EXODUS!

Two weeks ago, I mentioned that the "Friday Movie Suggestion Night" feature films were "overhauled" and I believe the results will be terrific--much improved. We shift gears this week with a film from 1960 inspired by Herman Wouk, Marjorie Morningstar and Leon Uris's EXODUS. The novel is about Israel's founding, but the issues still remain and Exodus should be required viewing for all who wonder about the need for a Jewish state. Exodus received only one Oscar, Ernest Gold's musical score is one of the most dramatic in cinema history and I recall hearing it played over and over from an LP my brother had. It's an intense and uplifting melody that will carry you along throughout this movie. Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint are superb leads, but the supporting cast is just as excellent in every way. David Opatoshu as Akiva Ben Canaan, an Irgun leader and Gregory Ratoff as Lazavitch who was the rabble rouser on the ship "Exodus" gave rich supporting performances. At the time, David Opatoshu was a leading actor in the Yiddish Theater and to be in this film must have been awesome for him!

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Like many films, there was some controvery. Sal Mineo as Dov Landau was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, the young concentration camp survivor who joins the Irgun. Sal was facing competition from Chill Wills for "The Alamo", Jack Kruschen for "The Apartment", and Peter Falk for "Murder, Inc". Groucho Marx made a public declaration that his vote was for Sal Mineo after an unfortunate (if not appalling) campaign appeal was started for Chill Wills. But the winner was Peter Ustinov for "Spartacus". This never sat well for the remainder of Mineo's life, and he was reportedly quite bitter. Sadly, Exodus is not history because the war is still being fought by the Jewish people against those who would wish and do evil upon them. All the more reason for my careful choice for this week!

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If you enjoy Trivia, try this on for size: Director Otto Preminger helped to end the stigma of the Hollywood blacklist by hiring Dalton Trumbo to adapt the screenplay for the film! YAY! Also, David Opatoshu's character Akiva Ben Canaan, commander of the Irgun, is based on the real-life Menachem Begin who later became prime minister of Israel. Opatoshu portrayed Begin in Raid on Entebbe (a 1977 TV Movie). 250 extras were hired to play escaping prisoners at the old prison in Acre. However, 253 people were counted as escaping, those three extra escapees were actual escaped inmates from a mental ward near the set. (Ooops!). Academy Award (c) Winner: Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture: Ernest Gold.

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Here is a movie with an all star cast including: Paul Newman ....Ari Ben Canaan; Eva Marie Saint ....Kitty Fremont; Ralph Richardson ....Gen. Sutherland; Peter Lawford....Maj. Caldwell; Lee J. Cobb....Barak Ben Canaan; Sal Mineo ....Dov Landau; John Derek (later married Ursula Andress, Linda Evans and Bo Derek) ....Taha; Hugh Griffith....Mandria; Gregory Ratoff....Lakavitch; Felix Aylmer....Dr. Lieberman; David Opatoshu....Akiva Ben Canaan; Jill Haworth....Karen; Marius Goring....Von Storch, Mufti's aide; Alexandra Stewart....Jordana Ben Canaan; Michael Wager....David Ben Ami. I am proud to offer it!

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ENJOY THE MOVIE!