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Israel · 2000
1h 22m
Director Arnon Goldfinger
Starring Pesach Burstein, Lillian Lux, Mike Burstyn
Genre
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A documentary on the life and career of Yiddish actor Pasach Burstein and his family.
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The Komediant's most deeply moving aspect lies in its misty memories of the glory years of the Yiddish theater, when an ethnic group rallied against its attempted decimation by forming allegiances and openly celebrating its culture.
Slight but enjoyable documentary.
A linguistic stew with a zesty, homemade flavor that belies its carefully researched preparation.
Los Angeles Times by Kevin Thomas
It is impossible to watch this warm, wonderful film without becoming aware of the enormous impact the Yiddish theater has had on every aspect of American show business.
Entertainment Weekly by Lisa Schwarzbaum
Reflect the robust status of Yiddish theater in the early 20th century, and its post-Holocaust decline.
New York Post by Megan Lehmann
The documentary's director, Arnon Goldfinger, may have had a chance of expanding on the limited audience for such a film if said clan, the Bursteins, exhibited either talent or likability.
Even if you love all things Yiddish, there is precious little to embrace here.
Elegantly constructed, deceptively complex documentary.
The New York Times by Stephen Holden
As informative and packed with cultural lore as it is, The Komediant is dramatically diffuse.
Goldfinger touch on many grand issues (theater rivalry, anti-Semitism, child labor, the generation gap, Israelis' hostility toward the Yiddish tongue) but stop short of exploring them, focusing instead on a family that personifies a dying tradition.