Scene stolen from the Frisco Kid, in reverse

There's a cute and little known movie - also with Harrison Ford, by the way - called The Frisco Kid, about a rabbi from Poland, played by Gene Wilder, being sent to a new congregation in San Francisco in 1850. His boat gets in to Philadelphia, and he proceeds on his trek west across the continent. He's dressed like a Hasidic Jew, black hat, long black coat, black trousers, beard, etc.

Within a little while, he comes upon the Amish. Seeing them in the distance, across the farm fields, he starts calling out to them, "Lantsman! Lantsman!", Yiddish/German for fellow countryman. When he finally runs across the field to see them, he starts spewing out Yiddish to them about his travels. The Amish guys look at each other all confused, asking if this guy is speaking German or not. Gene Wilder can't understand why they can't understand him - until he sees the cross. He says "Oy Gevalt!" and collapses.

At the beginning of Witness, when they're in the train station, little Samuel sees what he thinks is a fellow Amish man and goes over to say hello. It turns out to be a Hasidic Jew.

One, this has gotta be a shoutout to the similar scene in Frisco Kid described above. Two, they coulda had the Jewish guy at least give a smile and a "Hello, little boy." to Samuel, dontcha think? Instead of that glare he gives him?




I asked the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.