Jakob the Liar

TIFF [1999]

Robin Williams

USA 1999. Directed by Peter Kassovitz. Produced by Marsha Garces Williams & Steven Haft. Written by Peter Kassovitz & Didier Decoin. Based on the novel by Jurek Becker.

Starring: Robin Williams, Alan Arkin, Bob Balaban, Hannah Taylor Gordon, Michael Jeter, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Liev Schrieber, Nina Seimaszko

(Gala Presentation).

A shameless cash-in on the runaway success of Benigni's Life Is Beautiful? Sorry cynics, too easy...but the film does suffer by unfortunately coming in "second"...

THE STORY:

Nazi-occupied Poland, 1945: Jakob Hyam (Robin Williams), once a restaurateur before becoming a prisoner in a Jewish ghetto, has managed to survive four years by not making waves and remaining largely unseen, quietly pining for his late wife, who was shot by the guards. One evening, when he accidentally gets locked outside the gate after curfew, Jakob is ordered to report to headquarters for punishment. There, he overhears a radio dispatch reporting that Russian forces are nearing the region.

On his way back to his squalid home, Jakob encounters Lina (Hannah Taylor Gordon), a 10 year old girl who was slipped from a train destined for a concentration camp. Jakob smuggles her into his home and offers her what little comforts he possesses.

Excited by the news from the radio, Jakob tells it in confidence to young boxer Mischa (Liev Schreiber), who of course, can't keep his mouth shut and tells everyone else in the ghetto that Jakob has a radio. Owning an illegal radio is an office punishable by death. Immediately, Frankfurter (Alan Arkin), a former actor, smashes his own radio, much to the surprise of his wife and daughter Rosa (Nina Siemaszko), who is romantically involved with Mischa. The news inspires not only the Frankfurter family, but also Kirschbaum (Armin Meuller-Stahl), a once-great cardiologist, and Kowalsky (Bob Balaban), a barber who gives Jakob free shaves and haircuts in return for oft-promised-but-never-delivered pancakes at his cafe (the Germans don't allow potatoes).

Kirschbaum is pleased that camp suicides have gone down since news has travelled of Jakob's "radio" and of the encouraging reports they've all been hearing. The men decide to plot a resistance, and elect Jakob their leader. It's only a matter of time before some of Jakob's dissenters demand to hear the radio broadcasts themselves. Lina dissolves any suspicions of Jakob's authenticity by admitting that she has heard the radio herself, unaware that the alleged "broadcast" was simply Jakob impersonating a BBC announcer and Winston Churchill.

Jakob's ruse can only last so long, of course, before the men become suspicious and the Nazis catch on to the rising dissension fuelled by Jakob's half-truths and unwilling elevation to the role of prophet.

ROBERT L 'S REVIEW

First things first: Jakob The Liar is in no way, shape, or form, an easy American stab to cash in on the fluke success of Benigni's "Life Is Beautiful". "Jakob" was shot in 1997, before Williams' Patch Adams, and before "Life Is Beautiful" was even released in Italy. Unfortunate coincidence? Yes, because this is subject matter that will have limited appeal at the best of times, let alone hot on the heels of another, much acclaimed and publicized, critical and audience darling.

Nor is it "Good Morning, Nazi-Occupied Poland", with Williams riffing on manically during phony radio broadcasts. There's exactly ONE scene where Williams is required to fabricate a BBC broadcast from behind a curtain, and while it DOES strain credibility that the meek and humble Jakob would somehow reveal himself to be a master impressionist of British political figures, the scene is admirably restrained and even poignant. As is the whole potentially-grating subplot with the little girl Lina, I'm pleased to report.

This is a much more evenly toned, and certainly grittier production than Life Is Beautiful, with the production design and cinematography capturing the textures, the dread, and rot that Benigni's somewhat brighter production chose to avoid.

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The many subplots also give "Jakob" a greater scope than Benigni's film, focusing not only on the plight of Jakob and the little girl, but of Dr. Kirschbaum's dilemma in having to treat the ailing camp Kommandant, of Mischa and Rosa's desire to get married despite the circumstances, and in the limited loyalties of some of the ghetto residents who are out to preserve their limited lifespan for as long as possible.

It's probably wrong to compare the film to "Life Is Beautiful" anyway, because beyond the situation and a superficially similar serio-comic approach to the subject matter, "Jakob The Liar" is a very different experience. It's unfortunate, however, that the film will be released now, with images from Benigni's equally-impressive, but more sentimental, award winner so vivid in our minds.

If you haven't seen "Life Is Beautiful" yet, or were one of those upset with Benigni's approach to the difficult subject, you will probably find much to admire in Kassovitz' film. My one beef: the casting of overly-familiar TV and movie character actors in key supporting roles. As good as they are, the presence of big-and-small screen vets Alan Arkin, Bob Balaban, and Michael Jeter often inhibited me from getting into the story, unlike the Benigni film, which was populated by a cast largely unknown to North American viewers.

Of interesting note: Armin Meuller-Stahl also had a role in the original German adaptation of the 1969 Becker novel, released in 1974 as "Jakob, Der Lügner".

RobertL

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