by Robert J. Avrech A Chanukah message from Simon the Maccabee: “We have not taken a foreign land, nor did we take the property of others — for this is the inheritance of our fathers, which was for some time unjustly possessed by our enemies. But we, having the opportunity, returned [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech During Hollywood’s Golden Age, the studios, through newspapers, fan magazines, and trade publications, published photos of their stars celebrating Christmas. In this way, Hollywood—though founded by poor immigrant Jews—assured its vast audience that the motion picture industry was in harmony with Christian America. My wife and [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech The totalitarian impulse which is foundational for leftist ideology is on full display as the Democrats continue to deny the legitimacy of President-elect Donald J. Trump election. The Democrat party and their media lapdogs convinced, well, everyone that the Clinton-Trump race was no race at all. [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech The latest leftist hysteria revolves around the elastic concept of safety. To be more precise: their safety. According to the Progressive Book of the Apocalypse, various racial and sexual identity groups are under withering attack by the Deplorables who voted for President-elect Donald Trump. Of course [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech Zero Motivation, (2014) Israel. Zohar (Dana Ivgy) and Daffi (Nelly Tagar) are two young Israeli soldiers serving on a remote army base. Stuck in the Human Resources Division, the girls are bored pencil-pushers who spend their days playing video games, singing pop songs, flirting with handsome [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech My father, Rabbi Chaplain Abraham Avrech passed away on March 15, 2014. This is the third Veteran’s Day without my father’s physical presence in this world. He is gone, but like all veteran’s certainly not forgotten. Take a moment to ponder the enormous sacrifices made by [Read More]
In her disarmingly modest, and revealing autobiography, On the Other Hand, film actress Fay Wray (September 15, 1907–August 8, 2004), best known for her role as Ann Darrow in the classic film King Kong, unveils her life in a lovely, impressionist style that is at the same time sharply focused. [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech In her modest, jewel of an autobiography, On the Other Hand, film actress Fay Wray (September 15, 1907–August 8, 2004), best known for her role as Ann Darrow in the classic film King Kong, unveils the confusing threads of her life in Hollywood in a lovely, [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech Actress Fay Wray achieved screen immortality as Ann Darrow, the girl in King Kong’s paw, the beauty who tamed the raging beast. For most of us growing up after Hollywood’s Golden Age, Fay Wray (b. Vina Fay Wray; September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech Yom Kippur was a deeply moving experience. The Jewish liturgy emphasizes personal responsibility. Traditional Jewish prayer—not the watered down liberal versions practiced by the Conservative and Reform movements—is a stark and bracing contrast to this postmodern age where lies are a new truth, slavery is redefined [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech Between 1919 and 1921, Gloria Swanson starred in a series of wildly popular films for director Cecile B. De Mille in which the iconography of Hollywood glamour was formally codified. The titles of these films carry the whiff of scandal and decadence: Don’t Change Your Husband [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech Part I can be found here. We continue our analysis of The Battle of Algiers, one of the most influential propaganda films of the 20th century. We rely on Alistair Horne’s, Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962 , the most thorough and accurate history of that war yet [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech Movies are the most powerful tools of social and political propaganda the world has ever known. Consider: America wins wars only when Hollywood supports the conflict and puts itself squarely behind America’s efforts. During World War II, every studio in Hollywood backed the Allied effort against [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech In 1939, Joan Fontaine, twenty-one years old, was slowly making her way up the Hollywood ladder. MGM signed Fontaine to play a small part in the high profile production The Women, directed by George Cukor, starring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell and Paulette Goddard. For [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech I get a fair amount of email from readers asking me about writing. More specifically, how do I go about writing a movie? Writing is ninety percent perspiration, ten percent inspiration. In other words do not wait to get struck with inspiration. That’s a load of [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech Before our son Ariel Chaim ZT”L passed away, age twenty-two, in 2003, we spent a good deal of time discussing the Second Amendment, the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Ariel was amazed that so many American Jews–overwhelmingly liberal and secular–aligned themselves with the advocates of gun control, [Read More]
by Robert J. Avrech Movies about war are ideally suited to the kinetic energy of motion pictures. The eternal themes of love, courage and loyalty are given full range in the theater of war. Readers will immediately notice the absence of silent films and movies from Hollywood’s golden age. Yes, [Read More]
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