Customer Reviews

The Chosen [VHS]

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Judging from the many questions I get through my website's Hasidism FAQ, the book "The Chosen" is now a literary classic. It is being read in high school literature classes all over the world. Excerpts are a staple in multi-cultural textbooks. So nu -- why is this great movie STILL out of print? Is the movie industry really so unaware that there's a market out there? I certainly hope it's going be re-released on DVD sometime soon.

Now granted, the book is always better than the movie, and this case is no exception. The opening scene at the baseball game, which is many pages long in the book (and is often the scene excerpted in textbooks) is not well-developed in the movie at all. That's too bad, because the ball game sets up the whole story by showing the deep animosity between the boys at the two schools. Also, the way that Mr. Malter (Reuven's father) is played in the movie gives the impression that he is a Reform Jew. In fact, that's what most viewers I've talked to assume him to be. He's not Reform in the book, however. Both he and his son Reuven are observant Jews, what would probably be called "Modern Orthodox" today. The Modern Orthodox do not wear traditional garb like Hasidim, but in terms of religious practices (dietary laws, the Sabbath, ethical behavior, etc.) the Orthodox and the Hasidim are not really all that far apart. This point is made in the book as the story progresses, but is not so clear in the movie, because people tend to focus on the clothes.

In the book, the friction between Mr. Malter and Reb Saunders centers on issues of Talmud scholarship (textual critical vs. literalist readings of the text). The movie tends to focus more on the question of Zionism. I suppose the producers felt they had to "dumb down" the story to appeal to the general public, but a lot of the plot was lost in the process.

Still, in spite of its faults, "The Chosen" is one of the better films about Hasidic Jews. It would be very helpful to be able to show the movie along with reading the book in class, especially in areas where there are no Jews and the teachers are trying to teach about this novel without ever having seen a Hasidic Jew. So come on, production folks -- let's wake up and re-issue this film!

(P.S. A bit of trivia: Chaim Potok, author of "The Chosen," makes a cameo appearance as the Talmud teacher in this film.)

Granted, as previously stated, the book is always better, but I still think that this film does the book justice. :)
In 1940's Brooklyn, Reuven Malter, the son of a modern, Zionistic Jew, and Danny Saunders, the son of the very orthodox, Hasidic Rabbi Saunders meet in hostility on a baseball field. Even though they are both Jewish in such a turbulent and anti-Semitic time, they both hate each other and yet, they don't really know why. Then they begin to see, that maybe they had a lot more in common than they previously thought. As the film progresses, and the war rages on, Danny and Reuven are forced to fight their own battles and mature to adulthood.
The Chosen is a true eye-opener that teaches a lot about humility, and I remember watching this film when I was very small, only five or six years old, and then realizing that there were people in this world who had to endure pain and silence, then my troubles began to seem so tiny and microscopic. Through this film I learned that as Allan-Gabriel Boyd pointed out that , "The world needs holy men [and women too for that matter.]" this film has taught me so many lessons, and I am so glad that I learned them.
Robbie Benson, Rod Steiger, and the other actors did a fabulous job on this film and brought it to life magnificently. :)

This 1982 film, based on the novel by Chaim Potok, himself a Jew,
is a moving and detailed adaptation. Stars Robbie Benson and Rod Steiger. I saw this film on PBS channel 28. The Jewish soul of
this film shines through beautifully and sadly, effectively using Hassidic clothing and glimpses of the lifestyle, which is
oddly at variance with the rapidly modernizing New York City of the World War II Era. Robby Benson delivers a fine performance
as the American young man who befriends a Hassidic Jew and assimilates the Jewish lifestyle. Their friendship is rocky at best. His Jewish friend has been raised by a strict father who
upholds the traditonal and orthodox way of life (he's even got him engaged to another Jewish girl)ad shuns modern thinking. He is against the Zionist movement which sought to make Israel its own free state, but the Father in this film believes only God and his Messiah can deliver them. Never has a movie been more embracing of the Jewish faith and old traditions than this movie.
Hebrew music is authentically used. The overwhelming sadness and horror hits you when they feature clips from the slaughter of thousands of Jews in the Holocaust during Hitler's Nazi regime in Europe.

