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Visitors Review

Chris Knipp 2012-05-25 18:11:57

A somewhat soft portrait of a somewhat forgotten lady

Yoo Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg is American pop history with a twist. GertrudeBerg was a radio and television pioneer who created a persona, the sortof immigrant Mamma a Greek woman could connect with, though the familyof her "Molly Goldberg" character (she wrote and acted the part) wasJewish and came from Eastern Europe. In the bland Fifites "Leave It toBeaver" era, Berg created a counter-image that was urban and ethnic.Documentary filmmaker Kempner made a 1988 film about Hank Greenberg. Asshe tells it, Gertrude Berg created the sit-com, a field ultimatelydominated by Lucille Ball, but only when "Yoo Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg" fadeddue to political pressures. So Jewish ethnicity paved the way for WASPconventionality.But Gertrude Berg's creation was a pop, bland (and middle-class)creation too, though this generally upbeat documentary doesn't analyzeit much, except to point out that the TV show's final version, when theGoldbergs make it financially and resultantly move to the suburbs, lostthe show's original spark. We don't get a very clear idea of whatepisodes of "Yoo Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg" were like from the film, except toexperience Berg's personal warmth, sweet smile, melodious voice, andample bosom. The emphasis of clips shown is on gestures and briefinteractions rather than plot-lines.Because it relies on the visuals from old TV shows rather than (perhapsrare?) radio recordings (which may not even exist), it's not muchemphasized that Molly Goldberg on radio actually went all the way backto 1929 (Gertrude Berg was born in 1998 and died in 1966). It's claimedthat she did the first effective radio advertising, writing her ownads, notably for Sanka coffee. She also sold War Bonds. Her creationthroughout its long run boldly provided, in an age of anti-Semitism, arelatively realistic and respectful, if gently comic, version of JewishNew York immigrant life shipped out to be consumed in the Americanheartland. What effect this had on Middle American thinking is notchronicled, though Ms. Berg's biographer, interestingly, is a youngsouthern WASP type, Glenn D. Smith, who provides much detail of thelife. His book is called "Something on My Own": Gertrude Berg andAmerican Broadcasting, 1929-1956. The radio show, also interestingly,was originally called "The Rise of the Goldbergs." What is clear isthat out-the-window air-shaft shouted "Yoo hoos" (the way of callingout to people, now old-fashioned) represent the interconnectedness ofBrooklyn apartment dwellers in those days who hung out their windowsand visited with one another on a day-to-day basis. Molly is always inan apron and always cooking. Yet women in the film remember her as a"feminist" figure because she was strong.The idyllic state of a Jewish family included in pop mainstreamAmerican Fifties (and earlier) culture was to hit a terrible snag whenMcCarthy ad the Red Baiting era came along. Philip Loeb, who played Mr.Goldberg, was a media union activist involved in multiple liberalcauses. He was blacklisted and CBS shut down the show when GertrudeBerg refused to replace him. (She later relented and the series got twoother Mr. Goldbergs.) The show had a more than year-long hiatus. Loebcommitted suicide, and Zero Mostel (himself a blacklisted artist)played a version of the destroyed Loeb in Martin Ritt's 1976 movie, TheFront. Neither Gertrude Berg nor Molly Goldberg was quite the sameafter this. And as a famous Edward R. Murrow "Person to Person" TVinterview stresses, the difference between Molly and Gertrude was hardto draw since the writer/actress spent more hours of the day beingMolly than being Gertrude Berg. And her real name was Tillie Edelsteinand her family and close friends always called her Tillie. The lovableJewish earth mother's own mother, depressed from the death of a youngerson, was cold and withdrawn: "Molly" was a hopeful fantasy (thoughlate-Fifties TV was rich in some high culture and realism such asPlayhouse 90, which gave live presentations of versions of Hemingwayand Faulkner, William Saroyan and Clifford Odets).During the Mrs. Goldberg hiatus time Lucille Ball began "I Love Lucy"and Ball took over the reigning iconic-TV-woman role. When "Mrs.Goldberg" folded Berg triumphed on Broadway in A Majority of One(1959), a comedy about a Jewish widow involved in a romance with aJapanese millionaire. She, director Dore Schary, and co-star Sir CedricHardwicke swept the Tony Awards. Berg was devastated when RosalindRussell was chosen over her for the movie version, and she was reducedto touring plays and summer stock thereafter and ultimately died, thenarrator says, of overwork.This affectionate and nostalgic documentary is full of information butcould use more analysis. Some of its talking heads, which includeSupreme Court Jutice Ruth Bader Ginzberg, indulge in numbingly vagueand euphoric recall. Somehow both the magic and the shortcomings of"Molly Goldberg" and Gertrude Berg don't emerge as clearly as theymight.

