The Island On Bird Street

Cinema is one of the most powerful art forms ever created by man. It can run the gamut from light entertainment to a potent means of education. For many people going to the movies is a diversion, a means to escape the world for a little while. While this is a valid use of film there is a far more important one. A well constructed film can take you places that could never actually go. It can move you through time and invoke the entire range of human emotions. Not all the emotions that a film brings up will be positive ones. This is how it should be. Fear, hatred and despair are all valid emotional responses and need to be explored in film. Sometimes, when a film does its job the negative feelings that are brought up can make a moment of joy soar even higher. One such film is ‘The Island of Bird Street’ directed by Søren Kragh-Jacobsen. This film was based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Israeli author Uri Orlev. It considers the life of an eleven year old boy surviving the destruction of the Jewish ghetto in Poland in World War II at the hands of the Nazis. While such a topic does not seem like something a lot of people would want to see this is an important and poignant movie that records the strength of the human spirit during one of the darkest pages in history.

The idea to base a story about the Holocaust telling it through the innocent eyes of a child is not new. One can not help but to be reminded of ‘the Dairy of Anne Frank’ when this topic comes up. This is a work that stands on its own from based to some degree on the childhood experiences of the novel’s author. The director of this film, Søren Kragh-Jacobsen, has done several Danish films centering on children and their gift of imagination. Here he gives this theme a dramatic twist as the young protagonist must deal with life on his own. This is not just a child left to his own devices. If he makes the slightest misstep he will be captured by the ever patrolling Nazis and sent to certain death. He doesn’t give in to fancy camera work or cinematic tricks here. He seems to realize that the story is such that it can stand on its own. He uses the camera to transport the audience into this child’s dangerous world. Two talented writers collaborated on the screenplay for this film. Tony Grisoni has an international resume that run the range of stories about guardian angles to fanciful comedies. His partner in this script is John Goldsmith who has been writing screenplays for over thirty five years. Among his works are several television mini series and episodes. Together they manage to capture the tone and impact of the novel. This film is an international effort. It was made in Poland with German financing with English dialogue. While this may seem like an odd assortment of co-workers it just adds to the human nature of the story and the global impact it reflects.

During the years of World War II the Germans set upon the Jewish Ghettos in Poland. Signs stating ‘Juden betreten Verboten’, roughly translated as Jews are forbidden, went up all over the area. The Jewish people were pushed out of their neighborhood; many winding up in the growing number of death camps. One young Jewish boy, Alex (Jordan Kiziuk) is too young to be fully aware of what is going on around him. All he knows is that men with guns and dogs are rounding up family and friends. He loves to read, able to escape the events around him with stories of imagination. His favorite book is ‘Robinson Crusoe’ because he is intrigued by the resourcefulness of the main character. At first he lives with his father Stefan (Patrick Bergin) and his great uncle Boruch (Jack Warden) and the adults do their best to shield the boy from the devastation around them. Alex peeks outside through a missing brick in the wall to see some children playing in the rubble of the streets. They are all wearing the yellow Star of David indicating they are Jews. Not far off trucks full of Nazis roll past. The last remaining inhabitants of this section of Warsaw are about to be relocated leaving a once thriving area desolate. The Nazis begin to go door to door removing the people. Stefan and Boruch are concerned more for Alex than themselves. While this is going on Alex is playing with some children his own age. They hear the Germans approaching and the children rush off in all directions leaving Alex behind. Alex is intent on saving his pet mouse that a local bully trapped in a can atop a large pile of rubble. Finally Alex digs a hole in the rubble and hides. Late that night his father finally finds him and brings him home. For his own safety the boy spends most of his days hidden in the attic of the factory they live.

When only a few have managed to evade the relocation the adults fight for the last of the food and clean water. Alex is still only a boy and manages to find some enjoyment playing in the ruins. He even meets a girl his age, Stashya (Sian Nicola Liquorish) and tries to go out with her. She lives in another area and is hiding her Jewish status by pretending to be Polish. When things are too dangerous for them to meet face to face they devise a type of Morse code to send and receive messages. To Alex the ghetto is much like Crusoe’s island; dangerous but exciting. When his father and uncle are taken from him Alex has to fend for himself. His fanciful ‘island’ is now even more dangerous and like his literary hero he has to obtain daily quantities of fresh food and water; something even the adults have a difficult time doing.

The film is very slow paced punctuated with some moments of suspense as the Nazis get close to discovering Alex. Unfortunately while the book was a success in the children’s literature world this film is too slow in moving along the story for anyone of Alex’s years. Tweens today want fast action and bright colors both of which are lacking here. What holds Alex together is the hope that his father will come back to him and things will be happy once again. He even refuses to leave for someplace safer with the girl and her mother. He is certain that his father will come for him and he has to be there for him. It is this childlike optimism that many adults may have a problem accepting; especially those of us born here in the States with nothing to allow us to relate. Still, this is a film that has an important message to tell; hope can survive in the bleakest of places. At time the film does but believability to the breaking point. Alex seems to be the luckiest boy in the world; not for being left in this rubble filled world but in his knack for escaping every dire situation that presents itself.

The performance given by Jordan Kiziuk is simply incredible. This part would have challenged even the most seasoned and talented adult actor around. What makes this young performer’s portrayal even more impressive is there are long sequences where there is absolutely no dialogue. The young man gives a presentation with his facial expressions and body language that sells the role and is emotionally powerful.

Once again First Look Home Entertainment scores with a film that never received the exposure that it warranted. They bring these little gems to the public with DVD releases so we all can enjoy works like this. This is a movie of hope and imagination set against the most brutal conditions possible.

Posted 02/24/08