With a sad, reflective mood and a long run of time, this film does seem to be straight from the equally long novel. But it's a great film and I recommend anyone who is a fan of Potok or Robby Benson the actor. The relationship between the boys and the difference between their fathers- one father is old-fashioned and fiery while the other is peaceful, but modern. It's a look at the difference between the two distinct worlds. In the end, the Jewish boy who always wanted to practice psychiatry, is allowed by a father who finally consents. It's a moving and poignant film. The acting and the script, lifted from the book, is quite good. Why did'nt this get any recognition in the Oscars of 1982 ? Or did it ? This film is before my time but it's superb and I feel it's Oscar worthy material. You will see what I mean.

I just saw The Chosen on TV. I had seen it once before but watched it again. It is a fascinating and well-acted story of the friendship between two teen-aged boys, a Chasidic Jew, and an observant, but secular Jew.

One reviewer complained that Maximilian Schell was too German to play a Jew. I found him very believable as the Zionist father of one of the boys. Rod Steiger as the Orthodox Rabbi was amazing. I didn't see the opening credits and couldn't guess that he was playing the part. Steiger usually chews the scenery, but here he is very restrained and moving as the father who sacrifices closeness with his son for the boy's own good.

This is a film with many levels that bears watching over again. I have not read the book, and others here have said it is better. Movies are a different experience, and this one is very good.

This movie version of the famous novel about the friendship that develops between an Hasidic boy and an Orthodox Jewish boy remains faithful to the book in all important respects. The cast, headed by Rod Steiger and Maxmillian Schell, is excellent. Robby Benson and Barry Miller play the two boys, and are so wonderful in their roles that it's difficult to imagine anyone else doing them. Rod Steiger as Reb Saunders is perfect in every respect- right down to the Yiddish accent. His dance at the wedding of a couple in his congregation is one of the most expressive moments I've ever seen in motion pictures. The dignity, the extreme sorrow, and the great joy of being alive and human are all there. The only weakness in the film, if you can call it that, is the choice of Maximillian Schell to play Reuven's father, Professor Malter. He gives a fine performance, but there is no way anyone would believe he was a Jew. It's distracting, given that Professor Malter becomes a dedicated Zionist in the face of the decimation of the Jews in Europe. I am far from saying that Max is a Nazi, looks like one or talks like one- only that we can tell that he is German but it's hard to see any Jewishness in his performance at all. However, the movie is over-all excellent, if a bit talky, and belongs in the collection of any Jew or literary cognoscenti.

"Based on Chaim Potok's best-selling novel, this is the story of two teenage boys determined to remain friends despite the deep differences between their two families."

That's what is says on the cover, and it's correct. But here's what I say. Robby Benson, Hassidic Jew, whacking the bejesus out of a baseball. That's one of the films earliest images, and it's a thing of beauty. The other boy is the narrator, and I love everything about this movie. Talented cast, great writing, great story, great dialogue, everything done as it should be done.

The time frame is around World War II and the establishment of a Jewish state, but that's in the background. It's a source of friction between the two families, one Orthodox Jew and one Hassidic Jew, but it's not in your face like all the other well-meaning Holocaust movies that bludgeon you into submission. It's such an important subject that I think many of us are willing to forgive ham-handed handling of it. But this film does it right.

I love this film. I love everything about it. I'm so pleased I can say that about at least one Hollywood movie this week. I will watch it again, and I thought very hard about using it in a classroom. But alas, I don't know enough about Judaism to do it justice from the standpoint of "Mr. Teacher Guy." If you are Jewish, and you teach in China, go find this. Heck, even if you're a Gentile in the USA who will never teach, go find this. This is why we watch movies, folks. We want to see films like this.

