, the interpretation of Scripture, Word
of God in word of man? Inspiration? Scientific studies? The Talmudic story at the end: the son and his leaving home - and his coming back as far as he could with his father going to meet him?
6. Reuven's point of view and comments on Hassidic Judaism: the outsider, his experience of Daniel, his reaction, the contrast with the families, Zionism?
7. The atmosphere of the times: the credits and the radio excerpts, Hitler, the news of the war, comedy shows? The references in the street of the Americans to Daniel speaking German, spies? The bashing of Jewish boys in the street? The newsreels, the pictures of the holocaust? Israel, the antagonism towards the Arabs? Young men going to Palestine to fight and die in the kibbutz? The United Nations' decision?
8. The opening with the baseball game: the ordinary American Jews, the strange impression of the Hassidic boys arriving in pairs, their clothes? Their strength, winning the game, the excitement? The build-up to the confrontation between Daniel and Reuven? The smashing of his eye? Reuven in hospital, turning up the radio and dislike of Danny? Daniel's visit, being sorry? The background of the two fathers and their interaction over the accident?
9. The portrait of Daniel: separate, the Hassidic background, playing baseball with vigour, his skills, anger, hitting Reuven, visiting him in the hospital, direct way of speaking, slightly humourless, his apology? His being hurt, returning to Reuven's home? Their discussion and his isolation, not knowing about Errol Flynn etc? His capacity for reading, total recall? His offer to help Reuven study? The bond between the two, their being ridiculed in the drug store, bashed in the street? His taking Reuven home to meet his father? The acclaim of the rabbis? The sermon and the test for Daniel to correct his father? His relationship with his father, his father not talking, talking via Reuven, living with silence? The later explanation by Reb Saunders about the arrogant Daniel, head before the heart, his having to learn isolation in silence and therefore compassion? His watching his younger brother being treated well by his father? His friendship with Reuven, telling him secrets, the reading in the library and the irony that he was being helped by Reuven's father? The discussion about going to college? The gift of the briefcase from his mother (and his father in the background)? At college, study, the fundamentalist interpretation of Scripture, his zest for Freud and Jung and the understanding of the unconscious (and the explanation of Reuven's dream)? Chasing the rats, behavioural psychology? The visit to the art gallery, the works of art, the beauty of the statue of the naked woman? Going to the cinema, the Van Johnson-Esther? Williams romance? The newsreel and the vision of the holocaust consequences? The bond over the years between the two? At home? The wedding and his warning Reuven about the arranged marriages? The end of the war and the kiss in the street, its effect? Reuven staying at his home, the tension with the meal and the discussion about Zionism? His explaining to Reuven in the toilet that he could not speak to him and that he would obey his father? His not talking during the Zionist crisis? His return to Reuven, Reuven's reaction, the reconciliation, apology? His being summoned to his father and his father talking to him through Reuven, explaining his upbringing? Weeping, embracing? The bond and their always talking? The change of clothes, his going to Columbia, to the apartment, to be a psychologist? The final story about the young man returning and his father going to meet him?
10. The portrait of Reuven: observer, commentator? In himself, family, his mother dead, his love for his father? Cooking at home, talking? The baseball, the accident? his resentment at Danny in the hospital visit? Playing the piano, Danny's visit, allowing him to come? His amazement at Danny's memory? The growing bonds between the two? The difficulty with his eyes, his being able to see? The friends and their taunts? Being bashed in the street? The library and the irony of his introducing Danny to his father? The visit to Reb Saunders, the greetings in the synagogue, the interrogation about his sermon, the songs, the meal, the Talmud, quotations?, His response to Danny and the family? Going to Hirsch College, the studies? The dining room? Taking Danny to the museum, the art gallery, the film? The end of the war and the kiss? Staying at Saunders' household, his friendship with Danny's sister, sitting on the couch and her reading, the wedding and his discovery of the arranged marriages? Reb Saunders' outburst about Zionism? The break between himself and Danny? The silence? His going out to smuggle arms to Israel and the night on the wharves? His father's response, his father's overwork? The party, the music, the kiss - and discovering his father collapsed? The U.N. decision and his father getting better? The reconciliation with Danny - though hurt? The prospect of Columbia University, the long talk with Reb Saunders? The farewell? The sympathetic portrait of Reuven?
11. Reuven's father: humane, the teacher, the bonds between the two, friendship, the hospital visit, his wise words about Danny and friendship, about Reb Saunders' leadership? Giving the books to Danny, writing of the speeches, hard work, the tour and the acclaim of’ the speeches, his collapse, recovery, the U.N. decision? The contrast of point of view of Reb Saunders?
12. Reb Saunders and his reputation, respect, the Jews and their seeking his advice, greetings in the synagogue, the sermon and the testing of Daniel, the interrogation of Reuven? With his young son (the chess, the singing, the letters)? His understanding of Scripture, the discussion with Reuven and allowing Daniel to go to Hirsch College? The silence? The truth about Daniel - and telling him about Daniel's head and heart and lack of compassion? At the wedding, his dancing? The clash about Zionism? His beliefs about the Messiah? The end and his receiving Reuven? Telling the story about Daniel? The reconciliation with his son and talking with him? The wife and daughter in the background - the daughter and her attraction to Reuven, the wedding and the arranged marriages?
13. The humanity of the film, family, friendships?
14. Religious and traditional themes? Judaism? society? Its place in American culture?
