 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
To go
to a complete listing of
tapes in the Collection, click here.
In this zany British satire, Leon Geller is a "nice Jewish boy" who accidentally discovers not only that he is the product of artificial insemination but that, due to a test-tube mix-up, his biological father is a Gentile pig farmer in Yorkshire.
Leon's quest to understand his identity sends him on a hilarious journey into a decidedly non-kosher world. While Leon does his best to learn about pigs, the farmer and his family try to make him feel at home by reading The Joys of Yiddish, cooking chicken soup, and replacing the pig images that decorate their home with menorahs and Israeli flags. As he considers the differing lifestyles of the two sets of parents, Leon comes to a decision about his future.
1992, 98 mins.
While you watch, consider . . .
•How Jewish and non-Jewish stereotypes form the foundation for humorous characterizations in the film.
•“We’re talking about five thousand years of tradition, of persecution, of guilt,” Leon tells his Yorkshire family as they strive to make him feel at home. What does the film seem to suggest about what it means to be Jewish? Do you agree with its point of view?
•The significance of symbols, versus substance, in defining one’s identity.
Other films of interest:
Annie Hall Culture clashes–real and imagined–punctuate this comedy about Jewish Alvy Singer and Wisconsin-bred Annie Hall.
Northern Exposure: The Pilot New Yorker Joel Fleishman is a fish out of water in remote Alaska, where almost no one has heard of a bagel.
Private Benjamin Goldie Hawn stars as a spoiled young woman who learns to tough it out in the army.