Genres

Visitors Review

Lee Eisenberg 2012-05-20 13:25:04

a good look at an unfortunately forgotten part of history

When people think of anti-Semitism, they usually think of Hitler'sThird Reich. But equally as bad was czarist Russia. In "The Fixer",Yakov Bok (Alan Bates) is a Jewish man who leaves the Pale (the area inEastern Europe to which Jews were relegated) to work for someone. Whenthey discover that he is a Jew, they imprison him on a trumped-upcharge. Specifically, government bureaucrat Grubeshov (Ian Holm)believes that Jews are downright untrustworthy.The movie also shows how Yakov has to hide his background once heleaves the ghetto. In one scene, he is about to have sex witharistocrat Zinaida (Elizabeth Hartman), but he realizes that she willsee that he is circumcised, and so he leaves.We can clearly see how anti-Semitic feelings were alive and well longbefore Hitler came to power. It's always important to remember thesekinds of things.

Jeroen de Lange 2012-05-19 23:20:07

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

An interesting picture. The portrait of a friendly, non-political Jewcaptured and accused for ridiculous crimes he did not, and for religiousreasons, could not commit. It leaves you with a feeling of anger becauseofthe inhumanity of men towards men. Enjoy!

2012-05-17 10:48:40

The Fixer-One Man Against A Tyranny

Can one man make a difference? Even in a system which is set up to trample every vestige of individual freedom and basic human rights? Can an agnostic find his faith in great adversity? If you have seen The Fixer, you will know that the answer is "Yes" to all these questions.If you are inspired by films of courage, triumph of the human spirit and the spiritual dimension over materialist oppression, the principle that "one man with courage makes a majority," this is the film for you.The whole weight of the Russian Czarist government is unable to destroy the spirit of one man, who gains in spiritual strength as the "system" ramps up to grind him down. Just when the inquisitor is certain that his victim is crushed, he enters The Fixer's cell, expecting his victim to beg for mercy, and sees instead....I am not going to spoil it for you, but you will cheer the "victim."I saw this film in 1969, only once, and have not forgotten that scene that is indelibly imprinted in my memory.

materialgeeza 2012-05-17 04:31:50

In these times of arrest without trial or evidence, this film strikes a chord.

I came home from work after working a 24 hour shift and turned on theTV to find something mindless to numb my brain (ready to do the samething tomorrow), and turned on this film, I had to watch it to the end.The story is simple enough, its the tale of someone who is wronglyaccused of a crime in order to satisfy someones higher politicalmanifesto but there's an ageless quality to it. I'm not particularlyclued up on films or politics, and certainly not a critic but I have tosay that in these times of arrest without trial or evidence, this filmstrikes a chord. This film highlights some of the best and worstaspects inherent to human nature, a truly remarkable work.

pljewkes 2012-05-11 05:30:29

More calamities than Job faced...

John Frankenheimer's sometimes overwrought but mostly powerful versionof Bernard Malamud's novel stars Alan Bates as a Jewish handyman inTsarist Russia who faces myriad charges when he attempts to passhimself off as a Christian. Not always easy to sit through, the filmthrows horror after horror at Bates, who goes from sneaky toself-righteous to insane to martyr. Bates gives a towering performanceand the strong supporting cast includes Dirk Borgarde as his (oddlydebonair) lawyer, Georgia Brown as the sleazy mother of a murdered boyand Hugh Griffith as a drunken anti-Semite. Elizabeth Hartman isstrangely cast as Giffith's amorous daughter. David Warner and Ian Holmare in it too and there's a very outré cameo by Murray Melvin as apriest (hoping to convert the very uninterested Bates). Frankenheimerand scriptwriter Dalton Trumbo do a very good job recreating a reallyhorrible time in Russian history and the Hungarian countryside makes agood substitute as a decidedly cold Kiev. There's stunningcinematography by Marcel Grignon. The chilling music score by MauriceJarre is marred by some really shrieking violin solos.

kucheeku 2012-05-10 10:10:24

Terrific underrated drama from John Frankenheimer

When is John Frankenheimer going to get the recognition he deserves as atrue original film artist? A number of his films are either barely releasedor completely unreleased (99 and 44/100% Dead, The Challenge, The FourthWar). Many of Frankenheimer's films dealt with the fight for social justice andhuman compassion and The Fixer definitely falls into this category. AlanBates is terrific as a Russian Jew who "passes" for Gentile and decides towork for an anti-Semite for money. He's later accused by the authorities ofa child murder he did not commit and must endure endless torture by theCzarist Russians to keep from confessing. Frankenheimer's experience,directing many plays for Golden Age of Television shows like Playhouse 90,demonstrates perfectly that he can master effective facial close-ups andenhance the great dialogue. So few American films can be brave enough toactually talk about ideas without having to always resort to action toappease those out there with short attention spans. Well, Frankenheimer candeliver the action goods (note Ronin and The Train), but give him credit forembracing the influence of great foreign films' sense of introspection. Theclaustrophobic atmosphere of the prison is so immense that the final sceneis one of the most exhilarating I've felt in quite a while. Credit Trumboalso with creating a hero who is not totally perfect by any means. YakovBok had not only betrayed his heritage by working for anti-Semites, butalso, as we learn later, is out of touch with relating to his family. DirkBogarde is also quite good as Bok's defense counsel as is a young Ian Holmas a sadistic Russian official.