druid333-2 2012-05-24 06:22:52

The Famous Lady That Time Forgot

Gertrude Berg was a force to be reckoned with. In 1929,she produced,wrote & acted as the head of a Jewish American household,by the name ofTilly Goldberg,in a series called,The Goldbergs (how original!). Fivetimes a week,America tuned in on the original Jewish mama,and herfamily. The series made it to early television in 1949,and was arunaway hit.Gertrude Berg even wrote the commercials that intertwinedwith the episodes (one minute Tilly would be talking aboutrecipe's,then seamlessly segueing into an ad for coffee). Aviva Kempner(The Life & Times Of Hank Greenburg)directs a pleasant enoughdocumentary of a pioneer of early television,who by the end of the1950's,was pretty much forgotten in the wake of Lucille Ball,etc.During it's initial run (1949-1951),the show experienced an unpleasantrun-in with the goon squad that was the House Of Unamerican ActivitiesCommitee (H.U.A.C.),due to the fact that co star,Phillip Loeb was anaccused Communist sympathizer. When sponsors started pulling outfunding for the show,Berg was forced to replace Loeb with another actorto play her beloved husband (only after the show went on a briefhiatus). When the show was revived (on another television network),theletters of protest over Phillip Loeb being replaced flooded thenetwork, but it was already too late (I won't spoil it by revealingwhat happened).The series would continue to run until 1955,when it waseventually phased out. The film gets support from spoken testimoniesfrom such personae as Supreme Court Justice,Ruth Bader Ginsburg,andproducer,Norman Lear (creator of 'All In The Family','Maude' & 'TheJeffersons'). The film also gets some nice mileage from original grainyblack & white kine scopes of 'The Goldbergs',as well as the one offfeature film,'Molly'(also known as 'Meet The Goldbergs')from 1950(basically an extended 90 episode,minus the commercials). This filmwill be of interest to anybody who follows early television,or obscurepop culture. Not rated,but contains absolutely nothing to offend eventhe most blue-nosed prude.

2012-05-23 03:23:59

Fascinating

This review is from: Yoo Hoo Mrs Goldberg (DVD) A must see, not only was Gertrude Berg a radio and TV icon, she was a pre-feminist era Wonder Woman. She wrote, produced, directed and starred in her own series This film also gives a special insight into that dread Blacklist era of the 50s. Wonderful commentary by Justice Ginsberg and many others she influenced.

2012-05-21 21:25:30

Thanks for the Memories!

This review is from: Yoo Hoo Mrs Goldberg (DVD) Yoo Hoo Mrs. Goldberg, for those of us 55+ is an opportunity to go back in television history and witness one of the pioneer women of radio and television programs. This documentary covers many aspects of her personal and professional life. It makes you realize what a strong personality and great talent she had! A pure joy!

