A West Indian man and the Chassidic Jew he rescued remain close to this day, proving that we can indeed all just get along if we relate to each other as individuals. Jewish viewers squirming in their seats won't be soothed by the next segment, which brings the Rev. Louis Farrakhan into the picture. Although Hiller and Coleman provide some unsettling observations, the multilayered history of Jews in the movie business can't be addressed adequately in 15 minutes. In the film, the kids themselves explain that they thought they were going on an ice-skating trip, and weren't sufficiently prepared for the Holocaust epic. Whether or not one accepts the students' defense, the episode reveals the mass media's simplistic depiction and gross manipulation of an important and complex story.
Politicians often act no better.
After the Castlemont incident, Gov. Pete Wilson joined Spielberg in visiting the school. One of the film's high points is the Castlemont student body president calling Wilson on his opportunistic grandstanding. This reviewer anticipates that the post-screening discussions at the festival will be downright combustible. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.