William Ploch 2012-05-10 09:08:16

Worth watching for Alan Bates

Alan Bates is one of the most sadly forgotten actors from the 60's and70's.While he's been doing mostly stage work recently, many seem to haveforgotten the extraordinary output that he had: Zorba the Greek, A Kind ofLoving, Georgy Girl, Far From the Madding Crowd, An Unmarried Woman, Womenin Love, Butley, and this.His performance as Yakov Bok, a Jewish handyman wrongly accused of murder,is the the driving force behind Dalton Trumbo's adaption of BernardMalamud's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. While John Frankenheimer'sdirectionis rather clunky at times (a disappointment, seeing as he was coming off agood run with The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days in May, and The Train),the length is about twenty minutes too long, and a few supportingcharactersremain under-developed, his gritty performance keeps The Fixer going. It'sinteresting to see Yakov go from being a non-religious Jew who agrees towork for an Anti-Sematic official for money to a political prisoner whowillproclaim his innocence despite whatever torture is inflicted on him. Asthebrutality of the officials grows harsher, his religious feelings growstronger, and Bates makes it believable from beginning toend.Dirk Bogarde also does well as a lawyer who will defend Yakov at any cost(even though his character's intentions remain unclear), as does Ian Holmasan investigator who considers Jews to be inhuman criminals.The Fixer had a brief run on video a few years ago, but I am not sure ifitis still being circulated.

Levi-65 2012-05-09 11:52:18

A Great & Poignant Movie that I have been trying to "Purchase" for years. "Sources for obtaining this would be appreciated".

In 1969 while in Basic Training at Fort ORD, California our Companyviewed this movie. Being 1969 and all that was happening at that timeand as basic trainees, in an infantry company, 18 to 21 years of age,most destined for Vietnam, most had few things in our minds beyond oursurvival in the months to come. The strength, determination and couragein the face of oppression, constant disappointment and theinsurmountable odds of survival unified all 120+ of us to a standingovation of applause and cheering at the end. We all came from suchdifferent backgrounds, Watts, Oklahoma, East LA, Salt Lake City,Montana and Chicago. We were all of different ethnic backgrounds,Hispanic, Black, Irish, Catholic etc. None of us knew of Jewish life inTzarist Russian. All felt a bond with "The Fixer", a victim of times,prejudice and "The System".For many of us, the move, "The Fixer" did more than just occupy anafternoon away from military training. It connected us with a spirit, ahumanness to deal with and hopefully survive adversity. To this day theother message I carry is that every act we do is a political statement.Even the act of being, "Apolitical" is a statement of politics.A Great & Poignant Movie that should be included in everyones filmexperiences!

wonga66 2012-05-06 11:10:15

Should have got the Oscar

A real Oscar winning performance by Bates.Beats me why he didn't getit!Thewhole story portrays the times in Russia so well with anti- semitisem asaway to keep away attention from the failings of the Csar and his evilgovernment.A unique actor who really feels his part as can be told by Bates eyeswhichreflect that his soul is part of what he his doing unlike todays mimikactors.

Jugu Abraham 2012-05-06 00:58:19

Captures the strengths of the book

It is not often that cinema can do justice to a great novel. This one bringsout the existential questions of the lead character Yakov Blok in an honestmanner, true to the original. I think I would place the credit more withscreenplaywriter Dalton Trumbo for this effort. He did not even change someof the key lines of the book. I wonder what Malamud would have thought ofthe script.Frankenheimer needs praise in some sequences, the prison sequences and theseduction sequence--but what amuses me no end is why he chose to cast thethree actresses who speak their lines with no care for even a semblance ofbeing East European. Alan Bates, Dirk Bogarde, Hugh Griffith, David Warner and Ian Holm are allgood actors but Frankenheimer made no effort to make them speak likeRussians or East Europeans. Bogarde is predictable in his role, but AlanBates carried the film. He alone played his role with conviction. MauriceJarre's music was good but not his best.Like "Gandhi" this film will be remembered because of the subject, notbecause of its cinema. The true hero was not Bates, not Trumbo, notFrankenheimer--it was Malamud!