Reviews

Pete Hamil's classic fantasy novel has been turned into a classic fantasy movie. Michael Delvin, an Irish-American lad from a blue collar Catholic neighborhood in New York befriends a Jewish rabbi from Prague. The two build a wonderful friendship where they both alternate between the roles of teacher and student. The two find their world threatened by Frankie McCarthy and his street gang known as the Falcons. It is Michael's belief that makes the magical ritual work that summons the Golem from his sleep of 400 years. The Golem, according to an old Jewish legend, was created out of mud by Rabbie Loew, a man of great wisdom and faith. Rabbi Hirsch, a very wise man, isn't able to use the magic because the death of his wife at the hands of the Nazis has destroyed his faith. The Golem blows an ancient ram horn to start his battle with the street punks. I loved this movie. I especially loved see the Irish and Jewish uniting to defeat a common enemy on the streets of Brookyn. The year is 1947, and the Dodgers have just brought up Jackie Robinson to break the color line in major league baseball who serves as an analogy to the good fight of Michael and the Rabbi.