In 1947, following the U.N. decision to split British Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, a former U.S. Army officer is recruited by the Jews to reorganize the Haganah.In 1947, following the U.N. decision to split British Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, a former U.S. Army officer is recruited by the Jews to reorganize the Haganah.In 1947, following the U.N. decision to split British Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, a former U.S. Army officer is recruited by the Jews to reorganize the Haganah.
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Did you know
- TriviaMichael Douglas' uncredited role (and theatrical movie debut) came about when an Israeli actor refused to perform a driving stunt, claiming it was too dangerous. Kirk Douglas, trusting his son's skill as a driver, enlisted Michael to fill in on the spot.
- GoofsWhen first seen, Angie Dickinson and Senta Berger are shown wearing fashions from the 1960s when the film was made, not the 1940s when the film was set.
- Quotes
Col. David 'Mickey' Marcus: Why do you let women to go on these convoys?
Asher Gonen: Magda volunteered.
Col. David 'Mickey' Marcus: She's been through enough. She just lost her husband, she's in a terrible st...
Asher Gonen: Look, we need everyone. Especially since the British search us for weapons. Being British, they're also too polite most of the time to search a woman thoroughly.
Col. David 'Mickey' Marcus: You're lucky you're not occupied by the French.
- Crazy creditsThe major events in this film actually happened. Some of them are still happening. The major characters actually lived. Many of them are still living. Although it was not easy.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywoodism: Jews, Movies and the American Dream (1998)
- SoundtracksNext Year in Jerusalem
Music by Dov Seltzer
Kirk Douglas stars as Mickey Marcus perhaps chosen due to the character's similarities to another historical figure forced by circumstances into leadership, Spartacus, whom Douglas had portrayed in 1960. He's supported by an eclectic cast which includes Angie Dickinson as his neglected(!) wife, Senta Berger as the Israeli girl he falls for, Topol as an ill-tempered Arab sheik, Luther Adler as a local politician, a plethora of reliable British character actors and even guest appearances by Frank Sinatra (which doesn't amount to much), a glum Yul Brynner as a fellow freedom fighter, and John Wayne as a U.S. General whom Douglas initially falls foul of but the two eventually end up respecting one another (still, seeing Wayne at the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp is about as incongruous as his stint playing the Roman Centurion at Christ's crucifixion in THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD [1965]!).
Despite a sharp script and good individual sequences, the film is compromised by its necessity to be both a spectacle and a message picture (the WWII flashbacks, for instance, are unnecessary and merely render the film overlong); unsurprisingly, it works best during the action highlights (complemented by a typically fine Elmer Bernstein score). Apparently, the events have been partially fictionalized I wonder whether these embellishments concerned the romantic complications and the Hollywood-style ironic ending. For the record, Shavelson had started out as a scriptwriter (and later director) of Bob Hope and Danny Kaye vehicles; this was his most serious effort a brave try, but not quite the 'giant' film he clearly intended...
- Bunuel1976
- Jul 14, 2007
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Details
- Runtime2 hours 26 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1