2012-05-10 10:38:28

If you liked "Good Night and Good Luck" you will really like this movie

If you liked "Good Night and Good Luck," one of the mostunder-appreciated movies of the last few years, you will also enjoythis movie, which is being marketed the wrong way and will probablymiss its most potentially appreciative audience.Unlike GNAGL, this is a documentary. It raises a lot of fascinatingquestions that it does not pursue, and that can get frustrating attimes. Why, since it had been such a hit - and it was - on radio in the1930s was the radio show canceled in 1946? What reasons did CBS givefor not wanting to pick up the TV program that Gertrude Berg developedout of it, when so many early TV programs were in fact continuations ofpopular radio programs? A lot of the 50+ year old recollections of people who heard the radioprogram or saw the TV program don't ring true, and are really amisleading waste of time. Several of those people remark, for example,that "no one saw the Goldbergs as Jewish, but just as a family," yetRuth Bader Ginsberg, who I believe is one of those who says somethingto that effect, also recounts that on her first day on the SurpremeCourt, Thurgood Marshall addressed her as Mrs. Goldberg. Obviously,American audiences viewed the Goldbergs as not just any Americanfamily, but as a Jewish family.On the other hand, a fair amount is made of the originality ofportraying a Jewish family on the radio (and then TV). This iscompletely out of context, and again very misleading. Most of the bigfigures in 1930s radio and early television were Jewish - Jack Benny,Milton Berle, Fred Allen, Burns and Allen, etc. - and on radio therewas Fanny Brice. How was "The Goldbergs" different from those programs?At one point the issue is raised of whether the program presented Jewsas negative stereotypes. This is hastily dismissed with a remark thatunlike Amos and Andy, who on radio had originally been acted by twowhite men, Berg chose only Jewish (the exact word is Yiddish) actors totake roles in her show. But that doesn't prove that the charactersweren't negative stereotypes, as Amos and Andy continued to be when itmoved to TV and was played by Black comedians. That line also getsforgotten when it is explained that for TV Berg picked a gentile toplay the part of her son, a fascinating issue that gets no development.There are also simple factual errors. When the narrative gets to thebeginning of "The Goldbergs" on radio, it is stated that there were tworadio networks: ABC and CBS. There were, in fact, two radio networksthen, but they were CBS and NBC. ABC was not sprung off NBC until WorldWar II. There are other historical errors as well.All of the foregoing is negative commentary, I realize. Please do notread it as saying that I did not enjoy the movie, however. Quite to thecontrary, I was fascinated by every moment of it. Berg turns out tohave been a very intelligent, fascinating workaholic, and is presentedas interesting enough by this movie that you want to know a LOT moreabout her and how she was viewed during her time.Anyone with an interest in the blacklisting of the McCarthy era and thebeginnings of network radio and television will find this moviefascinating, as I did, and I heartily recommend it. But it leaves you,or at least me, wanting to know so much more. I can only hope thisleads to a new interest in Gertrude Berg and the shows she created, sothat we can get answers to some of those questions.

michael minor 2012-05-01 05:19:16

Yahoo Movie folks got it wrong again

Yahoo movie folks got it wrong again...".... a popular radio show that debuted in 1929 and ...."it debuted in 1949!!! nineteen FORTY nine, ok???

lastliberal 2012-04-24 14:28:29

Philip Loeb died for the terrible disease called the "Blacklist."

It is always fun to go back and see the early days of TV. Coming as itdid mostly or frequently from radio, this early look at a woman thatwas as popular as Oprah in her day.To see a strong woman like Gertrude Berg, who came from a difficultchildhood due to the death of her brother and the resulting mentaldifficulties that beset her mother, develop a character and a familyshow that everyone in the country followed, was amazing.To see people like Edward R. Murrow and Ed Sullivan, and the evil redscare that brought about the show's eventual demise is a tellingreminder of why Fox News and the Tea Party is so dangerous today.It was an enjoyable journey into the birth of TV, and the birth ofsitcoms.

fx_gent 2012-04-24 07:09:15

Exceptional Documentary, Worth Seeing

History is replete with countless stories of exceptional individuals.Unfortunately, when people discuss famous women, African Americans,Hispanics, ,etc. they tend to lean towards those individuals who arebetter known. Every so often there is the exception, the telling ofthose not remembered or forgotten, this documentary being one of them.Going into the theater I carried with me only the knowledge of whoGetrude Berg was. I came out with a deep appreciation of what sheaccomplished in her life as a writer of 12,000 scripts; first lady oftelevision, etc. and her overall impact. I was impressed especially ather work on behalf of her costar Phillip Loeb during the Communistwitchhunts of the 1950s. This is an exceptional documentary and worthtaking the time to see.

