Kirk Douglas Really Makes the Most Out of Being in Post-Holocaust Europe!

The Holocaust may have been a downright horrendous time in history, especially Jewish history, but it did inspire many books and films. After all, you can always count on the Jews to make something out of, well, anything in their history. So, we got The Juggler, a 1953 classic starring Kirk Douglas based off a classic novel. The film managed to be a comedy, drama, war film, and romance, albeit not quite at the same time. It may not have made a splash in cinematic history, but it nevertheless made a mark on Jewish history. After all, it was the first American film to be filmed in Israel.

The film follows German comedian Hans Muller, played by Kirk Douglas in a solid performance (Kirk Douglas was well-known as a Jew in Hollywood back in the 50s and early 60s) as he tries to rebuild his life in post-Holocaust Germany. Unfortunately, thanks to his struggles with PTSD from the Holocaust (and, you know this being Germany and all) he goes insane and attacks a police officer, who is presumably just following orders, which puts him on the run. During his escapade, he feels for a lovely Jewish woman, and must keep their romance a secret as he’s travelling from town to town, as well as avoid the notoriously anti-Semitic Detective Kami.

Is it any good? Well, it’s surprisingly optimistic as Holocaust films go- it may be about the Holocaust, but it’s certainly no Schindler’s List. Granted, that’s to be expected when your protagonist is a comedian, but, given that it’s a Holocaust film, it doesn’t shy away from how awful the previous time period was-that’s why he goes a little (okay, really) nutty in the first place. Hans may be, well, a juggler and social butterfly- which is shown with his various interactions with others- but he’s also a man trying to cope with horrible demons. For all his faults, however you’ll be rooting for him in his adventures, whether he’s entertaining small children with his juggling antics, or nursing a budding romance with a beautiful woman. That being said, contrary to what he claims early in the film, he did need a psychiatrist for his numerous issues. As for the soundtrack, composed by an avant-garde musician, it’s quite lovely- at least, for avant-garde.

In short, this was a well-made Holocaust film, that balances the optimism and horror of the time period quite well. Highly recommended for those who like Jewish films and/or films about Israel. 4 stars out of 5.