THE LUCKY STAR
Canada, 1980, 110 minutes, Colour.
Rod Steiger, Louise Fletcher, Lou Jacobi, Derek de Lint.
Directed by Max Fischer.
The Lucky Star is a film about the Holocaust. It was made in Canada in the late 1970s, written and directed by Max Fischer (winning a Genie award for best adapted screenplay) from the writings of Jack Rosenthal, the celebrated British writer.
The film focuses on a young boy, played by Brett Marx, who is preoccupied with American westerns. He is cared for by his father (played by Lou Jacobi – Irma la Douce). Elia Goldberg, his father, sings him songs about the west. However, it is the time of World War Two, the rounding up of the Jews – and the harassment of the people of the Dutch village by the Nazis.
Rod Steiger plays Colonel Gluck and Louise Fletcher plays a woman in the village.
The film is an interesting variation on Holocaust themes – and a picture of life and difficulties in Holland during World War Two. In the 1950s, Hollywood made a film about Holland and the Resistance, Betrayed, with Clark Gable, Lana Turner and Victor Mature. Dutch director Paul Verhoeven returned to his native country after many years in Hollywood to make a similar story about the Dutch Resistance, but on a much grander scale, The Black Book (2006).
1. An interesting war film? Entertaining dramatic comedy? The growing tragedy? The background of the holocaust, insight into the persecution of the Jews, the war? The emotional response to the people involved? The responsibility for the holocaust? The use of Danny and the American western for a new angle on the holocaust?
2. The Canadian production: European and Dutch settings? The re-creation of the '40s? The atmosphere of the period? Dutch cities? Jewish centres? The shops, the cabaret? The celebration of the bar mitzvah? The contrast with the countryside, the town, the farms? Colour photography? The contribution of the score, especially the title song, the western song and the western atmosphere of the music?
3. The originality of the idea: the background of the war, the persecution of the Jews, the German occupation, the killing of the Jews, the transference to concentration camps, the migration of Jews to the farms and hiding places (echoes of Anne Frank and The Hiding Place)? The blend with the enjoyment of movies in the '40s, the western and the conventions of the genre? Danny and his love for films? His seeing himself as a sheriff and wanting to grow up as one? The themes of the western as acted out in Hitler's Europe? The symbolism of the western and the war - and the details for parallelling? Did the device work?
4. The atmosphere of the songs, the Jewish cabaret? The irony of the lucky star - and the symbolism of the Star of David for the identification of the Jews? Danny's father and his work, singing in the cabaret? His mother? The family? His father and the jokes? The glimpses of the audience in the cabaret? The filling in of the detail of a way of life before the war?
5. The impact of the war, the occupation, the victims, deaths, refugees and changes? The emotional impact of the war?
6. Danny in himself, his age, watching the cabaret? The death of his mother and father? His escaping? His enjoyment of the films and watching them? His knowledge of them? Ambitions to be s sheriff? The background of the bar mitzvah highlighting the Jewish atmosphere of the film? The practice, the success, the pride of the bar mitzvah?
7. His walking the countryside, being held up by the German sentries? Mrs. Badder and her helping him? Going to the farm? Her adopting him? The details of the work, his enjoyment of having the horse with its echoes of the western? His meals, singing? Mrs. Badder and her delight? Friendship with the Mayor and his daughter? Their adolescent talk, liking for each other, sex discussion, play, the heroics and the horse?
8. The Mayor and his worry, the register of Jewish migrants? Mrs. Badder and her pressure on him? The nights and his wakefulness? The daughter and her growing up in this atmosphere? Her participation in the final conflict? The final confrontation with the Germans and the irony of the Mayor's behaviour?
9. Mrs. Badder as widow, her concern for Danny, helping him, hiding him, the happy home life? Her grief at his death?
10. The arrival of the Germans? Colonel Gluck and Rod Steiger's style? The occupation, the treatment of the citizens? Colonel Gluck and his relationship with his men? His disappearance and their search and reaction? His being taken by Danny, the nature of his imprisonment? The details of the western and Danny using western jargon? The gun? His angry reaction, self-assertion, spurning Danny? Their talking and arguing? His understanding of the situation? His growing affection for Danny? The trial of Colonel Gluck - and the comparison with the trials for the Jews?
11. The Germans searching for Colonel Gluck, Phone calls, the Gestapo?
13. The build-up to the showdown and the heroism of Danny? A seeming death-wish besides a seeming heroism? The guns, the parallel? The showdown and Colonel Gluck's intervention? Danny's death? Dying and the quotation about death?
14. The impact of the film as war drama with the offbeat comic touch? The film and its use of the western as a symbol for understanding the situation and the personal involvement of people during the holocaust?
