Cast a Giant Shadow
| Cast a Giant Shadow | |
|---|---|
 film poster by Howard Terpning |
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| Directed by | Melville Shavelson |
| Produced by | Melville Shavelson |
| Written by | Ted Berkman (book) Melville Shavelson (screenplay) |
| Starring | Kirk Douglas Senta Berger Yul Brynner Frank Sinatra John Wayne Angie Dickinson |
| Music by | Elmer Bernstein |
| Cinematography | Aldo Ponti |
| Editing by | Bert Bates Gene Ruggiero |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | 30 March, 1966 |
| Running time | 146 mins. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Cast a Giant Shadow is a 1966 American war film, produced, written and directed by Melville Shavelson based on Ted Berkman's biography of Colonel Mickey Marcus. The film stars Kirk Douglas and Senta Berger, and features appearances by John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, and Yul Brynner.
Marcus (Kirk Douglas) served as an adviser and as the very first aluf in the war to establish the state of Israel in 1948. He falls in love with a female Israeli soldier, Magda Simon (Senta Berger) in Palestine. Filmed mostly in the Middle Eastern locations in which they occurred, Cast a Giant Shadow is not entirely historically accurate but is based on actual events. In addition to appearances by Wayne, Sinatra, Brynner, and Angie Dickinson, the movie also features Kirk's son Michael Douglas in his first small film role, as a jeep driver.
The film is also notable for its classic John Wayne scenes including a toast where Wayne says "L’chaim”. Footage from this film featuring Wayne as The General was used in a Coors Light commercial.
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Plot Summary
Kirk Douglas headlines the cast in a war drama regarding a Jewish-American colonel who directed the fledgling Israeli defense force in a triumph over the neighboring Arab states, a feat that no one believed was achievable. This 1960s Tinseltown masterpiece, Cast a Giant Shadow conveys the real-life events of Col. Mickey Marcus, who risked all to transform a path to the future.
Early on in the film Marcus reveals to a superior that if he runs off to war one more time, his wife will have his belongings waiting for him at the front door upon return. This is told to the Haganah military head that requests Marcus’ assistance in readying the Israeli troops for what is known today as: the War of Independence. Marcus makes it clear that following his most recent military campaign; he pledged to his wife that he would remain in one place.
The film showcases unforgettable portrayals from Senta Berger, Angie Dickinson, Frank Sinatra, Yul Brynner and John Wayne. Cast a Giant Shadow reveals the account of a guy who headed in the direction of the battleground to escape from the ordinary but daunting realities of his private life. Marcus’s firm resolve and compliance to gamble all transformed him into a distinguished leader, but his masked heart cornered him between the adoration of two gorgeous ladies. The thrilling, psychologically gripping feature divulges the story of the beginnings of the nation of Israel via the sensational life of one of the many individuals who enabled it to be possible.
At some point in the Second World War, Marcus parachuted into France to free the citizens from the Nazis and planned the relief mission for the first concentration camp liberated by the troops from the United States. Despite the fact that his actions were commendable, his conduct didn’t impress all. General Randolph played by John Wayne gives him a scolding, not for his braveness, but rather his irrationality. The General concludes with: “What are you trying to prove, Marcus?” This question begins to haunt Colonel Mickey Marcus.
Whereas Randolph feels free to address the colonel, Marcus’s physically stunning wife Emma (Angie Dickinson) has unassumingly reconciled herself to the fact that her partner loves risking his life "in the line of fire" over the notion of having children and living a peaceful life with her. At one moment in the film she admits in tears that she is “…tired of being proud of you”. While lying in bed, smoking a cigarette, she confesses that her wish is that one day he’ll discover what he’s searching for in the combat zone. Hopefully then he will return to her so that they can live out the rest of their lives together.
Entangled in Israel’s War for Independence does compel Marcus to confront unpleasant eye-openers. First off, he is humbled after the Israeli military does not instantaneously place him in full control of operations, snubbing his overconfident self-image. However, once Marcus triumphs over his pride and occupies himself in the challenges of Israel’s combating forces, he suddenly recognizes it’s not like any military he’s ever come across in the past. They’re disordered, their training is sub-par and the entire force is in need for more equipment. Essentially they are an assemblage of unwavering people, varying in age and gender. Albeit they’re inexperienced in combat, they consist of a relentless force. The reason being that, after the Holocaust combined with centuries of harassment, these Jewish fighters are unified in a readiness to perish for the land that is their home.
While he engages in battle at the side of these courageous troops, Marcus recognizes that he’s not simply commanding them: he is one of them. He declares that he is now proud of being a Jew and that’s the reason he’s fighting. His awakening comes about and big realizations are made. He becomes conscious of the fact that he has been fearful to acknowledge how in love he has forever been with his spouse. However, right when he comprehends what a treasure his existence is and chooses to alter the way he lives, the opportunity to do so is snatched from Marcus.
An unforgettable movie, Cast a Giant Shadow questions: what is necessary to be a hero, remembering a complex man and at the same time investigating the private sacrifices one must on occasion make in order to transform the world.
References
- "Cast A Giant Shadow - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes". The New York Times (September 2008). Retrieved on September 26.
- "Cast a Giant Shadow(1996)Overview". TMC:Turner Classic Movies (September 2008). Retrieved on September 26.
Further reading
Shavelson, Melville. How to Make a Jewish Movie, 1971. (ISBN 0-491-00156-8).
External links
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