Hester Street (2021)

. . . observes recent Russian immigrant Gitl Podkovnik (Carol Kane) in 1896, when there was no need for 12-ounce bottled water here because the U.S. had not yet been "fracked," and all our earthquakes were "natural." I've watched hundreds of films released by the Edison Manufacturing Company in the 1890s and 1900s, which feature a wide cross-section of the same sort of Jewish characters that HESTER STREET tries to recreate from a distance of seven decades. While HESTER STREET writer\director Joan Micklin Silver produces a somewhat-romanticized feature aimed at the tiny "Jewish ROOTS" niche market, Thomas Alva Edison's very hands-on productions brought depictions of this era of the American Jewish Experience home to the U.S. gentile masses AS IT WAS HAPPENING IN REAL TIME! It's one of History's great tragedies that Mr. Edison passed away just as his anti-Semite Michigan camping buddies Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh were chumming around with and influencing Germany's increasingly prominent Adolf Hitler. Had Tom been there to balance out Hank and Chuck's rabidly misanthropic viewpoints, it would have been less likely if not impossible to have The Holocaust.

I caught this on TCM one night. I thought it was an old movie. I was convinced by the sets and costumes, that this was a least filmed in the 30's, but supposed be taking place at the turn of the century. I am not an expert, but I love history-of-fashion books, and I was convinced by the hairstyles and fashions that this was made by people who clearly remembered this time. Only at the end, when the credits rolled, did I realize it was made 100 years after the story supposedly took place.Other reviews have elaborated on the basic plot, so I will skip that. I saw it as a drama: comparing those who embrace assimilation into America (Jake and his friends) and those who cling to the "old ways" because it is familiar and comfortable. The story takes place in the Jewish part of town, so there are both kinds of Jews in the area. Jake dresses like an American, and proclaims that he is a Yankee now. He even renames his son "Joey", because the son's real name is too old-fashioned and old-country. His wife, Gitl, is very uncomfortable with American ways: they way they dress, and particularly, to be seen – a married woman - in public with her own hair, like a gentile. Her husband is embarrassed by Gitl puts pressure on her to be like American women: to dress up, look pretty and wear hear hair out (like his mistress), but when she tries to be an American woman, it really isn't what he wants. He wants the mistress.In the mean time, Jake and Gitl have a boarder: Mr. Bernstein. He also clings to the old ways, hiding from everyone in his religious books. Jake teaches Joey baseball, Mr. Bernstein teaches Joey Hebrew. Mr. Bernstein is shy, just like Gitl, and you can see, they would make a much better couple. When Jake and Gitl are officially separated, Gitl tricks Mr. Bernstein into proposing. That was my favorite part.At the very, very end, when Gitl and Mr. Bernstein are in the market together, with her son, someone asks his name. She says, "Joey". She has taken a small step towards assimilation, a small step towards leaving the old country and becoming an American.I wondered how the director found such a sweet, quiet, shy, naïve, innocent, timid, reserved young girl to actually be on camera and play Gitl. I was convinced that her real personality was exactly what I saw on the screen. When I saw she was played by Carol Kane, I could not believe this was the same loud, zany woman who was the Ghost of Christmas Present on Scrooged.

Around 1975 I saw this movie with my mother and aunt, born in 1902 and 1903 respectively. They watched it as if it were a replay of a life that they had known, having come to this country just about the time of the characters on the screen.My mother soon descended into the long goodbye of Alzheimers disease. So this is a memory I especially value. My Aunt, kenehora, is still with us. They discussed it mater of factly, not so much as a work of art, but a documentary. I can think of no greater compliment to all who were involved in creating this very special film.Al Rodbell

Americanized Jake and the more Old World Bernstein are recent immigrants eking out a meager living. Then Jake's wife arrives unexpectedly from Europe with Jake's young son, and ends up in the middle of her husband's love affair and ends up falling in love with Bernstein.A loving reconstruction of life at the time, though seemingly cleaned up and also somewhat restricted by a low budget. The acting is fine and the story is moving.