We Were The Lucky Ones Review: Not Just Another Holocaust Show | Arts – Harvard Crimson
Posted By admin on April 20, 2024
We Were The Lucky Ones is a TV mini series following a Jewish family throughout the Holocaust up until they attempt to reunite post-war in 1945. Based on a book by Georgia Hunter in 2017, the adapted show features an all Jewish cast comprised of Joey King, Logan Lerman, Sam Woolf, and more.
In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, King said: There was a closeness because of, you know, this cast is Jewish and we all have our own story and connection with our family to this period of time in history.
This personal connection with the story not only shines through in the actors performance, but in the emotional impact and education the TV series hopes to provide for viewers as well. We Were The Lucky Ones emphasizes that its subject matter is based on a real story that affected real peoples lives, not just a dramatized period piece.
The first episode, Radom, opens on a black screen with white writing and a statistic of the percentage 90 percent of Polands three million Jews that were annihilated by the end of the Holocaust. The camera then cuts to Halina (Joey King) in the Red Cross office in a post-war Lodz. Halina receives a letter that the audience does not get to view, but the message clearly strikes a chord as the screen shifts to flashbacks from the war a montage device which is used many times throughout the show to express what characters are thinking or feeling. Viewers are then taken to seven years earlier, as the Kurc family assembles for Passover. Life is good and spirits are high, but the talks of a potential attack on Jewish businesses loom over their Passover seder. The story then jumps to Passover the following year in 1939, where the situation has grown progressively worse and the family discusses Germanys inevitable invasion of Poland. Jumping once again to Sept. 1, 1939, viewers watch as Germany invades Poland and the Kurc family is thrown into preparation for a life of oppression under Hitler.
The show is able to accurately and powerfully compile the complex set of emotions felt by the characters, taking viewers through the experience of Jewish grief, guilt, anger, shame, sadness, fear, pride, love, and at some moments even joy. The plot jumps between each family member as they come to terms with the fact that they are being hunted because they are Jewish. The violence that is portrayed is raw and real: Some scenes may be painful and traumatizing to watch for viewers with their own personal connection to the Holocaust. The violent imagery ranges anywhere from a rabbi being beaten on the streets of Radom to Jews being taken to dig their own graves in an open field before they are shot dead into them.
The show depicts the absolute worst of humanity while simultaneously reminding Jewish viewers how vital support of one another is the key to survival. Most importantly, it emphasizes how the Holocaust did not begin or end with the Nazis, but was aided along by regular people who were either indifferent or brainwashed by propaganda. The show excels at contrasting these two elements, especially in the depiction of the Lvov pogrom of 1941 in episode four titled Casablanca. In this scene, a Ukrainian nationalist group called the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists marches down the streets, grabbing and beating Jews up as they go while the camera briefly pans to soldiers driving behind in a car and taking pictures of the ensuing chaos. No one bothers to intervene while Jews scream as they are beaten to death.
There are some scenes throughout the series where the romantic plot lines feel a bit forced. An example of this is in episode two, Lvov, where Bella (Eva Feiler) and Halina are making the dangerous journey from Radom to Lvov and have a drawn out conversation about their relationships with Jakob (Amit Rahav) and Adam (Sam Woolf). They had just survived crossing into Soviet territory and were discovered by soldiers who take them back to a base where they stay for the night. They escaped what they thought was their certain death, yet their first topic of conversation is about their boyfriends who are awaiting their arrival in Lvov. The conversation felt unnecessary compared to other scenes that portray how the war affected relationships for better or for worse.
However, the scenes are not completely obsolete, as they introduce the possibility of joy and happiness as a form of resistance in dark times. This is evident when the girls reach Lvov later in episode two and Bella and Jakob decide to get married in a secret ceremony. The series also shows the toll the war takes on some couples like Genek (Henry Lloyd-Hughes) and Herta (Moran Rosenblatt), who consistently disagree about how situations should be handled which ultimately makes their experience in a Soviet work camp in Siberia more difficult.
