HESTER STREET
US, 1975, 89 minutes, Black and White.
Carol Kane, Steven Keats.
Directed by Joan Micklin Silver.
Highly and rightly acclaimed, this evocation of Jewish migrants in Eastside New York 1896 is photographed beautifully in black and white in the style of photographs of the time. But the authenticity is in the streets, markets, workshops and apartments and in the characterization of ordinary men and women with long religious and cultural traditions as well as a poor European background. America is a wondrous land of opportunity and change. Happiness, love, bitterness, regrets and hopes are tellingly embodied in dramatic situations full of genuine humour, sentiment and sadness written and directed by Joan Micklin Silver. Oscar nominated Carol Kane leads an excellent cast.
1. The impact of this film? The praise it has been given and its meriting it? The focus on people, issues?
2. The quality of the black and white photography, the likeness to 19th century photography, the audience being present in a visible past? The New York streets, homes, shops etc.? The importance of the authentic atmosphere?
3. The contribution of the music, the Jewish and European themes woven into the background? The music at the opening at the academy?
4. The film's focus on New York, the microcosm of America, New York and America in the 19th century as a hope for the migrants, the goal of freedom? The clash of cultural traditions from middle Europe with America? The New York clash with so many migrants? The decisions to keep traditions, the feeling of liberation from traditions, the rejection of these? The questions the migrants had to ask about themselves in order to be true to the past, settle in their new land and build a future?
5. The film's focus on the Jews, the use of Yiddish with subtitles, the middle-European background, the strength of the religious traditions and respect for these, the poverty, the middle European countries and their persecution of Jews, the Jews living in poverty and the need to migrate? The ghetto mentality and its being brought to New York? How true was the presentation of the migrants and their mentality and plight? Was it the same for migrants from other countries and cultures?
6. The film's focussing on Jake? His origins and name, his appearance when he arrived, shaving, settling into America? His strengths and weaknesses as a character? His being compared with the non-English-speaking migrant in the cafe? The new arrival and his Jewish look, religious traditions and Jake's attitude? Work in the sweatshop, the bosses? His room, relationship with the landlady and her attitude towards him? The atmosphere of the academy where people could get together and enjoy themselves. Jake's relationship with Mamie prior to his wife's arriving? Love, loneliness, sexuality? His getting the money from Mamie under false pretences and the repercussions of this? How was Jake an ordinary man trying to survive?
7. The contrast with Mamie and the fact that she was Americanized, her attitude towards traditions, her seven years in America, her becoming a New York woman in style, dress, language? Her money and Jake's using of it? The romantic visit with her standing on the steps? Her disillusionment with Jake? The visit and the confrontation with GIG? Giving cause for the divorce? Her willingness to marry Jake? The irony of her losing her money and their walking to the wedding?
8. How important was Gitl for the film? The impact of her arrival? Jake preparing for it, his love for her in Europe, the change in America? The boy? The prejudice shown Gitl and her son at the entry to New York? Gitl as involved in traditions, the limitations of her language, her fear of showing her hair, traditions of love and respect for her husband? At a loss in America? Amazed at the home, women's status? Her strength of character? How did she change? Her growing learning, her resisting showing her hair and the difficulties that this gave her, the happiness of the picnic, her being continually hurt by Jake, the decision about her hair and the help of the landlady? The support of the landlady? Her being upset by Jake's resistance and spurning of her? Her attitude towards the divorce? The effect of the divorce on her? Her behaviour during the ceremony? Her relationship with Bernstein and its properness? Her being willing to marry him? Her getting the benefits of the divorce case? An insight into the Jewish woman migrant?
9. Bernstein as a contrast with Jake, his background of learning, becoming a Rabbi, sexual temptations and migrations his work and his study? A man to respect? His respect for GIC and the child? would he provide a good future for GIC?
10. The landlady and her settling into America her helping Jake, modernizing Gitl, her presence at the divorce and helping Gitl?
11. The theme of the assimilation of migrants, education, as seen in the boy and his change of name, his learning English? Gitl being slower?
12. How did the film convey moods and atmosphere during the picnic, what did It reveal of each of the characters, their being at home in America?
13. The contrast with the surreptitious meetings of Jake and Mamie, love, sexuality, the harshness of the decision to break the marriage?
14. The divorce ceremony and its ritual, superstition? A particularly Jewish heritage? Attitude towards men, women?
