''The Flying Matchmaker'' (also: ''Two Kuni Lemel'', ''Shnei Kuni Leml'' or שני קוני למל) is a 1966
Israeli film
Cinema of Israel ( he, קולנוע ישראלי, Kolnoa Yisraeli) refers to film production in Israel since its founding in 1948. Most Israeli films are produced in Hebrew, but there are productions in other languages such as Arabic and English ...
musical
Musical is the adjective of music
Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact def ...
directed by Israel Becker. The story is based on the 1880 Yiddish play ''Di tsvey Kuni-Lemels'' by
Abraham Goldfaden
Abraham Goldfaden (Yiddish: אַבֿרהם גאָלדפֿאַדען; born Avrum Goldnfoden; 24 July 1840 – 9 January 1908), also known as Avram Goldfaden, was a Russian-born Jewish poet, playwright, stage director and actor in the languages Y ...
. The film was the first major success on screen for lead actor
Mike Burstyn
Michael Burstein ( he, מייק בורשטיין; born July 1, 1945) is an Israeli-American actor known onstage as Mike Burstyn. He was born in New York City to the late Yiddish-language actors, Pesach Burstein and Lillian Lux. His first cous ...
who has a double role as Kuni Leml and his cousin Max, and also casts his father
Pesach Burstein
Pesach "Peishachke" Burstein (April 15, 1896 – April 6, 1986) was a Polish-born American comedian, singer, coupletist, and director of Yiddish vaudeville/theater. He was honored with the Itzik Manger Prize in 1986. His wife Lillian Lux, and ...
in a small role. The film was selected as the Israeli entry for the
Best Foreign Language Film
This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards.
Best Actor/Best Actress
*See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress# ...
at the
39th Academy Awards
The 39th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1966, were held on April 10, 1967, at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California. They were hosted by Bob Hope.
Only two of the Best Picture nominees were nominated fo ...
, but was not accepted as a nominee.
[Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]
Plot
The local matchmaker (''
shadchan
The ''Shidduch'' ( he, שִׁדּוּךְ, pl. ''shidduchim'' , Aramaic ) is a system of matchmaking in which Jewish singles are introduced to one another in Orthodox Jewish communities for the purpose of marriage.
The practice
In the past an ...
''), Reb Kalman arranges a match for Carolina, the daughter of a wealthy client, Reb Pinchas. The daughter is already romantically linked with her teacher of French, Max. He arranges to show up in Kuni Lemel's place, disguised as Kuni Lemel, so he can marry Carolina. Confusion ensues as both Max and Kuni Lemel show up to court Carolina.
Cast
*
Mike Burstyn
Michael Burstein ( he, מייק בורשטיין; born July 1, 1945) is an Israeli-American actor known onstage as Mike Burstyn. He was born in New York City to the late Yiddish-language actors, Pesach Burstein and Lillian Lux. His first cous ...
as Max / Kuni Leml
* as Matchmaker
* as Matchmaker's Daughter (as Jermain Unikovsky)
*
Shmuel Rodensky
Shmuel Rodensky ( he, שמואל רודנסקי, 10 December 1902 – 16 July 1989) was a Russian-born Israeli actor whose stage, film, and television career in Israel and West Germany spanned six decades. He immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 19 ...
as Rebbe Pinchas
* as Rebbe Pinchas' Wife
* as Carolina, Rebbe Pinchas's Daughter
*
Aharon Meskin
Aharon Meskin ( he, אהרן מסקין, 1898–1974) was an Israeli stage actor.
Biography
Aharon Meskin was born in 1898 in Mogilev in the Russian Empire (now in Belarus). His parents were Moshe Meskin and Rashel Chasanov. Following the Russian ...
as Kuni Leml's Father
* as Max's Father
See also
*
List of submissions to the 39th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
*
References
External links
*
1966 films
1966 musical films
1960s Hebrew-language films
Yiddish-language films
Films about twin brothers
Israeli musical films
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