Other aspects of We Were The Lucky Ones that felt out of place were the generic Eastern European accent that the main actors donned. While each actors accent was consistent throughout the show, they differed somewhat between characters a consequence of poor dialect coaching. Although most of the main characters in the show are Polish Jews, it was unclear where their accents originated from. The characters of other nationalities primarily spoke their native language or had more distinct accents in English, like in the case of the Soviet soldiers or Brazilian ambassador to France, Luis Martins de Souza Dantas.
There were also parts of the script that sounded too modern for the time period. In one example, Addy (Logan Lerman) is performing on the ship to Rio de Janeiro and he first meets his love interest, Eliska (Lihi Kornowski), and asks her if his performance has lived up to the hype, a phrase that did not gain popularity until the 1970s in the United States. Despite these small shortcomings, it is important to remember the point of this show is not for entertainment but rather education. When viewed as such, these minor details do not detract from the message the show hopes to drive across.
We Were The Lucky Ones adds to a plethora of Holocaust television and films in a different way than what audiences have seen before. It aims to show all sides, all emotions, and all situations through one familys true story. Rich or poor, Orthodox or secular, escapee or detainee, the characters attempt to represent them all. Additionally, the show tries to humanize the characters as much as possible in such dehumanizing conditions. Finally, We Were The Lucky Ones conveys how even in the darkest of times the Jewish spirit prevails.
Here is the original post:
We Were The Lucky Ones Review: Not Just Another Holocaust Show | Arts - Harvard Crimson
- Abortion and Holocaust | News, Sports, Jobs - Williamsport Sun-Gazette [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- Rehiring of principal who refused to call Holocaust a fact to be reconsidered - Palm Beach Post [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- This school principal refuses to call the Holocaust a fact. A Jewish youth group is fighting back. - Forward [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- Sacha Baron Cohen Broke Tradition on Borat 2 by Revealing His Identity to Holocaust Survivor - IndieWire [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- Union Station to host Holocaust exhibit this summer | University News - University News [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- Holocaust survivor Eva Kor honored with mural - The Herald [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- The Holocaust-surviving violins that endured atrocities to tell a vital story - Classic FM [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- Holocaust survivor shares story to promote change and unity - KEZI TV [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- Germany to give $662 million to Holocaust survivors struggling during the coronavirus pandemic - CBS News [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- Saul & Ruby's Holocaust Survivor Band Performance and Q&A - jewishboston.com [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- Twitter follows Facebook on removing posts that deny the Holocaust - CNBC [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- Twitter intends to remove posts denying the Holocaust - Cleveland Jewish News [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- Facebook, Twitter on the Right Side of History With Bans on Holocaust Denial - InsideSources [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- History repeats itself: A Holocaust survivor reflects on the election - Forward [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2020]
- Adjaye says Holocaust Memorial is a 'crescendo of the moment' - Building Design [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2020]
- Tommy Schnurmacher: My parents survived the Holocaust I can get through a pandemic - Montreal Gazette [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2020]
- Seton Hill to display never-before-seen photos of Holocaust massacre - TribLIVE [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2020]
- Garden honors young victims, survivors of Holocaust - liherald.com [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2020]
- Point of View: Facebook, Twitter on the right side of history with bans on Holocaust denial - Palm Beach Post [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2020]
- How a Holocaust survivor helped me find love and hope during the pandemic - New York Post [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2020]
- 'Becoming a Witness': Teen paints portraits of Holocaust survivors during pandemic - ABC News [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2020]
- Opinion: Facebook, Twitter on the Right Side of History With Bans on Holocaust Denial - Prescott eNews [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2020]
- An anti-Semitic cake, a Holocaust survivor and a whole lot of Hebrew: All the Jewish moments in 'Borat 2' - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2020]
- This 92-year-old Holocaust survivor has a warning for America about Donald Trump | Opinion - The News Journal [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2020]
- After Ottawa monument is vandalized, Ontario adopts International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's 'working definition of anti-Semitism' -... [Last Updated On: October 28th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 28th, 2020]
