The Fixer (1968)

In Czarist Russia, around 1911, a Russian-Jewish handyman, Yakov Bog, is wrongly imprisoned for a most unlikely crime.

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Bernard Malamud (novel), Dalton Trumbo (screenplay)

Stars:

Alan Bates, Dirk Bogarde, Georgia Brown

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alan Bates	...	Yakov Bok
Dirk Bogarde	...	Bibikov
Georgia Brown	...	Marfa Golov
Hugh Griffith	...	Lebedev
Elizabeth Hartman	...	Zinaida
Ian Holm	...	Grubeshov
David Opatoshu	...	Latke
David Warner	...	Count Odoevsky
Carol White	...	Raisl
George Murcell	...	Deputy Warden
Murray Melvin	...	Priest
Peter Jeffrey	...	Berezhinsky
Michael Goodliffe	...	Ostrovsky
Thomas Heathcote	...	Proshko
Mike Pratt	...	Father Anastasy

Storyline

Set in tsarist Russia around the turn of the century and based on a true story of a Russian Jewish peasant Yakov Bog who was wrongly imprisoned for a most unlikely crime - the "ritual murder" of a Gentile child in Kiev. We witness the unrelenting detail of the peasant-handyman's life in prison and see him gain in dignity as the efforts to humiliate him and make him confess fail.

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Plot Keywords:

russia | penitentiary | anger | self education | miscarriage of justice | 

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Taglines:

They accused him... They beat him... They condemned him... and after all that, they were more afraid of him than ever.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

M

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 December 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

El hombre de Kiev

Filming Locations:

Hungary

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios, Edward Lewis Productions, John Frankenheimer Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Last Film of Danny Green.

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Quotes

Bibikov: What is your own personal philosophy?
Yakov Bok: That life could be better than it is.

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Connections

Referenced in Lionpower from MGM (1967)

User Reviews

Homo homini lupus (Man is for other men a wolf)

An interesting picture. The portrait of a friendly, non-political Jew captured and accused for ridiculous crimes he did not, and for religious reasons, could not commit. It leaves you with a feeling of anger because of the inhumanity of men towards men. Enjoy!