The Chosen

Conflict between two Orthodox Jewish families over the state of Israel threatens the growing friendship between two teenagers in The Chosen, a 1981 film based on the best-selling novel by Chaim Potok. Set in New York City in the 1940s, Reuven Malter (Barry Miller) is the worldlier of the two boys. He is more modern and practical than his friend, Danny Saunders (Robby Benson) who comes from a strict Hasidic background and wears hair curls and the traditional long black robe with white shirt. Danny's father Reb Saunders (Rod Steiger) is an immigrant Rabbi who is known in the community as a Tzaddic, a messenger from God. Rabbi Saunders raised Danny in silence in order to teach him humility and expects him to follow him in becoming a Rabbi.

Both boys wish to enter the other's world. Reuven longs for Danny's extended family and sense of community. Danny is interested in Freudian psychology and looks to Reuven to expose him to art, film, and music. The two boys meet on a ball field as a group of Hasidic Jews play a team of Jewish schoolboys. The Hasidim look like unworthy opponents but they turn out to be talented ballplayers. The game ends suddenly, however, when Danny hits a line drive that strikes Reuven in the eyes. When Danny comes to apologize in the hospital, Reuven rejects him, convinced that he will never regain his vision in his eye.

Though the boys gradually become friends, Reuven has to work to gain acceptance from Danny's father and must endure questioning on the intricacies of Jewish law. Reuven takes Danny to see his first movie and protects him when Rabbi Saunders asks what books Danny is reading at the library. Reuven is welcomed into the Saunders family and takes part in wedding celebrations and family dinners but, when he takes a liking to Danny's sister Shaindel (Kaethe Fine), he is told that all marriages are arranged in the Hasidic culture and Shaindel's partner has already been chosen. Both boys attend Hirsch College, Danny studying experimental psychology and Reuven philosophy but they maintain their study and appreciation of the sacred texts. Their friendship is threatened, however, when Reuven's father, David Malter, (Maximilian Schell), a professor at the local College, becomes an activist in the Zionist cause as the United Nations begins debating the partition of Palestine.

The idea of a secular Jewish state is strongly opposed by Saunders and other Hasidim who believe that Jews, according to a literal reading of the Bible, should only be led back to Israel by the Messiah and he refuses to let Danny to speak to Reuven for half a year. Rabbi Saunders is depicted in the film as a harsh and uncompromising figure who sees only ugliness and evil outside of religion but his humanity is redeemed as he explains to his son why he raised him in silence. He says that he thought that his brilliance was going to be too dominant in his life and that the essence of religion is in feeling and not in reason. He tells him, "...I cried inside my heart. I went away and cried to the Master of the Universe, 'What have you done to me? A mind like this I need for a son? A heart I need for a son, a soul I need for a son, compassion I want from my son, righteousness, mercy, strength to suffer and carry pain, that I want from my son, not a mind without a soul!"

Questions of faith and the religious ideal and how they can conflict with friendship are prominent themes in The Chosen. It is an entertaining and thought-provoking film but is unfortunately marred by a mannered performance from Rod Steiger as the Rabbi who turns a slow dance at a wedding into high camp and by Robbie Benson whose wooden acting fails to bring Danny to life. The Hasidic Jews are presented only as funny looking people with rigid ideas and their joy and spirituality, while glimpsed at a wedding ceremony, is lost among all the pontificating. What is also missing is any mention of the central idea of the Hasidim - the notion that God permeates all physical objects in nature, including all living beings and that man, by concentrating all of his thoughts on God, can unite with source and influence events on Earth.

This is by far my favorite Jewish movie ever. Although I'm not Jewish in this lifetime, I get in moods for Jewish movies...and this is the one I always want to watch first. It is a soft-spoken movie that makes some big observations about life and religion. The most intriguing idea is about what one should do with a brilliant child who shows little sensitivity about the feelings of others. I think this is Robby Benson's best work, and everyone else in the movie was excellent, too.

