Kikar Ha-Halomot

I'd never heard of this film until it was shown on TV just now, and I can't imagine myself caring about an old Bollywood film, which is the real "star" of this flick. As a European (Ashkenazi) immigrant, I found some of the dialog / dialect a little hard to follow, but I've read my share of Dudu Busi novels, so I know a thing or two about ha-Argazim, the neighborhood where *kikar haChalomot* / Desperado Square takes place, and I was charmed. Plus the added bonus of Mohammed Bakhri. Interesting how the screenplay lets him off the hook from reciting the Kaddish! No one can replicate that scarface's Clint Eastwood-like demeanor. Colorful, feel-good story of decades-old oaths, alliances, and camaraderie in a low-income yet close-knit community. A gem.

In English, this movie is called Desperado Square, and when we think of a desperado, we often think of a swashbuckling scrapper who has nothing to lose. But the word is related to despair, hopelessness. And that's the meaning that was in the original Hebrew title. A place full of people who feel hopeless. At least that's the Hebrew title that scrolls up at the end of the final credits of the print I saw. Square of the Hopeless. As advertised, though, the Hebrew title was quite different - Square of Dreams. I guess commercially Square of the Hopeless didn't look like a good bet.

Anyway, the people feel hopeless because, to begin with, they live in a down-at-heel neighborhood. And on top of that, a major consolation - their local movie theater - has been eliminated. As the story begins, the owner of the movie theater has died but has appeared to his son in a dream (so the son says) and told him to run one more movie. There's a reason for that, and it plays out as a soap opera that is lightened (or at least is supposed to be) by the presence of several colorful supporting characters including a trio of tubby middle-aged stooges who unfortunately don't manage to be funny at all. There is also a good amount of music, and the music - including original work by Shem Tov Levy - helps keep the otherwise slightly leaden movie afloat.

The Indian connection in Desperado Square should not astonish anybody at all as thousands of tourists from Israel visit India in search of spiritual enlightenment but unfortunately end up in a complex maze of trance parties in Goa where illicit drugs,prostitution and frantic orgies are the order of the day.However director Benny Torati has not dealt with this sordid theme.His film is somewhat an Israeli "Last picture show" as it shows a decrepit cinema hall fearing closure managed by two brothers and the only film that is shown is an Indian romantic film which dates from 1960.What is shown on the screen is a puerile tale of confusions in love and the same is also played in their lives.The film provides its share of laughter through an assorted cast of buffoons.There is ample sadness in this film as both the brothers are troubled by their love interest and no one seems to care for them.A double bill is assured for those viewers who want to watch two films for the price of one.Watch some maudlin material from an Indian film in a film from Israel.

I assume that there's a very slim chance that you saw or even heard of "Sangam". An Indian film about two good friends falling in love with the same girl, and one of them decides to forsake his love for the sake of friendship, an unrewarded act since his friend is not aware that they BOTH love her. the Indian (read: tragic) part of the story is that the girl is in love with the ultra-altruistic friend and know that his feelings to her are mutual.

The reason i gave a summary of a film i'm not even commenting on, is that the plot of the movie has certain similarities to Desperado square.I do not care to detail, or i'll be blacklisted.

What I can tell you about this film is that it tells the tale of a neighborhood outside Tel-Aviv that rises to life when the old theater, closed for three decades by it's now deceased owner, is to be opened by his son after he had an epiphany. The movie chosen for the screening is, well, if you haven't guessed it by now than you're hopeless.

the upcoming screening stirs conflicting emotions, by those who adore the film and by those who feel that the movie touches one nerve too many. Especially the widowed wife of the owner who knows full well, why the theater was closed (hint: not the recession).

this movie (desperado square, enough about Sangam) revolves more around the colorful people than it is on the plot, which makes it slightly slow-paced at times but leaves the audience with a non-violent catharsis or, in layman's terms: a "feel good" movie.

the only reservation I have is the slight over load of ethnic music. the indian movie (like most bollywood features) is filled with singing and dancing segments (it's a long film too, close to 4 hours) but in an Israeli film, these segments (which are not frequent in the film, it's definitely not a musical)are more a liability than an asset.

Other than that, this is a very good feature, and i do recommend it, not only to "film-buffs".

8 out of 10 in my FilmOmeter