I enjoyed Cast a Giant Shadow.
Like so many films of its type, it has the obligatory love angles that only slow the film down. Angie Dickinson and Senta Berger are much better actors than their silly parts allow them to be. When Dickinson's characters says to Douglas: "Don't hate me for loving you so much," I wanted to scream. Oh, wait, I think I did scream. After that silliness, I fast-forwarded through the rest of the "love" scenes. As a result, I have no idea what happened in the last scene between Douglas and Berger; somehow I'll still be able to sleep at night.
Another reviewer thinks the scene with John Wayne at the concentration camp is ridiculous and hard to believe. I actually thought it very believable and a remarkably directed and acted scene. Douglas's character has been there before. But Wayne as the general hasn't seen the camps first-hand and seems to think the stories have been exaggerated. Wayne and Douglas walk into the camp but the camera remains in a tight shot on them. So instead of showing us the scenes in the recently liberated camp, the camera shows us Wayne and Douglas's reactions to what they're seeing. It's only a short scene, but the few seconds of the look on Wayne's face register powerfully. It's subtle. He doesn't overplay it with a look of obvious horror, disgust, etc. Instead, there's a sort of confused, muffled pain in his eyes. John Wayne was a much better actor than he's usually given credit for. When Wayne turns to his right and goes over to lean on a fencepost with his head down (trying to compose himself? trying not to puke?), well, that was a powerful moment for me. There was something about seeing that tall, broad-shouldered man have to walk away, shut his eyes, and hang his head. I forgot it was John Wayne for a few minutes, and that's a big compliment to any star actor. I won't forget any part of that scene.
I agree with another reviewer. Douglas' part has too many wisecracks. It gets old. Still, there are some quite funny lines in this film, and not only spoken by Douglas. My favorite is when Douglas is telling the weapons- and manpower-strapped Haganah commander and the others that they have to attack, hit the enemy hard. And Yul Brynner deadpans: "With what? Noodle soup?" Cast a Giant Shadow is not the greatest film ever made, but it's an enjoyable one. Just fast forward through the romantic scenes and you'll be okay.
Like so many films of its type, it has the obligatory love angles that only slow the film down. Angie Dickinson and Senta Berger are much better actors than their silly parts allow them to be. When Dickinson's characters says to Douglas: "Don't hate me for loving you so much," I wanted to scream. Oh, wait, I think I did scream. After that silliness, I fast-forwarded through the rest of the "love" scenes. As a result, I have no idea what happened in the last scene between Douglas and Berger; somehow I'll still be able to sleep at night.
Another reviewer thinks the scene with John Wayne at the concentration camp is ridiculous and hard to believe. I actually thought it very believable and a remarkably directed and acted scene. Douglas's character has been there before. But Wayne as the general hasn't seen the camps first-hand and seems to think the stories have been exaggerated. Wayne and Douglas walk into the camp but the camera remains in a tight shot on them. So instead of showing us the scenes in the recently liberated camp, the camera shows us Wayne and Douglas's reactions to what they're seeing. It's only a short scene, but the few seconds of the look on Wayne's face register powerfully. It's subtle. He doesn't overplay it with a look of obvious horror, disgust, etc. Instead, there's a sort of confused, muffled pain in his eyes. John Wayne was a much better actor than he's usually given credit for. When Wayne turns to his right and goes over to lean on a fencepost with his head down (trying to compose himself? trying not to puke?), well, that was a powerful moment for me. There was something about seeing that tall, broad-shouldered man have to walk away, shut his eyes, and hang his head. I forgot it was John Wayne for a few minutes, and that's a big compliment to any star actor. I won't forget any part of that scene.
I agree with another reviewer. Douglas' part has too many wisecracks. It gets old. Still, there are some quite funny lines in this film, and not only spoken by Douglas. My favorite is when Douglas is telling the weapons- and manpower-strapped Haganah commander and the others that they have to attack, hit the enemy hard. And Yul Brynner deadpans: "With what? Noodle soup?" Cast a Giant Shadow is not the greatest film ever made, but it's an enjoyable one. Just fast forward through the romantic scenes and you'll be okay.