Intimate Grammar

[Howard Schumann]

On your recommendation I'll see this as I did Broken Wings, when I can, sorry I missed it at the recent Jewish Film Festival in the Bay Area. How did you get to see it, by the way? How would you rate this in relation to Broken Wings? It seems some think it less successful, if I'm not mistaken.

Looking online, I find the Variety review offers some further insights into the pluses and minuses of the film. The still also shows that the boy is rather good looking, despite his unfortunate smallness.

I had to import an Israeli DVD from e-Bay, then convert it to NTSC.

It's probably not as good as Broken Wings but I loved it anyway. It is definitely darker. The biggest drawback for me was the somewhat over-the-top performance by Orly Silbersatz as the mothe, though I am reading the novel by David Grossman on which the film is based and the mother is about as over-the-top as shown in the film. Of course, the novel is a more complete experience. It can go so much deeper into the thoughts of the characters and the language is very beautiful.

I can also relate to the thoughts of a 12-year-old Jewish boy who is different than his classmates. It could have been me in the book. At any rate, it is hard to make a two hour film based on a 450 page novel, but I think on the whole Bergman did a good job.

[Chris Knipp]

Thank you. I think now you told me you were going to buy an Israeli DVD. IN view of your comments here now, maybe your review is a bit more adulatory than is quite justified by your feelings, but maybe you want to encourage people to see it (if they ever can). However mentioning some defects could strengthen your case by making your evaluation seem totally frank and based on a total examination. I could imagine identifying with the boy too. I'd have to see the film to understand how it could be darker than Broken Wings, which certainly is grim and devoid largely of fun. You are very honest here in saying a film can go only so far in conveying the full sense of a 400+-page novel with much inner monologue. That's what I feel with any film from a good novel.

[Howard Schumann]

Thank you. I think now you told me you were going to buy an Israeli DVD. IN view of your comments here now, maybe your review is a bit more adulatory than is quite justified by your feelings, but maybe you want to encourage people to see it (if they ever can). However mentioning some defects could strengthen your case by making your evaluation seem totally frank and based on a total examination. I could imagine identifying with the boy too. I'd have to see the film to understand how it could be darker than Broken Wings, which certainly is grim and devoid largely of fun. You are very honest here in saying a film can go only so far in conveying the full sense of a 400+-page novel with much inner monologue. That's what I feel with any film from a good novel.

No, I pretty much stand by my review. As I said, though I wish Orly Silbersatz had toned it down a bit, she seems to be in tune with the character as written. Her performance is my only objection, however, and that is why I rated it an A- instead of an A. I think it could easily have been another half hour and perhaps with more of the boy's inner thoughts presented as a voice over, but since I wasn't directing the film, I accept it the way it is and recommend it highly.

[Chris Knipp]

Pretty much? I merely suggested that some qualifications and reservations might have strengthened your praise of the film. For me also it is important to know where you place its merits in relation to his first film, which I've seen.