SIN Entertainment
'The Trial Of
Adolf Eichmann'
It is shocking, for instance, to
very few months now, we are
presented with "the trial of the be reminded that in 1960, most
Israelis knew very little about the
century."
But, as we look back on this Holocaust, and that the many sur-
vivors who had emigrated
century, there can be no
after the war had never
doubt that a major con-
TELEVISION
talked about their expe-
tender for the honor of
riences.
highest jurisprudential
It is doubly disturbing to learn
significance must go to the historic
moment in time during 16 weeks that young Israelis were ashamed
in 1961 — 15 years after the Lib- of the actions of their fellow Jews,
eration — when the infamous and that it took the trial to help
"man in the glass booth," Adolf explain why millions went to their
Eichmarm, stood trial in Israel for deaths without massive move-
the annihilation of millions of in- ments of resistance.
At the end of the program, one
nocent men, women and children.
PBS and ABC News have com- survivor muses on the enormity
bined forces to tell the story of of Eichmann's crime compared
Eichmann's trial using a potent with the diminutive stature of the
combination of archival film
footage, actual videotapes of the
trial itself (it was the first trial
ever to be televised) and recent
interviews with participants pre-
sent at the actual trial.
Prime Minister David Ben-
Gurion is said to have taken the
great risk of authorizing the cap-
ture of Eichmann and kidnap-
ping him from his haven in
Argentina specifically to remind
the world of the Holocaust.
"The Trial Of Adolf Eich-
mann" (two hours) does justice
to Ben-Gurion's original intent
by retelling not only Eichmann's
treatment at the hands of Israeli
law but also the story of the
Holocaust itself.
'The Trial of Adolf Eichmann" presents the
Narrator David Brinkley trial of "the man in the glass booth."
walks us through Eichmann's
life story and then through the de- man. This survivor witnesses
tails of the Israeli effort to find him Eichmann's cremation after be-
and bring him to trial. The trial ing hanged. The small pile of ash-
itself is presented using actual es brings back painful memories
footage, and with translations of the ashes that spilled from the
read by professional actors — Ed crematoria in Auschwitz.
And at that moment, for the
Asner, Eli Wallach, Ann Jackson,
Peter Gallagher and Eric Bo- first time, the survivor under-
stands just how many thousands
gosian.
Eichmann's voice is embodied of people were represented by
by the actor Brian Bedford in a mounds he had shoveled in the
chilling rendition that makes a concentration camp to cover the
quantum leap forward from the walking paths for Nazi soldiers in
original trial that presented si- the winter.
Eichmann's own ashes were
multaneous but awkward voice
scattered into the Mediterranean,
translations.
So much of this story is by now so that he would never have a
so familiar that the great surprise resting place in Israel, or any-
of this program lies in how many where else. Meanwhile, his image
things we have forgotten, and in remains on these videotapes, and
re-creating the tenor of the early the story of his crimes stays alive.
1960s when Israel was still an
1/2
emerging country and the world
had still not fully faced the hor-
— Morrie Warshawski
rors of the war.
E
Morrie Warshawski is a consultant
and author who writes about
culture and the arts from his
home in St. Louis.
"The Trial of Adolf Eichmann"
will air on PBS-Channel 56 on
Wednesday, April 30, at 9 p.m.
Eight Nights Of Passover Videos
JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR STAFF WRITER
ed of arm-wrestling grand-
ma after the Passover seder?
Already come up with a list of
100 new uses for leftover
matzah (including the raw mate-
rial of concrete)? Just looking for-
ward to a relaxing evening where
you won't have to listen to any
more of Uncle Harry's war sto-
ries?
Then we have the ticket for
you.
The Jewish News has come up
with eight nights of videos for the
eight nights of Passover. To make
the list, a movie has to have a
seder scene, mention the word
Passover or feature Moses in a
leading role (OK, so he didn't
make the Haggadah, but we fig-
ured we couldn't leave him off the
list).
So, grab that fifth cup of wine
and relax.
