One member has pointed out several issues with the film "Arranged" that also made me uncomfortable at the time. I guess it is a sign of the overall positive nature of the film that I came to overlook its demerits in the long run. However, I can comment on a couple of points. The producer (author?) is an Orthodox Jewish woman and the story is based on her own experience. On the DVD version, there is a "making of ..." segment in which they tell the story of how the film came to be. The production company, a small independent, was approached by this woman with a story idea. It turned out the story she pitched was beyond the company's resources but in talking further the story that became "Arranged" was told. As far as I can tell, she (sorry I don't have her name handy) remained involved in making the film and is listed as one of the producers.
As to some specific points, I guess there is always artistic license but I also think the film might reflect the actual experience of one person and therefore is from her point of view. The obnoxious assistant principal is there to give voice to those who don't understand and reject traditional women's roles, both the observance of the rules of modesty and submission to arranged marriage. The character didn't need to be Jewish -- or so overt a Jewish "type" -- but the fact that she is does add something to the story and its meaning. She comes from the same background as the Orthodox woman and therefore understands, to the extent she can, what is going on. She readily recognizes the red string around the wrist and knows what it means. She gets to represent a stream of the Jewish experience, one that considers itself liberated from the superstitious past. The fact that her part is so heavy-handed is one of the failings of the film. However, I see that the film is told primarily from the Jewish side and that there is a stronger focus on the Jewish experience than the Muslim side. This explains the aggressive assistant principal, the predominance of Jewish nudnick suitors and the poor response of the Jewish mother to having the Muslim woman in the house. One might come away with generalizations that all Jewish men are dweebs or that hospitality is not a value in Judaism. At the same time, Muslims come of fairly lightly. There is only one unfit suitor, the father and mother are very understanding and liberal in how they handle their daughter's objections, and they welcome a Jewish women into their house without hesitation. I take some of this to be a reflection of the author's experience, that she felt she got more sympathy and support outside of her community than she did from other Jews, including her family. However, with all of that said, I think these are minor points in the whole context of the film. It draws positive parallels between the Jewish and Muslim communities and makes a compassionate case for traditional marriage. I don't necessarily agree with all the points the film makes but I appreciate a thoughtful and positive argument when I see one. If nothing else, I think it should be in synagogue collections and would make for a lively discussion. -- Lee Jaffe, UC Santa Cruz --- Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) =========================================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
