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Love Story

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TV movie is based on ancient
Jewish marriage law.

24234 Orchard Lake Rd., N.E. corner of 10 Mile • 476-1377
Open 7 Days a week for lunch & dinner

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Restaurant at 12 Mile & Farmington

Visit us at www.leosconeyisland.com

Japanese Restaurant

Ph: 248-737-4408
Fax: 248-737-5032
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4 4157 Orchard Lake Road, Orchard Lake, MI 48323

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29181 Northwestern Hwy.
at 12 Mile in Franklin Plaza
248-359-0000

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January 22 • 2009

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time by a Jewish the-
ater company in St.
Louis. Because it had
a cast of 11 characters,
its prospects as a play
were limited economi-
cally, not ethnically.
The proof of the pud-
Lauren Ambrose and Adam Kaufman star
ding: It was almost
in Loving Leah.
immediately optioned
for film.
"I saw it in a way like Moonstruck or
Curt Schleier
Special to the Jewish News
Crossing Delancey," Goldstein says. "I
didn't see it as a Jewish story. It's a love
story; and for a love story, you have
n Loving Leah, Leah Lever
to have a great hook that brings them
(Lauren Ambrose) is left a child-
together.
And the hook in this case was
less widow in a Chasidic commu-
that
ancient
Jewish law"
nity. Her late husband Ben's estranged
Goldstein wrote the screenplay
and extremely secular family, brother
and was close to going into produc-
Jake (Adam Kaufman) and mother
tion when the film studio that had
Janice (Mercedes Ruehl), are clearly
optioned it underwent a regime
fish out of water when they attend his
change. The new powers placed her
funeral in Brooklyn.
project in turnaround, the Hollywood
Matters become worse when Jake is
equivalent of Siberia.
informed of an ancient Levirate law
And there it lay until former TV
that requires him to marry the child-
talk show host and actress Ricki Lake
less widow of his brother.
saw a copy of the script and brought
Initially, Jake and Leah decide to
it to the Hallmark people, who loved
participate in a halizah ceremony,
it. While Goldstein had to make some
which relieves Jake of the obligation.
changes for television — some sex
But guilt about his failed relationship
scenes from the feature film version
with Ben causes Jake to change his
were taken out, some clothing was
mind. He and Leah agree to a platonic
added in — the religious aspects
marriage arrangement.
remained the same. "In fact, [the
Wanting to escape the strict con-
Hallmark people] were very respectful
fines of her community, she moves
of the Jewish stuff;' Goldstein says.
into the second bedroom of Jake's
Throughout the process, Goldstein
apartment in Washington, D.C. He
maintains she never sensed hesitancy
continues his life as a successful
among the Jews she worked with
surgeon, dating a woman who keeps
about moving forward with a project
talking about a church wedding. But,
that might hold an ancient tradition
eventually, well ... you can fill in the
up for ridicule.
dots.
"We were very specific about Leah's
Screenwriter P'nenah Goldstein,
who wrote the screenplay based on her beliefs. She didn't apologize for her
religion. If you stand up and say, `This
own play, was a little surprised when
is what I believe, people respect you
she heard the Hallmark Hall of Fame
for that:'
people were interested in her project.
"I knew it could be made as a feature
film, but for television?"
Loving Leah airs 9 p.m. Sunday,
Loving Leah began as a play that
Jan. 25, on CBS.
was successfully produced for a brief

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