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Giddy for Gitl: 'Hester Street' (1975) and its Timeless Charms with Sharyn Rothstein
Manage episode 474794998 series 3530684
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For this cycle's "Mise-Unseen" entry, Julian, Emilio and Madeline fire up 'Hester Street', Joan Micklin Silver's overlooked and under-appreciated film from 1975 depicting the struggles one Jewish family, recently immigrants to the United States, face while assimilating to life in their new homeland at the turn of the century. The trio comment on the film's unique depiction of New York City (particularly in relation to when it was first released), the unusual complexity that most characters are given, how centering Gitl's journey gives the film a strong emotional core, the film's unexpected humor, its portrayal of the working class Jewish immigrant experience class, and why this movie and its story feel so unique. They then have a great chat with Sharyn Rothstein, an accomplished writer who recently adapted 'Hester Street' for the stage, and discuss what was meaningful to her about this story, what details from the film spoke to her, and what the stage production does to modernize and reshape the story for today's audiences. It's a deep dive into an unsung 1970s NYC film you won't want to miss!
Sharyn Rothstein is an award winning playwright, teacher, and writer for television. Her play "Bad Books" is currently running at Roundhouse Theater in Bethesda, Maryland through April 27th. Follow her and her work at www.sharynrothstein.net
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Chapters
1. Giddy for Gitl: 'Hester Street' (1975) and its Timeless Charms with Sharyn Rothstein (00:00:00)
2. Not To Be Confused With... (00:01:52)
3. First Impressions (00:05:43)
4. The Divorce Scene (00:15:13)
5. Highlighting Gitl's Perspective (00:18:27)
6. Sympathy For Jake? (00:28:08)
7. Surprisingly Affecting Character Arcs (00:35:37)
8. What makes this a unique 1970s film (00:50:03)
9. It's portrayal of Jewish Identity (00:59:20)
10. Favorite small moments (01:04:35)
11. Interview with Sharyn Rothstein (01:12:10)
12. Unlikely Shared Universe (01:49:51)
13. Closing Remarks (02:00:35)
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