''The Policeman'' ( he, השוטר אזולאי, HaShoter Azoulay, lit=The Policeman Azoulay) is a 1971
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
i feature film, written and directed by satirist
Ephraim Kishon
Ephraim Kishon (: August 23, 1924 – January 29, 2005) was a Hungarian-born Israeli author, dramatist, screenwriter, and Oscar-nominated film director. He was one of the most widely read contemporary satirists in Israel, and was also particula ...
. The
title character
The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
is played by
Shaike Ophir
Shaike Ophir ( he, שייקה אופיר; November 4, 1928 – August 17, 1987) was an Israeli film and theater actor, comedian, playwright, screenwriter, director, and the country's first mime.
Early life
Yeshayahu (Shaike) Goldstein-Ophir was ...
(credited as Shay K. Ophir), in what is considered one of his finest performances.
The film was nominated for the 1972 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and won the Golden Globe Award in the same category. It won several other awards, such as best foreign film in the
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
film festival and best director in the
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...
festival. In Israel, it is considered a cinematic classic.
Plot
Officer Avraham Azoulay is a patrolman in
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the ...
's district of Jaffa. He is an honest man, though extremely naive, and because of his character, has never been promoted during his twenty years in the force. He is married to a dull woman (played by veteran actress Zaharira Harifai); the couple have no children.
His superiors, Captain Levkovich and First Sergeant Bejerano, decide not to renew his contract, though they feel sorry for him. In the meantime, he falls in love with the simple but charming prostitute Mimi, and removes her photograph from the arrests billboard. His wife finds the photo and tears it to pieces, which Azoulay secretly glues together again. Nevertheless, this love will not be realized as Azoulay refuses to divorce his wife, claiming that "it will destroy her". In addition, being a
Kohen
Kohen ( he, , ''kōhēn'', , "priest", pl. , ''kōhănīm'', , "priests") is the Hebrew word for " priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. Levitical priests or ''kohanim'' are traditionally ...
, he cannot marry a prostitute according to
Halakha
''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...
.
Azoulay shows some success at dispersing a demonstration without resorting to violence because of his knowledge of the Bible and of Yiddish; he also charms a group of visiting French policemen who adore the French-speaking policeman; in an Arab-speaking club house he gives an unaware speech in Arabic. Azoulay is able to see people for what they are and not what they represent. None of these events, however, help to change his superiors' decision to dismiss him. Azoulay forms a friendship with Amar, unaware that he is a notorious criminal. The criminal and his associates decide to fake a crime and allow Azoulay to catch them in the act so that he receives a promotion and regain his contract. They finally decide upon stealing ritual objects, including a large golden
cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...
, from a
monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...
in the neighbourhood. Azoulay manages to catch the criminal in the act and is finally promoted to the rank of a sergeant, but his contract is not renewed and he is forced to retire from the police.
In the final scene Officer Azoulay leaves the precinct with his new rank and policemen practising marches in the courtyard are being ordered to salute in his direction by Bejerano. The final shot of the film presents Azoulay saluting the marching policemen, thinking that they salute to him, as his eyes fill with tears. This image became one of the most memorable in Israeli cinema.
Cast
*
Shaike Ophir
Shaike Ophir ( he, שייקה אופיר; November 4, 1928 – August 17, 1987) was an Israeli film and theater actor, comedian, playwright, screenwriter, director, and the country's first mime.
Early life
Yeshayahu (Shaike) Goldstein-Ophir was ...
as Constable Sgt. Abraham Azoulay
* Zaharira Harifai as Betty Azoulay
*
Avner Hizkiyahu
In the Hebrew Bible, Abner ( he, אַבְנֵר ) was the cousin of King Saul and the commander-in-chief of his army. His name also appears as "Abiner son of Ner", where the longer form Abiner means "my father is Ner".
Biblical narrative
A ...
as Capt. Lefkowitch
* Itzko Rachamimov as Senior Sgt. Bejerano
*
Yosef Shiloach
Yosef Shiloach ( he, יוסף שילוח; July 9, 1941 – January 3, 2011) was an Israeli actor.
Biography
Yosef Shiloach was born in Kurdistan. He immigrated to Israel at the age of nine.Nitza Saul as Mimi
* Gabi Amrani as The Yemenite
* Arieh Itzhak as Zion
* Abraham Celektar as Cactus
* Efraim Stan as Horovitz
Awards and recognition
The Policeman is widely considered to be a classic of Israeli cinema. The Film was nominated for the
44th Academy Awards
The 44th Academy Awards were presented April 10, 1972, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Helen Hayes, Alan King, Sammy Davis Jr., and Jack Lemmon. One of the highlights of the evening was th ...
for Best Foreign Language Film, and won the 1972 Golden Globe award for Best Foreign-Language Foreign Film
List of Israeli submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Israel has submitted films for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film since 1964. Despite its relatively small film-making industry, ten Israeli films have been nominated for the Foreign Language Oscar, placing it in the Top Ten m ...