The Chosen was a real sleeper. It is an excellent exposition of a fascinating subject, that of the broad differences between the various sects of Judaism and how post WW2 era American Jews dealt with the post-Holocaust era and the formation of the State of Israel.
These fault lines are well crafted by the four lead actors in this movie. After a pick up baseball game of high school boys in Brooklyn, NY near the end of the war, an unusual friendship emerges between two senior aged boys Reuven Malter (Barry Miller) a liberal Jew whose father is a renowned liberal intellectual Professor David Malter (Maximilian Schell) and Danny Saunders (Robby Benson) a Hasidic Jew whose father Reb Saunders (Rod Steiger) is a strict rabbi. Prof Malter is a passionate Zionist who very publicly supports the formation of Israel and Rabbi Reb opposes this on fundamentalist grounds. There is a most fascinating plot twist where Danny, sheltered by Hasidic strict practices and expected to follow his father as a rabbi, dreams of a career as a psychologist as a consequence of being secretly mentored by Reuven's father into the world of more secular learning. As the unlikely friendship blossoms, each boys' loyalty to their fathers and each other is sorely tested. Some of the most poignant moments are of the age old challenge of teenagers coming of age, spreading their wings and leaving the nest in conflict with parental expectations. Both boys end up on paths different than one would initially envisage.
Schell and Steiger put in fantastic performances. Miller was at the peak of his popularity after starring in Fame whereas Robby Benson was a famous 1970's teen heart throb and this was an uncharacteristically serious role that he carried off well especially compared to the movies he had more recently starred in that seem calculated to cash in on his telegenic looks and physique.
There are deficiencies. When you cast 20-somethings as teenagers you lose some authenticity and the movie makes little attempt to age the boys from high school to finishing college but in totality, the four lead actors relate brilliantly and the movie is compelling and enjoyable.
These fault lines are well crafted by the four lead actors in this movie. After a pick up baseball game of high school boys in Brooklyn, NY near the end of the war, an unusual friendship emerges between two senior aged boys Reuven Malter (Barry Miller) a liberal Jew whose father is a renowned liberal intellectual Professor David Malter (Maximilian Schell) and Danny Saunders (Robby Benson) a Hasidic Jew whose father Reb Saunders (Rod Steiger) is a strict rabbi. Prof Malter is a passionate Zionist who very publicly supports the formation of Israel and Rabbi Reb opposes this on fundamentalist grounds. There is a most fascinating plot twist where Danny, sheltered by Hasidic strict practices and expected to follow his father as a rabbi, dreams of a career as a psychologist as a consequence of being secretly mentored by Reuven's father into the world of more secular learning. As the unlikely friendship blossoms, each boys' loyalty to their fathers and each other is sorely tested. Some of the most poignant moments are of the age old challenge of teenagers coming of age, spreading their wings and leaving the nest in conflict with parental expectations. Both boys end up on paths different than one would initially envisage.
Schell and Steiger put in fantastic performances. Miller was at the peak of his popularity after starring in Fame whereas Robby Benson was a famous 1970's teen heart throb and this was an uncharacteristically serious role that he carried off well especially compared to the movies he had more recently starred in that seem calculated to cash in on his telegenic looks and physique.
There are deficiencies. When you cast 20-somethings as teenagers you lose some authenticity and the movie makes little attempt to age the boys from high school to finishing college but in totality, the four lead actors relate brilliantly and the movie is compelling and enjoyable.