First----a comment about a "review" from one natew73 which you issued on Jan. 27, 2023. I have been an IMDB supporter and contributor for over 20 years, and have never in all those years seen anything like this piece. It denigrates IMDB for you to have allowed such a biased, vituperative and inflammatory commentary to be shared with your wide audience. Please take another look at it. Surely you made a mistake in approving this language for publication.

Second----The Chosen is a serious and important film, and has much to say in a respectful and entertaining way about a profound clash of cultures, religious values, ideas, hopes, dreams and expectations in life. One reviewer analogized the story to a similar dichotomy in the Mennonite community------a positive tribute to the universal nature of the issues the film tackled. The Chosen is not perfect, but it is significant, thought-provoking and intelligent. What more could you reasonably want out of Hollywood?

Third----seeing it again recently after so many years brought back some lingering thoughts I had about the movie (and the book as well). I still don't understand how the Rebbe (Danny's father), who by his accent and background was intended to suggest an unassimilated Eastern European immigrant character, came by his obviously Anglicized family name of "Saunders." It just never made any sense to me. I am still greatly impressed by the remarkable performance of Rod Steiger as the Rebbe. Steiger's effort reminded me of a similar power that often appeared in the acting of Lee J. Cobb. Steiger almost made me believe that he actually was Jewish (which he was not) until in one scene toward the end of the film, he inadvertently stumbled over pronunciation of the Hebrew word ""Tzadik"------which may be loosely translated to mean a righteous person. Steiger said Zadik" leaving the letter "T" silent. That is incorrect.

Fourth-----in retrospect, many (if not most) of the films made in Hollywood over the years that dealt with problems arising from various interactions with the American Orthodox Jewish community seem rather contrived and unrealistic.. This has been true from The Jazz Singer (1927) through A Stranger Among Us (a/k/a Close to Eden) (1992) and A Price Above Rubies (1998). On the other hand, The Chosen represents a sincere attempt to tell its story with honesty and conviction and only a minimal amount of artifice. Again----what more could you reasonably expect out of Hollywood?

Fifth-----I have always regretted that the film version of The Chosen never included an in-person scene between the two fathers (Steiger and Maximilian Schell) that would have provided an opportunity for them to debate with each other their respective views about the great ideas that kept them so far apart. They were two honorable and decent characters and both admirable in so many different ways. How would you like to have been a fly on the wall if that ever happened?

Sixth----The Chosen is one of the great Hollywood films made during the 1980s, and it deserves to be rescued from obscurity by a contemporary audience.

The first word to define it was "magnificent". For the delicate freshness. For the precise definition of tradition, fatherhood, Hasidic life, friendship. For the inspired portrait of the birth of a world. For lovely performances. For the grace of atmosphere. And for its status of film about fundamental things defining each of us. A great film, a pure gem.

As World War II winds down, young and assimilated Jewish-American Barry Miller (as Reuven Malter) and his New York City street team agree to play a group of "very orthodox" Hasidic young men. The traditionally dressed Jews turn out to be quite good at the game, especially steely-eyed power hitter Robbie Benson (as Daniel "Danny" Saunders); he's also a genius. When Mr. Miller tries to strike Mr. Benson out at bat, Benson retaliates with a line-drive to Miller's face. Hospitalized, Miller is told he could possibly lose sight in his left eye, from the injury. Filled with guilt and curiosity, Benson decides to visit Miller.

Benson and Miller are intrigued by their cultural differences, and slowly become close friends.

However, politics rears an ugly head when the post-war partitioning of Palestine threatens Benson and Miller's friendship. A Zionist like his Professor father Maximilian Schell (as David Malter), Miller favoring the creation of Israel. A fundamentalist like his Rabbi father Rod Steiger (as Isaac Saunders), Benson believes the Jewish state should be created according to scripture. With great source material from writer Chaim Potok, and fine poetic performances, "The Chosen" overcomes some of its mid-section sluggishness. The opening parts are captivating, and Benson's closing scene with Mr. Steiger is a tearful peak.

******* The Chosen (8/81) Jeremy Kagan ~ Robbie Benson, Barry Miller, Rod Steiger, Maximilian Schell