Jakob the Liar (1999)

During World War II, an ordinary inhabitant of a ghetto fakes news about Allied offensives to inspire hope for other victims of the Nazi regime.

Director:

Peter Kassovitz

Writers:

Jurek Becker (novel), Peter Kassovitz (screenplay)

Stars:

Robin Williams, Hannah Taylor Gordon, Éva Igó

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robin Williams	...	Jakob
Hannah Taylor Gordon	...	Lina
Éva Igó	...	Lina's Mother (as Eva Igo)
István Bálint	...	Lina's Father (as Istvan Balint)
Justus von Dohnányi	...	Preuss
Kathleen Gati	...	Hooker
Bob Balaban	...	Kowalsky
Alan Arkin	...	Frankfurter
Michael Jeter	...	Avron
Mark Margolis	...	Fajngold
János Gosztonyi	...	Samuel (as Janos Gosztonyi)
Liev Schreiber	...	Mischa
Armin Mueller-Stahl	...	Kirschbaum
Ádám Rajhona	...	The Whistler (as Adam Rajhona)
Antal Leisen	...	Peg-Leg

Storyline

In 1944 Poland, a Jewish shop keeper named Jakob is summoned to ghetto headquarters after being caught out near curfew. While waiting for the German Kommondant, Jakob overhears a German radio broadcast about Russian troop movements. Returned to the ghetto, the shopkeeper shares his information with a friend and then rumors fly that there is a secret radio within the ghetto. Jakob uses the chance to spread hope throughout the ghetto by continuing to tell favorable tales of information from "his secret radio." Jakob, however, has a real secret in that he is hiding a young Jewish girl who escaped from a camp transport train. A rather uplifting and slightly humorous film about World War II Jewish Ghetto life.

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel | character name as title | three word title | jacob the liar character | ghetto | 

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Taglines:

When all hope was lost, he invented it.

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence and disturbing images

Details

Country:

France Hungary USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 September 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Una señal de esperanza

Filming Locations:

Poland

Box Office

Budget:

$45,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,056,647, 26 September 1999

Gross USA:

$4,956,401

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,956,401

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Blue Wolf Productions, Kasso Inc. Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SDDS

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film takes place in 1944.

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Goofs

The German officer referred to as "Herr General" wears the insignia of an SS-Colonel.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jakob Heym: Hitler goes to a fortune-teller and asks, "When will I die?" And the fortune-teller replies, "On a Jewish holiday." Hitler then asks, "How do you know that?" And she replies, "Any day you die will be a Jewish holiday."

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Crazy Credits

Special thanks to the city and peoples of Piotrków, Poland, the city and peoples of Lódz, Poland and the city and peoples of Budapest, Hungary.

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Connections

Referenced in Barely Legal (2003)

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Soundtracks

Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out The Barrel)
Written by Lew Brown, Wladimir A. Timm (as Wladimir Timm), Jaromir Vejvoda & Vasek Zeman
Performed by The Andrews Sisters
Courtesy of MCA Records
By Arrangement with Universal Music Special Markets

User Reviews

Another solid performance by Robin Williams!

Don't be put off by the negative comments. If you like the characters Robin Williams creates, and you like unusual dramas, you'll like Jakob the Liar. The film wanted to be Roberto Benigni and Life is Beautiful but never seemed to have the courage to go there, even with Robin Williams in the lead, until the last few scenes of the movie. However, being another Life is Beautiful is asking an awful lot. Life is Beautiful is one of the great films of all time. Having said that, Jakob the Liar is fiendishly good, creatively done, and Robin Williams does a fine job, even when Hannah Taylor-Gordon, who plays Lina, wasn't stealing every scene she was in. So, settle down and give this little movie a try. If nothing else, it's another solid performance by Robin Williams.