Cinema Society

THE PRIME MINISTERS: THE PIONEERS

Average
Rating

2.7

Tuesday, November 12, 2013, ArcLight La Jolla

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12

On Screen: 4:30pm or 7:30pm (You Pick!)

ArcLight La Jolla (Auditoriums 4 & 5)

Cinema Chat and Introduction begins 15 minutes prior to screenings

Discussion follows screenings

In Association with the San Diego Jewish Film Festival

Salute to Filmmaker Richard Trank and

THE PRIME MINISTERS: THE PIONEERS

Based on the best- selling book by Ambassador Yehuda Avner, The Prime Ministers: The Pioneers takes the audience inside the offices of Israel’s Prime Ministers through the eyes of an insider, Yehuda Avner, who served as a chief aide, English language note-taker and speechwriter to Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin, and Shimon Peres. The first of two parts, The Prime Ministers: The Pioneers focuses on Ambassador Avner’s years working with Prime Ministers Levi Eshkol and Golda Meir and then US Ambassador Yitzhak Rabin and reveals new details about the Six-Day War, the development of Israel’s close strategic relationship with the United States, the fight against terrorism, the Yom Kippur War and its aftermath. Featuring the voices of Sandra Bullock as Golda Meir, Michael Douglas as Yitzhak Rabin, Leonard Nimoy as Levi Eshkol and Christoph Waltz as Menachem Begin, THE PRIME MINISTERS: THE PIONEERS is written, produced and directed by Academy Award® winner Richard Trank.

Running time: 115 Minutes. Not Rated.

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19-Nov-13: Jerry - Rating: 2

Editing was a major problem for me. If this had been edited down to about an hour it would have been a good history lesson for me. Then it would have been about a 3 to 3 1/2.

I am ambivalent about skipping the sequel.

15-Nov-13: Alex Stolarski - Rating: 5

Both my wife and myself loved it as it was. I asked her about the tempo and she said that to her, it was fine, but that her friend who was sitting with us said that "it could have been 1/2 an hour shorter.

We concluded that the perception depended on the viewer, not the movie. Both my wife and myself are very familiar with the content, and passionate about it, we learned nothing new. However the story told by a participant who was actually there was a real treat and very emotional.

Can't wait for part 2 and will buy a bunch of its DVD's to give out to friends

Thank you for showing it

15-Nov-13: Margie Anderson - Rating: 2

After the movie, my husband and a female friend and I discussed the movie over dinner. He, a history buff, thought it really good and not too long. We, on the other hand, found it way too long, but enjoyed the footage of Golda Meir so much! He liked every inch of it. One thing that was a real distraction for me was the use of the known actor's voices. I would have preferred unknowns. It's the first movie I've seen this season with light zzzzzzzzs here and there around me. Does that tell you anything?

13-Nov-13: SiouxMac - Rating: 2

Is everyone stunned into silence? Or still asleep? I really wanted to like this film. I enjoy Richard Trank's visits, but frankly, since the documentary about Simon Weisenthal (which I loved), the movies we've seen since have gone downhill. I appreciate the movie-making skills and the story-telling skills, but this movie literally put me to sleep. My neighbors were snoozing too. I just found it kind of boring.

13-Nov-13: Karolen - Rating: 4

Actually--I'd probably give this film a 3.5, but

I choose to move it up to a 4. I was still pretty young when the Six Day War broke out, but I remember how shocked I was. I love historical documentaries, and this one did not disappoint. I always admired Golda Meir--and hearing the speech she gave straight from her heart instead of her written text was especially moving. And yes, I'd like to see Part 2.

13-Nov-13: judys - Rating: 2

Absolutely toooooo loooooooong. Fact after fact after fact put me on overload. The genleman was charming but 2 hours too much. The story substance came to life for me only with Golda. The recent KPBS show on JFK was much more well-crafted, clearer images and flow that I missed in this one.

12-Nov-13: Alice - Rating: 2

I certainly learned some history from the film. It also confirmed my feelings that Golda was an exceptional prime minister. Tough, but very human and perceptive of the results of her policies and actions on the world stage.

The movie was too long and painfully drawn out, I think Richard trank is in love with the material and can't bear to do the hard editing. If this was on the discovery channel I'd have probably just gone to bed. I'm sure there is a target audience, but I'm not it. I do not plan to attend the ballyhooed sequel.