Most films made about traditional (Orthodox) Jews
and Judaism rapdily degenerate into stereotypes,
a common example being that religious Jews are
weaklings out of touch with the society around them.
This film is an notable exception. This is the only
film that really delves into the inner life of traditional
Judaism. We are shown the differences between the
Hasidic and non-Hasidic forms of Judaism, the love
of knowledge and learning, the tension between those
religious Jews who zealously guard all old customs
and attitudes and other religious Jews who are more
open to modern science and scholarship. Regarding
the stereotypes mentioned above we see how the
Hasidic groups made a point of showing other people
that they could be physically fit.
Other important things brought out in the film
are examples of the strict moral disciplines some
people subject themselves to in order to reach
a higher spriritual plane and even more important,
the different responses traditional Jews had to the
Holocaust and the creation of the State of Israel.
One thing that is really interesting in the film
is the performance of Rod Steiger as Reb Saunders,
the Hasidic Rebbe who is presented as gentle, but
firm. It is hard to believe that Steiger was
offered the role of the arrogant, blustering General
George Patton before George C Scott accepted it.
Steiger must be quite a flexible actor! I also
agree that having seen Maximilian Schell in
"Judgment at Nuremberg" and "A Bridge too Far"
where he plays Germans defending Nazis or Nazism,
it is a little hard to accept him as a traditional
Jewish scholar in this film.
Still, I highly recommend this film for someone who
wants to get a fuller view of what traditional
Judaism, as practiced in the United States in the
20th century, is like.

A very entertaining coming-of-age story that encourages a person to think about many aspects of their lives. Danny Saunders, played by Robby Benson, is the son of an ultra-orthodox rabbi who breaks out of his family traditions in order to pursue his own dreams. He endures the prejudices commonly expressed by many people in 1940s New York, yet he keeps such a positive outlook on his life and his future. He doesn't give in to the hatred and the anger that many movies of this subject matter seem to revolve around. I'm glad I added this one to my collection. It was money well spent.

I saw this movie when I was 18, six years before deciding to follow Jesus - and this movie touched my heart before I ever knew much about the Jewish people and anything about Jewish culture. I think it's important for Christians to watch this classic movie as insight into the people to whom we owe such a debt in so many ways. Don't think that this is just a "Jewish movie" and that it has no significance for you. It's so incredibly human and soulful and you'll learn a lot of practical information in the process. You'll laugh and cry and be touched deeply by the story.

One person left the comment that the DVD back cover had somewhat of a misguided quote about Reuven "questioning his religion". I'd like to add an alternate perspective to his comment: I think maybe whoever wrote that was trying to constrast Reuven's upbringing with Danny's - being raised Hasidic, Danny wasn't encouraged to question much of anything if you recall. He was expected to accept his faith and future from his father without hesitation. It was Reuven who was brought up to think more critically about the world around him, and it was Reuven's influence as a friend that encouraged Danny to spread his wings. Both Danny and Reuven impacted eachother and each took with them the best from one another's worlds. What a great story, not to be missed!

I would encourage all viewers to pick up a copy of the book and read it - whether before or after the movie. Chaim Potok was such a wonderful writer that you will feel a kinship with these boys by the end of the book. You will then have no choice but to purchase the sequel, "The Promise". Unfortunately they never made The Promise into a movie. You will be sad to say goodbye to Reuven and Danny at the end of the book, and at the end of this movie, you will want to somehow follow Danny as he turns the corner after that long walk down the Brooklyn tree-lined street.

This story was actually instrumental in my desire to return to school and complete my degree. I was inspired to action, learning how the Jewish people value education and how they meet the challenge. They are an inspiration to me.

I tried to contact Chaim Potok to tell him how blessed I was reading his books (he has many others) and found I was two years too late. He passed away and is buried in Philadelphia. His wife and daughters still live in the area.

BUY THE DVD ALREADY, WOULD YOU?!

(PS) For Chaim Potok fans who haven't yet read the Asher Lev stories.... HIGHLY recommended. :-)

Set in Brooklyn from D-Day to the formation of the state of Israel shortly after the war, this movie is about the friendship between two Jewish boys - one modern, the other Hassidic. While much of the movie offers a look into the mysteries of the strict and somewhat isolated sect of Hassidism, there is enough character development with the two boys to keep the movie rightfully centered there and always entertaining. The conflicts between the two boys' cultures, and an even bigger one between the Hassidic boy and his Rabii father, are handled with intelligence and aplomb. There is also a great feel for 1940s Brooklyn. Very well done.