A Very Jewish Movie, Jewish Space Admiral, Mel Brooks Bio

 

“A Private Life” is a French language film (from France). It is described as a comic psychological thriller. It opens in the U.S. on January 16 (subtitles on screen). This film played the prestigious Cannes Festival last April (not as a competing film). The reviews were stellar and the audience gave this film a 10-minute standing ovation after it ended.

 

Jodie Foster, who is fluent in French, plays Lilian Steiner, an American psychoanalyst who lives in Paris. Lilian is devastated when Paula Cohen-Solai, a client, takes her life. Or did Paula take her life?

 

After I read these two characters’ last names, I thought: Are they both Jewish? I got lucky and I found a translated interview with REBECCA ZLOTOWSKI, 45. She’s the film’s director and co-writer. In this interview, she said that her film delves deeply into Jewish culture.

 

Zlotowski said Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster) is Jewish. She added that the late Paula was Jewish and so is Paula’s husband. The husband’s name is Simon Cohen-Solai and he is played by French Jewish actor MATHIEU AMARLIC, 60. One more: Lilian’s (Jewish) ex-husband helps Lilian investigate Paula’s death.

 

It dawned on me: there are five roles in the film and the characters are all Jewish! I could go on and on about this film and its Jewish connections. I know I am going to a theater to watch this film.

 

“Star Trek Starfleet Academy” opens on the Paramount+ streaming channel on January 15 (two episodes on the 15th; the remaining 8 episodes will premiere on following Thursdays.)

 

“Starfleet” is set in the far future: the 32nd century. It follows the first new class of Starfleet cadets in over a century as they come of age and train to be officers.

 

ODED FEHR, 56, plays Fleet Admiral Charles Vance. Fehr played Admiral Vance on the “Star Trek: Discovery” series from 2020 to 2024. Admiral Vance is a “main cast” role in Starfleet.

 

Fehr was born in Israel and he served in the Israeli navy. He broke into American films when he played a “good guy,” major character in the surprise action hit “The Mummy” (1999) and its sequel film, “The Mummy Returns” (2001).

 

“Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old-Man!” is a four-hour, two-part documentary about BROOKS’ amazing life. The first, two hours of the documentary premiere on Thursday, Jan. 22; 8PM (HBO). The second half will premiere on the following Thursday (Jan. 29); 8PM.

 

JUDD APATOW, 58, co-directed the series. Apatow, a top Hollywood writer-director-producer, said in a statement that he “promises a ‘career-spanning film’ about the comedy legend [Brooks who is] behind classic movie farces and parodies.” In a public statement, Apatow added: “I went into comedy because of my love for Mel Brooks. This project is the dream of a lifetime.”

 

The title of the documentary references “The 2000-Year-Old Man”, a comic bit between CARL REINER and Brooks. Reiner played a reporter interviewing a “2000-Year-Old Man”. That man, of course, was Mel Brooks.

 

The “2,000-Year-Old Man” began as a party-only comedy bit (1959) that Brooks and Reiner performed. Everyone who saw the bit or act urged them to make a comedy record.

 

Brooks’ life is so long and so full of funny and/or interesting stories, that the upcoming special can’t get them all in. Here’s one that probably won’t be in the new documentary. Brooks’ has only told this story a few times.

 

Brooks and Reiner were hesitant to make a commercial record of the 2,000 Year Man act. They thought it might be “too Jewish” and it would flop. (Brooks’ character spoke with a Jewish intonation and there’s other Jewish “shtick”).

 

Cary Grant listened (1959 or 1960) to the “2000Man” comic act at a party. It hadn’t yet become a record. Grant asked Brooks if there was a tape of the comic act. Brooks and Reiner said “yes” and agreed to loan a tape (or demo record) to Grant.

 

A couple of months later, Reiner and Brooks asked Grant if he played it for anyone else. He said, “Yes, I loaned the record to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen’s Mother. She loved it!!”.

 

Brooks told this story on Dick Cavett’s talk show and I remember him saying: “We decided then to make a commercial record. If the highest goyische woman in the world loves it, it will be a big hit!” “The ‘2,000Man’ record came out in 1961 and sold a million copies.

 

One more thing: Apatow said that they will cover Brooks’ service in WWII. He was in combat in Europe when he was 18 to 19 (1944-45). I urge you to read the long paragraphs of his service in his Wikipedia biography. It just is too long to relate here, (his varied and serious wartime duties).