We are pleased to announce the next Movie Matinee at Beit Knesset Hanassi. On Tuesday, February 18 we will present the award winning, highly acclaimed film SEVEN DAYS IN MAY.
The movie is based on the blockbuster novel of the same name. The book and the movie came out during high tensions of the Cold War. In the few preceding years there were the Bay of Pigs incident, the building of the Berlin Wall and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Of most relevance to the plot of the film, there was the Missile Gap. This was the perception in the United States that the Soviet Union was quickly developing an intercontinental range ballistic missile capability earlier, in greater numbers and with far more capability than that of the United States.
Campaigning for the presidency in 1960, Senator John Kennedy attacked the Eisenhower administration stating “the nation was losing the satellite-missile race with the Soviet Union”. It was claimed that the Soviets would soon have 2000 intercontinental ballistic missiles, enough to launch a first-strike and take out America's strategic forces. According to Kennedy, the United States was in a position of “grave peril” that threatened “our very survival as a nation.”
In the film, an American president negotiated a disarmament agreement with the Soviets. Powerful figures opposed this deal. Instead of waiting for the next election to vote the president out, they conspired to overthrow the government.
For seven days, the fate of the nation hung in the balance. Would there be a military coup in America? Would the United States become a “banana republic”? The movie covers those seven shocking days in the life of the country.
This 1960s edge-of-your-seat thriller has an all-star cast including Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner and Frederic March. A brilliant script and superb acting make this film one not to be missed.
Characters in the movie are based on real-life persons.
The Movie Matinee is at 2:00. The film is two hours in length. There are English subtitles for the convenience of individuals with hearing challenges.
There will be a brief introduction of the film, a short talk and discussion after the screening. There will be an essay about the movie provided to attendees.
There will be refreshments. No reservations are required. Beit Knesset Hanassi is located at 24 Ussishkin Street. The admission is 20 shekels for members of the shul and 30 shekels for non-members.
For more information, please contact Mark at 0548 01 1957 or [email protected].
