Cast a Giant Shadow *** (1966, Kirk Douglas, Senta Berger, Yul Brynner, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Angie Dickinson) – Classic Movie Review 7139

Ted Berkman’s first book Cast a Giant Shadow is about ‘Mickey Marcus’, a real-life Jewish-American West Point graduate who commanded units of the fledgling Israeli Defence Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It makes challenging source material for any film maker.

Writer-producer-director Melville Shavelson’s 1966 big-budget historical action adventure drama Cast a Giant Shadow adapts Berkman’s book for the screen and stars Kirk Douglas as Jewish hero Colonel David ‘Mickey’ Marcus, who fights as an American colonel in World War Two parachuted into occupied France, and becomes a Jewish freedom fighter in Palestine in 1947 when he is recruited by Jews to help them to form an army, and then becomes commander of the Israeli forces just before the Arab-Israeli War begins.

This huge war film and fictionalised biopic of Colonel David ‘Mickey’ Marcus (on whose story it is based) is a thorough, professional job by all concerned, but maybe Shavelson is too reverential and overawed by the material in his writing and directing, and a more dynamic and direct approach would create a more exciting, provocative, challenging movie. Even so, it is an important, fascinating story, well told with much intense impact. Its fictional romantic subplot is a downside but its pro-Jewish stance is strongly and effectively developed.

Kirk Douglas and Yul Brynner on the set of Cast a Giant Shadow.

The love interest with Angie Dickinson as Mickey’s wife Emma Marcus and Senta Berger as Magda Simon, and the guest stars in the ‘special appearances cast’ (Frank Sinatra as Spence Talmadge, John Wayne as General Mike Randolph, Yul Brynner as Asher, a Haganah commander) are understandable for box-office success but prove misguided.

Also in the cast are Luther Adler, Stathis Giallelis, Chaim Topol, James Donald, Gordon Jackson, Michael Hordern, Gary Merrill, Allan Cuthbertson, Jeremy Kemp, Ruth White, Sean Barrett, Michael Shillo, Rina Ganor, Roland Bartrop, Robert Gardett and Frank Latimore as 1st UN officer, with Robert Gardett as General Walsh, Michael Balston as 1st Sentry, Robert Ross as Aide to Chief of Staff, Rod Dana as Aide to General Randolph, Dan Sturkie as Jump Sergeant, Hillel Rave as Yaakov, Shlomo Hermon as Yussuff, Arthur Hansel as Pentagon Officer, Claude Aliotti as 2nd Sentry, Micha Shagrir as Truck Driver, Ken Buckle as 2nd UN officer, Geoffrey Palmer as David, Danny Perlman as Jeep Driver, Jimmy Shaw as Jeep Driver and Samra Dedes as Belly Dancer.

Vera Dolen as Mrs Martinson and Gary Merrill as Pentagon Chief of Staff had their scenes deleted.

Winston Churchill, Rudolf Hess, Fiorello LaGuardia, Franklin D Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin all appear in archive footage in flashbacks.

Cast a Giant Shadow is directed by Melville Shavelson, runs 146 minutes, is made by Mirisch, Llenroc, Batjac and Bryna, is released by United Artists, is written by Melville Shavelson, based on Ted Berkman’s book Cast a Giant Shadow, is shot in Technicolor by Aldo Tonti, is produced by Melville Shavelson and Michael Wayne, is scored by Elmer Bernstein and is designed by Michael Stringer.

Director Shavelson wrote a book, How to Make a Jewish Movie, about his experiences of the filming.

Ironically, Ted Berkman (January 9, 1914 – May 12, 2006) is now best known for co-writing the screenplay for Bedtime for Bonzo, though he is also remembered for the screenplay of Short Cut to Hell.

Wayne says ‘L’chaim’ in a toast scene later used in a Coors Light ad.

It was released on Blu-ray and re-released on DVD on 26 August 2014.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7139

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