T
5. Holocaust — (Not Rated). The
story of two families — German
and Jewish — and how the
events of the Holocaust affect-
ed them. The eight-Emmy win-
ner was originally made for
television. Makes the list because
of a seder scene.
kahuna gets his name in lights,
we don't mind. Besides, if it's re-
ally bad, have another glass of
wine — or pick one of the selec-
tions from the kids menu.
Four For The Kids
Four is a pretty important num-
ber at Passover as far as the
6. The Ten Command-
kids are concerned. Con-
ments — (Not Rated).
sider the Four Questions
VIDEOS
Thought you saw this on
or the four kinds of chil-
our list before? You did,
dren — the wise, the simple,
but this one is the original silent
the
wicked,
and the one who does
version, also directed by Cecil B.
DeMille. The 1923 version was not know what to ask.
Asking at the video store if
re-released in 1956 with an
there is anything with a Passover
added score by Gaylord Carter.
theme available for kids is a lot
7. The Last Temptation of Christ harder than finding that
— (R). Believe it or not, the Last afikomen. Locating videos for the
Supper was actually a Passover adult crowd was hard enough; it
seder. So, yes, this qualifies. Be- was twice the task to locate
sides, it was a pretty good movie. Passover flicks for the tyke set.
But since kids are resilient
Starring Willem Defoe as Jesus,
and because they don't seem to
it
chronicles
his
last
year
of
life
—
1. The Ten Commandments
mind watching Barney tapes un-
(G). Starring Charlton Heston as an ordinary guy, facing hu- til they break, we figure a parent
man
issues.
It
also
has
a
pretty
and Yul Brynner, this 1956 giant
could run through the following
of a flick is a staple in many a net- hip score by Peter Gabriel.
list twice before the kids will no-
work's Passover week's diet of re-
(PG). Burt Lancast- tice or complain.
run films. Don't wait for it to be 8. Moses —
er stars as the guy with the com-
aired; rent it and watch it — com- mandments in this 1976 British Here goes:
mercial free — at your leisure. It
production. We don't know much
was also a 1956 Academy Award about this one, but since the big 1. Shari's Passover Surprise —
winner for Best Special Effects.
See the article in this week's
AppleTree for a review.
2. History of the World: Part
I — (R). This 1981 Mel
2. The Rugrats Passover —
A few of this crazy group of
kids gets trapped in the attic
with grandpa as he retells
the Passover tale. Irreverent
enough for the folks to get a
few kicks out of it, too. A
must-see for elementary-
aged kids and their parents.
Brooks piece has a hilarious
scene with Moses delivering
the 15, cops, Ten Command-
ments to the wandering
Jews. The extra cup of wine
will make it all the more fun-
ny. See if you can pick out all
of the stars in their cameo
scenes.
3. Sesame Street Passover —
3. Passover: Traditions of
Freedom — (Not Rated). A
Kermit the Frog sings the
Hebrew alphabet and Sarah
Jessica Parker hosts the He-
brew-English affair The part
parents will appreciate most
is the segment where Anne
Meara cooks up matzah on
the run. A good time for the
preschool and early elemen-
tary-aged kids, as well as
their parents.
documentary piece, this one-
hour film explores how the
holiday is celebrated in mod-
em rituals and ancient cus-
toms in seders around the
world.
4. Exodus — (Not Rated).
You got me. This has nothing
to do with Passover, except
for its title. But gimme a
break, it does have some Jew-
ish content. The 1960 film
starring Paul Newman and
Eva Marie Saint chronicles
the journey of some post-
World War II European Jews
through the founding of the
Jewish state. The film won
an Academy Award for Best
Original Score.
.
4. Pesach at Bubbe's Board-
ing House — Colorful and
The Rugrats Passover. Fun for the adults, too.
cute, these Muppet-like crea-
tures who inhabit Bubbe's
boarding house retell the
Passover story using silly
songs and crazy dialogue.
Guaranteed to make your
preschooler or young ele-
mentary-aged child giggle. ❑