Is Hollywood Changing its Jewish Tune?
Looking back through movie history, indeed much of American popular culture of the past several decades, one can find a pretty common Jewish stereotype: the nerd/kvetch/neb, of the anal-retentive, mother-worshipping, numbers-loving kind. Providing evidence of this reality is superfluous.
But is there a new Jew of film?
Anyone turning on a television in the past few weeks couldn’t avoid a commercial for the upcoming film Smokin’ Aces and its key line: “We’re gonna pour boxes of bullets in Israel.” What’s being referenced is the character of Buddy “Aces” Israel, portrayed by super-Jew du jour Jeremy Piven, who in the film is, as the commercial describes him, a “strung-out, freaked-out snitch.”
As a Jewish bum on film, he’s joined by a number of other recent characters. For starters, there are the Mazursky brothers of the currently running Alpha Dog. There are two Jewish bum characters — notably both of a younger age — in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and several in Garden State. Thus far, there are differing opinions about whether Walter from The Big Lebowski should count.
It’s interesting to see this new of the Jew develop in film, and from what I’ve seen I’d say it’s new. I can’t say for sure, but if I recall correctly, none of the Jewish characters I’ve seen of previous decades come across as bum-esque. At the same time, the Jewish dork is still very much alive, in Ben Stiller’s and Woody Allen’s characters, at the least.
January 22nd, 2007 at 6:11 am
This season’s Rome has added a second sinister Jew in the form of a brother to the Jewish hired killer who was introduced last season. In the first episode it was stated by Marc Antony that he would not expect a Jew to do anything except for money.
January 22nd, 2007 at 11:21 pm
What are the essential qualities of “bum”-ness that you’re describing? Walter was gainfully employed, and anyhow, his Jewishness was an expression of his rationalism, so it might not be fair to count him.
When I first saw the trailer for Smokin’ Aces and heard that line, I couldn’t help but think the whole movie was some kind of weird, thinly-veiled allegory for American/Israeli relations. Perhaps I’ve watched Talladega Nights a bit too many times.
January 24th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
i wouldnt call the brother introduced in rome as “sinister” anymore than the original jew is sinister.
i believe the makers are expanding the presence of jews in the series to show the political upheavals in judea, and to show the differences between jews living in rome and judea.
and while cesear was seen a freind to jews, and basically left the jews alone, antony was no freind.