Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Paul Newman | ... | Ari Ben Canaan | |
Eva Marie Saint | ... | Kitty Fremont | |
Ralph Richardson | ... | Gen. Sutherland | |
Peter Lawford | ... | Maj. Caldwell | |
Lee J. Cobb | ... | Barak Ben Canaan | |
Sal Mineo | ... | Dov Landau | |
John Derek | ... | Taha | |
Hugh Griffith | ... | Mandria | |
Gregory Ratoff | ... | Lakavitch | |
Felix Aylmer | ... | Dr. Lieberman | |
David Opatoshu | ... | Akiva Ben Canaan | |
Jill Haworth | ... | Karen | |
Marius Goring | ... | Von Storch | |
Alexandra Stewart | ... | Jordana Ben Canaan | |
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Michael Wager | ... | David Ben Ami |
The theme is the founding of the state of Israel. The action begins on a ship filled with Jewish immigrants bound for Israel who are being off loaded on Cyprus. An Intelligence officer succeeds in getting them back on board their ship only to have the harbor blocked by the British with whom they must negotiate. The second part of the film is about the situation in Israel as independence is declared and most of their neighbors attack them. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>
The film version of Leon Uris' Exodus was intentionally scripted for an American audience unfamiliar with Holocaust and Jewish themes. In fact, the film harps on major character Kitty's discomfort just being around Jews. Exodus is a 1960's Hollywood version of the creation of the modern State of Israel "for dummies", and in this it succeeds. While not having any religious Jewish content whatsoever, the film discuss themes of Jewish identity after the Holocaust, the plight of Jewish refugees under the British, the internal struggle of the Haganah versus the militant Irgun, and major historical incidents in the War for Independence 1948. While inaccurate about the actual Exodus ship incident, the film was a milestone in American Jewish cinema and identity. To this day, the film's music remains a mainstay in Jewish American homes.