October 6 - A Woman Called Golda

Today’s motion picture is a biographical film with a scene that happens on October 6. Watch and enjoy this movie tonight.

A WOMAN CALLED GOLDA            

Golda Meir visits the 4^th street School in Milwaukee, where she once attended school. She tells the students about her life. Her family fled pogroms in Russia to settle in the USA. She agrees to marry Morris Meyerson, on the condition that he move with her to Palestine. They do get married and move to a kibbutz in Palestine. Golda causes controversy by refusing to accept a subordinate role. Eventually they leave the kibbutz. Golda later accepted a position as the secretary of the Working Women’s Council and separates from Morris. She eventually works her way up to the executive committee of the Jewish Labor Union. During World War II, the Jews fought the Nazis, while continuing to resist British attempts to restrict immigration to Palestine. In 1947 the United Nations voted to establish two states in Palestine, an Arab one and a Jewish one.  Golda made an unsuccessful secret trip to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah to try and prevent a war. Golda convinces the cabinet to overrule Ben-Gurion and send her instead of him to the USA to raise $25 million dollars to buy arms.   She returns in time to sign the Israeli Declaration of Independence. She becomes minister of labor and then her husband dies. After the Suez War she is made foreign minister. After ten years she retires after she is diagnosed with cancer.  She is successfully treated. Israel wins the Six Day War. When the Prime Minister dies, Golda is selected for the job and reluctantly takes it. The army advises her that the Arabs will not attack. Then on October 6, 1973 [Part 2, 1:14:33 to 1:17:28] Golda is awoken by a call telling her the Arabs are about to attack. In spite of being surprised, after initial setbacks Israel counterattacks. The USA re-supplies Israel. After her cancer returns, she retires as Prime minister. She cuts short her trip to the USA to return to Israel to be present when Egyptian President Anwar Sadat visits Israel.     

A good biopic. It manages for the most part to steer clear of melodrama. Sticks to the facts and uses actual news film at some points.

Director - Alan Gibson                         

Screenplay - Harold Gast and Steve Gethers

Awards – The movie won the Outstanding Drama Special, Outstanding Film Editing for a Limited Series or a Special, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special (Bergman) and Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Mixing Emmys. The film was also  nominated for the Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a limited Series or a Special (Dramatic Underscore), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Nimoy) and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special (Davis) at the 34^th Primetime EmmyAwards.

Runtime – 3 hours 20 minutes

Released - April 26, 1982

Starring -

Ingrid Bergman as Golda Meir
Ned Beatty as Sen. Durward
Anne Jackson as Lou Kaddar
Robert Loggia as Anwar Sadat
Leonard Nimoy as Morris Meyerson
Nigel Hawthorne as King Abdullah
Judy Davis as young Golda 

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015