Judith (1966)

I really enjoyed this film, which was made around the time of Exodus, and covered a similar theme, that of desperate refugees from Europe trying to enter the British mandate of Palestine, and the Kibutzim trying to build their settlement. The location shots were excellent, as was the acting and the story was passable, although stretching credibility somewhat, but the casting of Sophia Loren in the lead role was totally wrong. To begin with, she was far too glamorous in her brief short shorts, tight blouses and full makeup. Not to mention the way she thrust out her ample bosom and exaggeratedly wiggled her bottom from side to side as she strutted. I did not know whether to laugh or groan when she waggled her way through the dining room as if her hip joints has become looseIn her first scene, Loren climbs out of the bottom of wooden shipping crate in which she and another woman have been concealed underneath a lathe for however long it took to ship from another country. The other woman has died, but Loren's make up and hair are perfect and she hasn't a drop of sweat on her. Not to mention the fact that the weight of the lathe would likely have broken through the false floor. Another time, she is smuggled into Syria by boat wearing a very smart spotless white suit and high heels. She then parades around a street market in Damascus in these clothes, sticking out like a sore thumb. Four days later she leaves Damascus still wearing the same impeccable suit, but this time with an injured man on a stretcher, with no indication of how they got him out of the market place. Both the arrival and departure from Damacus puzzled me as it appeared to be from a lake or river. How did they get from Haifa to Damascus in a boat? Don't even ask about her running around in all directions when the shooting started rather than taking cover as she was told to do. The film would have been much stronger if the character of Judith, who would have been in her 30's and a survivor of Dachau, should have been played by a veteran actress, preferably European with a world weary air and strong sex appeal, a woman who had suffered, seen it all and done it all, not a conventional glamor girl. Ingrid Bergman, Lily Palmer, Simone Signoret, Anouk Aimee, or Jeanne Moreau.

This movie is a vehicle for sex goddess Sophia Loren, while also trying to make her look like a "serious" actress. This aspect of the movie was only moderately interesting. But if you can ignore that, it is also an interesting look at the start of the nation of Israel and the war they had to immediately fight for survival. I enjoyed seeing how they prepared secretly for the war and the depiction of an espionage operation. The immediate attacks by the surrounding nations would have been terrifying if they hadn't thought about and prepared for this so strenuously. There was great loss of life but also great acts of courage. Peter Finch was great as an intense young Israeli leader, and Jack Hawkins was his usual personable, dapper self. The scenery and sets were good and believable.

I have experienced many emotions watching recently (2014) this wonderful movie! The movie was filmed during 1966 in Haifa, my hometown, 2 years before I was born and that made the excitement for me even greater. I especially enjoyed beautiful Sophia Loren acting both so powerful yet so fragile woman. The story tells about a holocaust survivor who lost the dearest of all, and the only reason that kept her alive was a mutual target to her, and the Israelis (each for their own reasons) … They (the Israelis) brought her secretly to Israel, just before the independence declaration, while the British were still in the area. Great pain, along compassion, hate along love, wrong along right… a conflict indeed

Not the best nor the worst of her movies - though, to be honest it was not a very good film. I was in college and saw it as part of a double feature (with Promise Her Anything - talk about a weird pairing). I liked the movie even though it wasn't really very good.It has been almost 40 years since I saw it so I really can't remember all the plot but basically it was an updating of the biblical story of Judith. The time period is after WWII and prior to the start of Israel. Judith (Loren) is a displaced refugee who is smuggled to Palestine in a crate via boat. She emerges (FULLY made-up and drop dead beautiful)) from the crate and the plot thickens (or maybe curdles is a better word).Seems her (ex ?) husband is a Nazi, now living in Damascus, wanted by the Israelis. sSo ....I knew it was stupid (even in my early 20's) but just watching Sophia was enough. The production values seemed good. I even bought the soundtrack. As I said, I'd buy a DVD or tape copy ....WHD