MUSASHI JAPANESE CUISINE Arts 8c Entertain fi eat On The Tube Beyond Politics, Prejudice AND SUSHI BAR As- k, about our Rirtkolay Viscount aloe er Max" traces the dramatic real-life rivalry and unlikely lifelong friendship between the greatest heavyweight boxing champions of their time. • Catering Delivery • Private Room & Banquet Facilities • Open 7 days a week 2000 Town Center (10 1/2 Mile & Evergreen) Southfield (248) 358-1911 http://wwwmusashi-intl.com y, Friday, Saturday rs: y 5:30 - 9:30 y 5:30-10:30 :00-930 to 3/8 2002 74 JEWISH NEWS CLASSIFIEDS 1 240 1 539-3001 GERRI MILLER Special to the Jewish News inal movie Joe and Max, premiering on Starz! 8 p.m. Saturday, March 9. Shooting In Germany ven those not old enough to "These were two men who wanted the remember have probably same thing: to be [world heavyweight] heard of the boxing matches champion. But they didn't bargain for all pitting American heavy- that happened to them and the burdens weight Joe Louis against German chal- lenger Max Schmeling in the late 1930s. that were placed on their shoulders in the course of doing that," says James, Set against the escalating tensions who was fascinated by "the idea of doing between the United States and Germany at the time, the momentous a film about two guys whose lives were - puppets to the history of the time." sporting events took on a greater Joe and Max was shot entirely in - worldwide significance. Berlin last spring at Studio Babelsberg Louis, who grew up in Detroit, and at such locations as Templehof began his boxing career here and went Airfield, where original plans to hang on to become one of the greatest prizefighters of all time, was seemingly invincible, • . :441,1RE • -•7 rz until his first meeting with • Schmeling on June 19, O 1936. Schmeling knocked Louis out in the 12th round, the "Brown Bomber's" first loss in 28 professional matches. Schmeling's victory was deemed a triumph for Adolf Hitler and his gov- ernment. At their June 22, 1938, rematch at Yankee Stadium, Louis knocked down Schmeling in the first round, repudiating Hitler's claims of "Aryan superiori- ty" and making his oppo- nent, who repeatedly dis- swastika flags were changed at the avowed any ties to the Nazi Party, a Ell- request of German production part- en hero in his own country. ners sensitive to the feelings of those But the most surprising, little- using the still-active landing strip. known aspect of the story is that the There was additional concern, James two boxers formed an unlikely but notes, over the portrayal of Adolf lifelong friendship that transcended Hitler. "They did not want Hitler por- ring rivalry and the best propaganda trayed as a screaming, crazy cartoon efforts of their countries. figure, the kind of image we have from Director Steve James (Hoop Dreams) dramatizes the parallel and intersecting [films of] the [Nazi] rallies. But at the same time they didn't want him to lives of Louis (Leonard Roberts) and come off as a nice guy, either. I'm Schmeling (Til Schweiger) in the orig- happy with the way We showed Hitler. It's a side that's not that familiar — Gerri Miller is a Los Angeles-based but just as intimidating." freelance writer 10 Scenes depicting the anti-Jewish ter- rorism of Kristallnacht in November 1938, in which Schmeling and his wife hide a Jewish neighbor and his family, were shot at Babelsberg, which was decorated with swastika banners and other Nazi trappings for verisimil- itude. Ironically, Leni Reifenstahl made propaganda movies for Hitler on the same studio lot. The Jewish Connection It was all too real for David Paymer, who plays Schmeling's Jewish manag- er, Joe Jacobs, the son of Hungarian Jews who had immigrated to New • „ • •. • • York's Lower East Side before his birth. Paymer, whose mother managed to escape Belgium but whose great-aunt died in the Holocaust, found it "ironic for me to shoot in Berlin and be in this place where my ancestors were -trying to get out. I was a little para- noid. "It is strange to be there. You can feel the ghosts everywhere." Paymer's character plays a pivotal role in the story. "Joe Jacobs was pretty much responsible for Schmeling's American boxing career," says the actor.