The Frisco Kid. I mean, does it get any better, or any deeper? Is there really any other movie that fits the mood of the final week of school, when students are gazing longingly out the window at a summer vacation that is around the corner?
Is there any other movie out there that really nails concepts like Shabbos observance, love and honour of Torah, praying for rain and sustenance, and how to mangle curse words in Yiddish?
I saw this movie when I was ten. My father rented a VHS player, borrowed a TV, and that magical winter vacation in Outremont, we watched the two best Jewish films of all time - Blazing Saddles and The Frisco Kid.
Now that I'm a teacher, I really can't justify the educational merits of Blazing Saddles. Too risqué. Too out there. Still has the funniest scene in movie history though...
Is there any other movie out there that really nails concepts like Shabbos observance, love and honour of Torah, praying for rain and sustenance, and how to mangle curse words in Yiddish?
I saw this movie when I was ten. My father rented a VHS player, borrowed a TV, and that magical winter vacation in Outremont, we watched the two best Jewish films of all time - Blazing Saddles and The Frisco Kid.
Now that I'm a teacher, I really can't justify the educational merits of Blazing Saddles. Too risqué. Too out there. Still has the funniest scene in movie history though...
But the Frisco Kid was another matter entirely. Believe it or not, there are some incredibly meaningful moments in this movie that are worth pausing along the way for a frank discussion with students, with questions like:
A word of caution - there's a mild bit of cursing in the movie. Nothing extreme, but enough to ruffle the sensitivities of your standard teacher in a community day school (Moi...). Warn the students in advance. Grade 5 and up...
- Are you actually supposed to give up your life for the sake of a burning Torah?
- Can you really park your horse for Shabbos while a posse is on your trail, or do you keep on going?
- Do you run to save your friend, or run to extinguish a burning Torah?
A word of caution - there's a mild bit of cursing in the movie. Nothing extreme, but enough to ruffle the sensitivities of your standard teacher in a community day school (Moi...). Warn the students in advance. Grade 5 and up...