I was pondering, based on how the movie ended, whether or not it was intended to infer that Gerty was actually Jewish. While it was not stated so, the way they looked at each other in the police station and then Lawrence stating "and us" to the officer in response to the question of how many of "them" there were on their street.
I think Lawrence may have realized that his wife was Jewish but hid it in order to fit in with the world.
I don't agree. I think Lawrence had finally realised that there is no "them" - there is only "us."
He'd finally come to terms with the fact that what had happened was wrong and it was time to put it right - and it had nothing to do with whether or not he and Gerty were (or looked) Jewish.
But don't take my word for it. Watch the movie again and see what you think.
I don't believe there was enough hinting that she was Jewish. Really I don't even see how Laura Dern "looks Jewish" at all...because she really looks more Scandinavian than anything else.
But the fact that we are never told for sure is one of the points of the movie. David Paymer's character tells it well when he says "So when you look at me, you don't see me." And he's right, and that's the problem with lumping anyone into any one group and saying they're all alike.
Granted, I've had my differences with more people of a certain race than most others, and people of a certain race to tend to get on my nerves. But the key word is "tend" to get on my nerves. So when I meet a new person, whatever they're background, I should treat them with a clean slate as I would anyone. And that's how simple it is to avoid prejudice. FOCUS shows us how even as adults, though, we can succumb to "peer pressure" at its most extreme. William H. Macy and Laura Dern were fantastic in this film, but I wish Neal Slavin had not chose to incorporate those carousel shots...with that carnival music. It was too obvious, and that became annoying. It's my only real quarrel with the movie.
I've not seen the movie, but just saw the terrific "Crossfire" in which an anti-Semite goes berserk. (The movie is not an exploration of why people are bigoted or the ways in which they discriminate - but instead a crime film noir).
But I'm curious whether the makers of this movie are saying that there are no differences of behavior caused by difference of belief among people od different religions - that such differences are no different than putting on a different pair of glasses.
There have of course been tremendous differences of belief and therefore of behavior. Different belief does tend to yield different behavior. Thus, e.g., someone who in 1875 thought polygamy was atrocious - might well think that Mormons were atrocious for not just believing it was moral and in fact a duty - but for behaving this way and living in families with a number of wives.
The same is true for people who believe that say, divorce, birth control, homosexuality, abortion are truly evil -- and those practicing another religion who believe that any condemnation of these is a sign of bigotry - would we not expect those of these two groups to feel that the other's belief system and consequent behavior -- are wrong?
So, I am curious how the movie explores the underlying reasons why people do treat members of different groups differently - it's seldom a simple matter of brunettes hating redheads or blondes - and the degree to which it is because one group believes and behaves differently than another.
[deleted]
First I believe she was Episcopalian and that was stated earlier. They had a "non-Jewish" wedding. If she had in fact been Jewish, I can't imagine her having her wedding done as a Christian affair. It was obvious from the picture in the movie that he too flew her Mom out for the wedding. Why would she silently sit back & not say anything?
And to try and answer trpdean:
1) watch the movie, then come back & comment- it will help.
2) I can tell you now they aren't saying there's no difference in behavior between people of different religions. The point here is tolerance. Their difference in religion has nothing to do with how good a neighbor they are. Why would someone bother someone on the street they live just because they have a different belief system? These people (in the movie) have harmed no one, bothered no one and the David Paymer/Mr. Finkelstein character is actually very heroic. A good neighbor who watches out for others and isn't afraid to tell the truth to make sure that justice is done. "Behaving differently" in Church, Temple or your Synagogue has nothing to do with live and let live. And what this movie does explore is why we make judgements based not on the individual, but on their association with a group. It comes down to seeing the individual- not someone's own amalgamate of past experiences and misconceptions.
I think that the 'us' was a great ending. It's open to interpretation, but I took it to mean him defining himself and his wife against the rest of the racists in his street as much as anything else. I think its likely that Gerty was Jewish, but it doesn't really matter either way.
www.betterthancheesecake.blogspot.com
I thought she was. I didn't really take looks into consideration when comeing to this decision, but rather behaviour. The way that she gets so defensive 'No one makes a Jew out of me!' really made me think she was scared of something being revealed. Just an opinion
shareYeah - I reckon so.
She lied about her background and confessed bit by bit to Lawrence throughout the movie. eg (paraphrasing) I was not actually born in Albany, I was born in Staten Island but I since it is seen as a jewish area I lied about it.... and her lie about her time in LA initially as an actress but eventually confessed as living with the racist - who she had to escape.
That shady background along with her looking Jewish (whatever that is) and her final confession with Lawrence at the cop shop form one of the minor morals of the film,.....you can't escape your heritage.
"you can't escape your heritage" is not exactly the theme of the movie/play.
The theme is about the fact that WE are all the same, whatever our background. What we do to another is what we do to ourselves. Be part of the solution, not the problem, if you like.
Gerty is short for Gertrude: a name common among Jewish folk but certainly not exclusive to them, any more than Staten Island is or was exclusively Jewish. People jump to conclusions - Gerty "sounds" Jewish. So she must be. It doesn't make her Jewish but makes her more likely to be suspected of being Jewish - making her vulnerable to physical attack.
