Review of Exodus (1960) by Jens T — 19 Aug 2011

Otto Preminger's Exodus is not a bad epic, but neither one of the best. It's an epic that follow over 600 jewish refugees who's been skiped out to the british ruled Cyprus from France. The skip that they arrived in was supposted to set corse for Palestine, but the arabs don't want them there. So they occupies the skip they arrived in, and goes on a hunger strike until the british remove their blockade, so they can continue to the promised land. The whole operation is lead by palestinian born soldier Ari Ben Canaan (Paul Newman). The movie also follows the jews in Palestine, some of them want's freedom from the brits peacefully, but others takes a more drastic alternative, terrorism. Ari along with his family have formed a kibbutz camp where both jews and arabs live peacefully. But will this peace last when the brits declare the birth of the jewish state?

Exodus is a some times good looking epic, with the right mood. But it's have the same problem as Cleopatra that there are very few clouse ups on the actors faces, and the takes are to long. I'm very glad that Paul Newman was cast as Ari Ben Canaan, he have the right thick hebrew acsent, and the right jewish look. But I'm not so found of Sal Mineo, who's not look jewish at all, no matter what he does his still the same italian american faggot he was in Rebel Without a Cause. Politicaly I'm totally with this movie, so there I see no problems. Exodus is that kind of movie that screems for a remake, where the actors are 100% jewish and where they actually speak hebrew sometimes. But it's Paul Newman's appearance that makes this film work. So I give it a thumbs up.