Cinema
The Policeman
השוטר אזולאי
Ephraim Kishon · 1971
Synopsis
Avraham Azoulay has been a police officer in Jaffa for twenty years without ever being promoted: naive and kind, he does not see the burglaries on his beat, does not dare to arrest people and believes the lies of crooks. His superiors reluctantly decide not to renew his contract. Married to Betty, a sickly woman with whom he has no children, he falls for Mimi, a prostitute whose photograph he keeps; he calms a demonstration by speaking Yiddish and Bible, and charms visiting French policemen. The local crooks, led by Amar, whom he believes to be his friend, then decide to help him.
Context
Kishon wrote the part for Shaike Ophir, developing the figure of the naive, nameless policeman that the actor had played in two of his earlier films; it is the first of his films that does not derive from his columns. Zaharira Harifai plays Betty, Avner Hizkiyahu the captain. The cinematography is by David Gurfinkel, the music by Nurit Hirsh, whose title ballad, to lyrics by Ehud Manor, is sung by Oshik Levi. The film was released on 3 July 1971 and appeared in the United States in October under the title The Policeman; Hebrew, Yiddish, French and Arabic are spoken in it. In Israel, it is regarded as a classic.
Who it is for
An hour and a half, mostly in Hebrew. It is better to know that its author was first a satirical columnist, read every day by the whole country.
Prizes and reception
Golden Globe for best foreign film in 1972 and nominated for the Oscar; prize at Barcelona, directing prize at Monte Carlo.