The Chosen (1981)

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City, 1944. Reuven "Robert" Malter and Daniel "Danny" Saunders are two 15-year-old Jewish youths living in the same predominant Jewish neighborhood whom ... See full synopsis »

Director:

Jeremy Kagan

Writers:

Edwin Gordon, Chaim Potok (novel)

Stars:

Maximilian Schell, Rod Steiger, Robby Benson

5 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Maximilian Schell	...	Professor David Malter
Rod Steiger	...	Reb Saunders
Robby Benson	...	Danny Saunders
Barry Miller	...	Reuven Malter
Hildy Brooks	...	Mrs. Saunders
Kaethe Fine	...	Shaindel Saunders
Ron Rifkin	...	Baseball coach
Robert John Burke	...	Levi Saunders (as Robert Burke)
Lonny Price	...	Davey
Evan Handler	...	Goldberg
Douglas Warhit	...	Sam
Jeffrey Marcus	...	Schwartzi (as Jeff Marcus)
Stuart Charno	...	1st Baseman
Richard Lifschutz	...	Hassidic Coach
Clement Fowler	...	Doctor

Storyline

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City, 1944. Reuven "Robert" Malter and Daniel "Danny" Saunders are two 15-year-old Jewish youths living in the same predominant Jewish neighborhood whom have never met nor have anything in common... See full synopsis »

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Plot Keywords:

religion | friendship | father son relationship | teen | zionist | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 April 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Os Escolhidos

Filming Locations:

Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chosen Film Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Frank Maxwell's final feature film.

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Goofs

In the scene where Danny and Reuven tangle with the three street bullies, a modern (i.e., not 1940's) commercial bus passes in the cross street in the background.

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Quotes

Reuven Malter: Where'd you learn to hit like that?
Danny Saunders: [Casually] I practiced.
Reuven Malter: I thought you people only, uh, studied the Talmud.
Danny Saunders: I have an agreement with my father: I study my quota of the Talmud every day, the rest of the time is my own.
Reuven Malter: Your "quota" of Talmud?
Danny Saunders: Four pages.
Reuven Malter: [Slightly incredulous] "Four pages"? I can do ONE page, and I'm very good. And even then I need my father to help me.
Danny Saunders: I have total recall.
Reuven Malter: [Skeptically] Sure.

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Connections

Referenced in The Hebrew Hammer (2003)

User Reviews

A soft-spoken movie with a big comment on life.

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.