THE QUARREL
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 1993 Mark R. Leeper
Capsule review: Two men, old friends and adversaries with different theological perspectives have each assumed the other died in the Holocaust. Years later they meet by accident and continue a riveting philosophical argument of faith vs. rationalism. Extremely intelligent and rewarding. Rating: +2 (-4 to +4).
Chaim Kovler (played by R. H. Thomson) survived the Holocaust, but lost his wife and children to the Nazis. He also lost his best friend and worst philosophical opponent Hersh Rasseyner. And while he still believes in the existence of God, he no longer cares since he blames God for allowing the Holocaust. Even back at religious school as a boy he had his own ideas about religion and God. Now a year or so after the end of the war he is living in the United States and has become a popular novelist and advice columnist. Visiting Montreal, on the morning of a Rosh Hashonah that he chooses not to acknowledge, he finds Hersh (played by Saul Rubinek) alive and a very Orthodox rabbi. The two men, one staunchly religious, the other just as staunchly a rationalist finally have a chance to talk out their different world-views after being separated for so long and with so much tragedy that has happened to each of them. If this sounds a lot like all too many Sunday morning television religious dramas, it is not. This is not the story of somebody regaining his faith after a few pat religious arguments. It is a fair and even-handed exploration of two valid but diametrically opposed philosophical points of view. Chaim Grade's story, adapted into a play by David Brandes and directed by Eli Cohen, is itself at times coldly rational, at others sad and moving.
The two old friends meet in park and argue not just about religion, but about rain and the paths in the park and anything else that can momentarily distract them from their real and fundamental philosophical differences-- which they will be resuming shortly.
This is not the first time these three--Rubinek, Thomson, and religious differences--have come together. Rubinek was a man trying to get his friend out of a religious cult and Thomson was a deprogrammer in the excellent 1982 film TICKET TO HEAVEN. They are both very good actors, albeit very different types, and they are very good on the screen together. But while a few films were made on religious cults (TICKET TO HEAVEN is merely the best of the lot) THE QUARREL is in a category by itself. Few films have respected their audience sufficiently to give them this density of ideas and concepts. You basically would have to have a two character play that is solid dialog. In fact, cinema is probably not the best medium for this story. At the risk of saying "this is a great film, but don't go" I have to say that the best way to appreciate this film will be on a videotape that will allow you both to see the actors expressions and will allow you to go back and replay portions to better take in what is being said. And since THE QUARREL is a theatrical release of American Playhouse (like the film I saw minutes before it, THE MUSIC OF CHANCE) it will almost certainly show up on PBS sooner or later. However, with that one minimal cavil, this film is recommended. I give it a +2 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Mark R. Leeper
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