2012-04-21 01:14:30

A present for Mom

This review is from: Yoo Hoo Mrs Goldberg (DVD) OK so I was born when this aired & I was ~4 yrs old when it went of the air, but I got this as a present for my mother & she enjoys it completely & remineses about watchinhg it with my grandmother

2012-04-17 06:47:49

Mrs Goldberg Rocks

This review is from: Yoo Hoo Mrs Goldberg (DVD) Yoo Hoo Mrs Goldberg combines television (and radio) nostalgia with an insight into a media superstar precursor of Oprah. My kids are too young to have seen the original, but for every fan this is a perfect introduction for the next generations

2012-04-10 18:32:23

For Nostalgia Buffs

You don't have to be Jewish to love "The Goldbergs." This film is a simply wonderful documentary about a self-made Jewish woman (whose real name is Gertrude Berg) who - through force of personality and hard work - stormed into the radio business in the 1930's and then persuaded the producers to allow her to make the first TV family "sitcom" before "I Love Lucy" or "The Cosby's. Gertrude Berg invented the genre and was the queen of television for years. The movie includes quite a few clips of some of her actual episodes; Many will be curious to see the TV shows in full. (Now that is possible with a new DVD collection). My best friend who grew up in the 1940's opined that this was his favorite television program. Perhaps Gertrude Berg will get her much deserved re-recognition in the 21st century. I was terribly impressed that Gertrude Berg wrote a new TV episode EVERY NIGHT, then directed her co-actors in the morning, became the leading star, and then completed filming that episode in the afternoon. Then, in the remaining hours of the same day she wrote her next episode and did this thousands of times. Let's face it...that is a brilliant accomplishment that no one - male or woman - has ever matched!What made the TV show so interesting is that Molly bridged two worlds - between the old immigrant way of life and the New World of American consumerism; All along, she retained those important family values of honest work and community compassion. Why did the TV show go out of fashion? Did the New Americans merge into mainstream culture so completely that old time values became less interesting on television?The documentary is also important for its frank discussion of blacklisting. The television husband of Molly Goldberg took his own life when he was not allowed to work any longer during the McCarthy witch hunting years. I would not miss this film! Another documentary by the same director is the critically acclaimed "Life and Times of Hank Greenberg". He was a very important athlete who broke racial barriers in professional baseball for the Jews but is much less known than Jackie Robinson who did the same for African Americans. Last, but not least, for those who like Jewish cooking, don't forget to buy [on Amazon] a copy of "The Molly Goldberg Jewish cookbook", a volume that recreates those delicious Jewish recipes of the 1930s - 1950's.

Michael Fargo 2012-04-07 08:37:22

The contributions of an early pioneer

The intense rush of nostalgia that Aviva Kempner's film floods theaudience with is carefully interrupted with well-placed--thoughbrief--darker sides of the facets of Gertrude Berg's extraordinarilyunique life. For instance, we're shown the close relationship with hermother in earlier years, but later told a more troubling aspect whichadds depth but never spoils Berg's optimism that was such a hallmark inher material.This technique is constantly employed and keeps us engaged with oneexception: The McCarthy era is given a longer sequence into how the RedChannel affected those in Berg's circle and brought shame to a countrythat ironically also provided opportunity to many mentioned in thefilm, many of whom were broken beyond repair by rumor and suspicion.There's generous archival footage that covers the entirety of Berg'slife, and reminds us of her contribution not only to early radio andtelevision, but of a rare driven talent that can still touch us today.We're fortunate this film was made when it was since some of theoriginal cast and friends and colleagues provide primary sourcematerial. This is a warm and loving portrait that also touches ondifficulties most pioneers face.

boblipton 2012-04-01 21:53:32

The Triumph of Write Yiddish, Cast British

The story of Gertrude Berg, creator of Molly Goldberg, is told in aslow-starting but ultimately affecting documentary that concentrates onher professional life as the better story -- when you write the scriptfor a five-times weekly radio show for twenty years, star in it twice aday and follow that up with half a dozen years in a weekly situationcomedy for television, you don't have that much time for a personallife.But the story of Miss Berg and her ultimate failure-by-success -- itreached the point where instead of Molly Goldberg being a recognizableexpression of the American spirit, she became too old-fashionedlyJewish, viewed as caricature -- is only half the story. Within thecontext of her life is told the tale of her television husband, playedbrilliantly by Phillip Loeb, smeared by the Blacklist, forced off theair and ultimately driven to suicide. That's the real heart-breaker ofthis movie.The clips with which fill this movie seem to have been deliberatelychosen to be grainy and scratchy, perhaps because that would show theirage. Instead they wind up being annoying in their choices. That,however, is a rather small complaint and, should you see this ontelevision instead of in a theater -- as I did -- you probably will notnotice.