It doesn't matter whether she is Jewish or not, except for the fact that - dramatically - there is more power to the message of the movie and play if she is NOT Jewish. Prejudice is blind AND stupid.
[deleted]
She was definitely not Jewish. It was stated quite a bit in the movie that she wasn't and that she actually knew Fred's compatriots because she had been very close with them before.
The "us" at the end was great. I took it as them resigning to the fact that everyone looks at them as Jewish now and they have to just deal with it.
I don't think we're supposed to know for sure if she was jewish or not. It seemed to me that the act of defending themselves and denying that they were jewish was contributing to the racism. Instead they decided to make a stand and be happy to be seen as jewish - even if they were not.
shareI think the movie made me realise that people tell YOU what you are instead of the other way around. People's need to classify you straight away is very important, so you are either embraced or rejected on first contact.
That is why people might except someone initially because they look the 'right kind', but then if that person reveals their real heritage or whatever, they are then rejected.
It's not just about race and religion, but social status and age group, size etc. etc.
I think I'm big enough & ugly enough to make my own mistakes.
Well Sarah obviously thinks so!
I see what you mean, reinventor.
If you think about it, we do it all the time - we "pigeonhole" people into convenient "types" - stereotypes. I've no doubt we all have our own image of what an insurance sales agent is like, for example. A priest? If you think about it, Hollywood uses those stereotypes a lot: gangsters for example. Just think of the Untouchables and the crooked cops looked "crooked"...how? Because they met a stereotyped image, nothing more.
She wasn't jewish, I'm quite sure. The whole point of the "us" is that the belong to the same people because of their beliefs and values. That is what's really tells the difference between one people and another.
shareFOCUS WAS THE OTHER DAY ON SWEDISH TV. WE WILL USE THE FILM FOR OUR SCHOOL, MOST OF THE PUPILS ARE IMMIGRANTS. TO DISCUSS DEMOCRACY. HOW IS IT HANDLED IN THE BOOK? STATEN ISLAND AND NOT ALABAMA. I THOUGHT MOST OF THE JEW LIVE IN BROOKLYN? BUT THIS DOESN'T MATTER. THE THEME IS POINTING AT THE US IN THE END. HAS SOMEBODY READ THE BOOK? IS SHE A JEW THERE???? STEPHAN FROM SWEDEN
share
Neither William H. Macy or Laura Dern look remotely jewish and I don't understadn why they were constantly mistaken as such, it was a real problem for me in this movie as I constantly thought to myself... what am I missing.
Maybe it makes more sense to an American, but for me... it made no sense.
ignorance is a choice, stupidity is a vocation
[deleted]
[deleted]
No I think the film was made in such a way as to make the audience suspicious of her just like the people in the film were. Maybe to question their own predjudices.
I see no beauty here, nor fit for breeding.
i think laura derns charechter was jewish
laura dern is herself jewish , dern is a jewish name plus she was married to jeff goldblum
anyway i thought it was a great little film , it showed the racists and anti semites to not only be contemptible in there prejudice but also in both there weak sheepishness and dumbness
those who hate are usually weak
I don't know if Gerty was Jewish and it really wouldn't matter as long as they thought Larry was Jewish. Way back in early biblical times God commanded the Jews not to marry outside of their own group. I think this was to preserve the sanctity of Jews as the chosen people.
Thus by association Gerty would have to be Jewish by virtue of being married to a Jew.
Hmmm ... I'm quite well-versed in Jewish names and have never heard Dern to be considered a Jewish name ... whereas Macy often is.
Going back to the characters (the only relevant question here, really), both Newman and Hart are often Jewish names (but not always).
As to the main question, I see three interpretations of the ending.
1. One or both of them were actually Jewish and had been hiding it their entire lives so as to attempt to avoid persecution
2. They just didn't want to "get into it" with the cops about how they aren't Jewish but people think they are, and so on, and so forth
3. They both, finally, simultaneously realized that the only moral stance possible in the situation was to side with the victims of the persecution (rather than the perpetrators of it). This, to me, is the most likely interpretation and, in any case, the one I prefer.
I didn't see it like that at all. Gert was always saying she wanted to know what end of the broom they'd be on...and i think in the police office they decided they'd rather be loyal and "jewish" than racist and christian.
---------
~*~Mystica~*~
Actually, I think that WAS what I was saying. If the choice is between being a victim and being a victimizer, it's the more moral choice to be a victim.
I think it is possible she was Jewish because she said to Larry once, there are some things that I have not told you about myself.
Also, Hart is not a particularly Jewish name. I think what caused the problem was the first name, Gertrude.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO WAS OR WASN'T JEWISH. These are excuses for brutalizing people. The girl who died was unimportant because she was Puerto Rican. Therefore,she did not matter.
Wow-people who studied all the Jewish surnames,and trolls who can detect the Jewish hints in the script. You're a special bunch.
by KartofflMuter ยป Tue Jan 4 2011 21:00:44
IMDb member since October 2008
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO WAS OR WASN'T JEWISH...