A rabbi in the wild west

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Movie
German title A rabbi in the wild west
Original title The Frisco Kid
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1979
length 119 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Robert Aldrich
script Michael Elias
Frank Shaw
production Hawk cook
Mace Neufeld
music Frank De Vol
camera Robert B. Hauser
cut Jack Horger
Irving Rosenblum
Maury Winetrobe
occupation

A Rabbi in the Wild West ( The Frisco Kid ) is an American western with comedic elements from 1979. The penultimate directorial work by the renowned Robert Aldrich shows Gene Wilder in the role of a rabbi who is transferred from Poland to San Francisco ; the so-called “Wild West” becomes a dangerous challenge for him, which can only be mastered with the help of a young outlaw ( Harrison Ford ).

action

Avram Belinski (Wilder) completed the yeshiva in Poland in 1850 with only moderate results (as the second worst of his course) and is sent to America by the Grand Rabbi (Fuchs) against the will of a council of elders , where he is the first rabbi of the young Jewish community from San Francisco , to which he also has to deliver a Torah . When he arrived in Philadelphia , he missed a ship to California because of the ongoing gold rush and made the acquaintance of Darryl Diggs (DiCenzo), who had the same goal. Belinski offers the disappointed one his help and gets to know Diggs' brother Matt (Smith) as well as the greedy carriage seller Jones (Bieri) in a rented stable. After a required sum has been paid, the equally unworldly and inexperienced rabbi and the two brothers set off for the west; On the way, however, Jones lies in wait for the trio and beats Belinski with his clothes and Torah out of the car. He can find the lost utensils again, but is quite helpless in the vastness of Pennsylvania . In the distance he finally discovers some arable men whom he takes to be Jewish compatriots because of their clothing; on closer contact, however, they turn out to be Amish . Although they live in poor conditions, they collect a small sum to enable Belinski to continue their journey.

He's using the toilet on the train when the young outlaw Tommy Lillard (Ford) starts a robbery - so the two don't meet. Because his faith forbids him to travel on the Sabbath , and this Jewish day of rest begins at sunset on Friday, the rabbi leaves the train at a stop. He later joins a group of rail-laying people in order to organize a horse with which he can continue his journey to San Francisco; since a few skunks rob him of food supplies during a sleep, he is forced to hunt in the unfamiliar wilderness without a weapon. Flogging for fish in a river in vain, Lillard suddenly comes to his aid with his shooting skills; the crook reluctantly agrees to accompany the completely disoriented Poland on the way to the west coast. When his modest booty from the train robbery was used up, Lillard committed a bank robbery in a small commune, thereby endangering the friendship that had arisen so laboriously; In any case, Belinski is horrified and wants to return his "share" (he only held the villain's horse) at all costs. To make matters worse, a farce is on their heels and the next Sabbath is approaching; Lillard can fool the pursuers in a river bed, but when the rabbi gets off his horse because of the rest day, his collar bursts. Which is of little use to him, because the Pole's stubbornness is considerable, and when the sun disappears behind the mountains on Saturday, the life-threatening situation can be cleared up (by the way, also because the horses are rested after the walk).

The joy is short-lived as a group of Indians appear on the horizon. While fleeing from them, Belinsky lost the Torah; upon discovering this, he turns back to Lillard's horror, which puts both of them in the hands of the natives. In the village, the rabbi can convince the chief (Bisoglio) of his peaceful intentions, but is asked to bring urgently needed rain. Just as he tries to explain that his God is not fulfilling all "wishes", a heavy thunderstorm sets in. This is duly celebrated, and an intoxicant administered to the rabbi drives him unconscious. When he wakes up, he is suddenly in a monastery where the monks have pledged to remain silent. Having regained her strength there, the journey continues to the west coast. In the next town, Belinski sends back his share of the booty as advertised, while Lillard has fun in a saloon in order to later get "his" dollars back. Later that evening, the rabbi enters the bar and discovers the trio who robbed him at the gaming table. The attempt to reclaim his loss ends miserably on the counter, but when Matt Diggs is about to smash a small barrel on his head, Lillard, who comes from a higher room, steps in and drives away the fiends. Now that they have reached the Pacific, the unlikely duo is happy about their adventures. But the criminals haven't given up yet; in the beginning of the shooting, Jones is first killed, and then the injured Lillard asks the rabbi to shoot Darryl Diggs: Belinski fires the gun against his beliefs and to save both lives.

After this incident, Belinski believes that he is no longer able to exercise the office of rabbi, which is why he pretends to be a cowboy in the house of the Bender family in San Francisco, who are expecting him and the Torah ; Rosalie Bender (Peyser), speaking to him at the door, immediately falls in love with the strangely stammering stranger, although Belinski is actually promised to her sister Sarah Mindl Bender ( Beege bar chain ) after the correspondence held before the start of the trip . In a restaurant, it is Lillard who argues against Belinski's self-doubt. When the delegation of the Jews living in San Francisco, led by Samuel Bender (Somack), arrives and initially thinks Lillard is the new rabbi, the Pole reveals himself, which particularly pleases Rosalie. Just as an impromptu engagement party starts, Matt Diggs, who survived the shooting unscathed, shows up, accuses Belinski of the murder of his brother, and challenges him to a duel outside the pub. But Lillard, who was briefly incapacitated by Diggs, manages to dispel the allegation by his testimony, and a satisfactory solution is found which looks like the scoundrel will be banished from San Francisco without further bloodshed. The film ends with the wedding of Belinski and Rosalie, at which Lillard appears as best man.

Reviews

Roger Ebert wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times that the basic idea of ​​the film was good. However, the film tries to use different keys and thus appears "inconsistent". Robert Aldrich's best films - like The Dirty Dozen - would use a specific, "cynical" tone; this film is basically "gentler".

"A comedy that is as brisk as it is ingeniously staged, which, of course, will only delight viewers who have a feel for the tradition of Yiddish culture."

- Lexicon of international film

background

The film was shot in Arizona , Colorado, and California . It grossed about $ 9.3 million in US cinemas .

Frank De Vol , the composer of the film music, can also be seen in a small role as a piano player.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Review by Roger Ebert
  2. ↑ A rabbi in the Wild West. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  3. ↑ Filming locations for The Frisco Kid
  4. ^ Business Data for The Frisco Kid