2012-03-30 07:52:48

Molly Goldberg

This review is from: Yoo Hoo Mrs Goldberg (DVD) It turned out to be much more interesting then I thought it would be. I didn't know howintelligent and creative she was. I loved this so much, I sent one to my sister. Yes,we're old enough to have seen the originals (but young)!

CarlosR 2012-03-28 09:24:21

Better than I expected

I'm not quite old enough to remember the radio or the TV show, but this is a very good telling of the story, in the context of how things were back in the 1950s. The "red scare" had a horrible effect on actors and the industry, and this movie gives some great examples of that. I think older viewers would like this, and younger people will not go.

Lynn Weissman 2012-03-27 19:30:50

We should all get to know Mrs. Goldberg...

Although "Yoo Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg" is not superbly edited, it is fun towatch, fascinating, and certainly historically significant. The film,like Mrs. (Gold)Berg - and perhaps many of our own Jewish mothers andgrandmothers - is a pivotal feminist entity with a sense of humor. This documentary also touches on the blacklisting/red scare era inAmerica, of which we need constant reminders. Kudos to Director Aviva Kempner for finally recognizing a woman whoseprolific accomplishments, until now left on a dusty old shelf, shapedthe future of American media and culture.A film worth seeing!

John DeSando 2012-03-22 03:19:49

Radio and TV History Lesson

When is a Jewish mother not a Jewish Mother? When she doesn't act justlike Molly Goldberg, the heroine of a popular radio and televisioncomedy, The Goldbergs, in the first half of the 20th century. AvivaKempner's informative documentary about the life of Gertrude Berg, whoplayed Molly, is more a survey of radio and TV culture at that timethan an insightful probe into the life of one of broadcasting's pioneerwomen.Kempner's ability to weave in segments from shows, videos, interviews,and archival photographs puts the audience into the creative hotbed ofthe Depression through the post-WWII '50's. No one, not even ZeroMostel, can steal the stage from the affectionate, strong-willedcharacter and actress (indeed, the two seem the same, so thoroughly didBerg develop Molly from within herself and her life).Remarkably, Berg also wrote all the shows, a precursor of theall-in-one writer, producer, and actor talents of later generations.Perhaps because of her assimilation into the character of Molly, thefilm is unable to penetrate the character of the real Gertrude,although I suspect the two sides of Gertrude are just that character.The documentary comments on Berg's sometimes tyrannical off-stagepersona, and it does a reasonably good job showing the sacrifices shemade to defend her radio and TV husband, Phillip Loeb, from accusationsof Red Channels that he was a communist. That conflict and thedecision, not hers, to locate the TV show from the Bronx to thesuburbs, helped the closing of her career.It is probable that the notion of the benign, caring Jewish mother, wasshaped in part by Gertrude Berg. It is almost certain she was a forcebehind the TV sitcom paradigm and the emergence of Lucille Ball as thenew model of modern TV housewife-comedienne.Yoo-Hoo is a winning history lesson in broadcasting and women in allmedia.

Larry F 2012-03-21 18:58:56

The Wrong-sayer is wrong

M K has stated that this site got it wrong when it said that The Goldbergs debuted on radio in 1929, and that the correct year should be 1949. M K is confused. The Goldbergs debuted on TELEVISION in 1949. Its debut on radio was indeed on 20 November 1929 in its first 15-minute segment.Think carefully before you open your mouth, M K.

R 2012-03-13 19:22:48

An interesting story but not a compelling film

A competent recounting of the story of an important but largely now-forgotten radio and TV pioneer, but lacking in real insight. The highlight was learning about how the anti-communist witch-hunts of the 1950s handicapped her show and her career.

2012-03-12 22:50:51

92mins vs 262 mins

I have a question for anyone who dont mind answering it. Here is my question.I ordered The Goldbergs ((2DVD Pack) and absolutely give it a great big 5! It runs 262 mins and I get 2 in a pack for only $6.00 and change. The other DVD is only 92 mins long and you get a single DVD and it costs $19.00 . Are the episodes in the 92 mins (short) worth the money and are they as hilarious as the $6.00 for 262 mins long? During these days of recession , I am trying my best to shop wisely, something I have had to learn to do. I will be grateful to anyone who has ordered BOTH and can give me an opinion.Tk You So Very Much Zahavah