- World attention towards holocaust in Kashmir sought - The News International [Last Updated On: October 28th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 28th, 2020]
- US Holocaust Museum Reopens to Public With Reduced Visitation - The DC Post [Last Updated On: October 28th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 28th, 2020]
- The Victims of Trumps Family Separation Policy Will Not Be Fine - Slate [Last Updated On: October 28th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 28th, 2020]
- South Jersey Holocaust Coalition hosts online program with daughter of Holocaust survivors - nj.com [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- November 8, 1866: Commemorating The Holocaust Of The Arkadi Monastery - GreekCityTimes.com [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- Florida Holocaust Museum reopens Monday after being closed for eight months due to the pandemic - ABC Action News [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- My Family, the Holocaust and Me, BBC1, review: An emotional and timely film from Robert Rinder - iNews [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- At virtual vigil, speakers apply lessons of 1938 Nazi violence to today - The Keene Sentinel [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- Holocaust History: Raising Awareness of the Significance of the Holocaust Among Young People - Maine Public [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- 'Never again:' Research helps raise impact of Holocaust education - Nebraska Today [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- Jesuit Catholic priest pens book about his orders complicity in the Holocaust - The Times of Israel [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- My Family, the Holocaust and Me with Robert Rinder review remarkably moving TV - The Guardian [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- A question rarely asked: Would I have survived the Holocaust? - Forward [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- Florida principal refused to call the Holocaust a 'historical event,' appealed termination and was fired again - USA TODAY [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- Holocaust survivors in Northeast Ohio reflect on concerning new study - WKYC.com [Last Updated On: November 11th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 11th, 2020]
- Former Oklahoma state representatives call on OU to surrender 'poisoned art' stolen from Holocaust survivor - The Oklahoma Daily [Last Updated On: December 5th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 5th, 2020]
- 6 prominent Holocaust survivors have died in Europe over the past month - Cleveland Jewish News [Last Updated On: December 5th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 5th, 2020]
- Wife of WWII Vet Who Died of COVID Has 1 Request: Wear a Mask in Honor of Marty - NBC10 Boston [Last Updated On: December 5th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 5th, 2020]
- Spiritual Side: Holocaust education at St. Peter Catholic School - The West Volusia Beacon [Last Updated On: December 19th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 19th, 2020]
- MARK BENNETT: 'We'll get through it,' Holocaust witness, WWII vet says of pandemic - Terre Haute Tribune Star [Last Updated On: December 19th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 19th, 2020]
- From the Pages of Orlando Weekly: Holocaust Memorial Center Exhibit "Uprooting Prejudice: Faces of Change" - WMFE [Last Updated On: December 19th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 19th, 2020]
- Holocaust survivors honored with online event amid pandemic - The Associated Press [Last Updated On: December 19th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 19th, 2020]
- Trump taps Giulianis son for membership on the Holocaust Memorial Council. - The New York Times [Last Updated On: December 19th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 19th, 2020]
- The lesson of 2020 and 1965: The right to vote is precious and powerful - Milford Daily News [Last Updated On: January 4th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 4th, 2021]
- Doherty: Goodbye and thank you to constituents - Pamplin Media Group [Last Updated On: January 4th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 4th, 2021]
- Opinion | The Holocaust Stole My Youth. Covid-19 Is Stealing My Last Years. - The New York Times [Last Updated On: January 4th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 4th, 2021]
- Holocaust Memorial Center hosts 'Soap Myth' online reading and discussion - The Detroit News [Last Updated On: January 8th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 8th, 2021]
- The Holocaust Separated This Little Girl And Her Best Friend. Eighty Years Later, The Florida Holocaust Museum Reunited Them. - WMFE [Last Updated On: January 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 18th, 2021]
- Holocaust survivor Sam Weinreb dies at 94 | TribLIVE.com - TribLIVE [Last Updated On: January 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 18th, 2021]
- How legacies of the Holocaust should inform health care - American Medical Association [Last Updated On: January 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 18th, 2021]
- The Jerusalem Quartet to Join With New West Symphony Members for Exclusive Holocaust Remembrance Musical Events - Business Wire [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2021]
- CNN partners with the UN, UNESCO and the IHRA for Holocaust Commemoration Day - CNN Press Room [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2021]
- Holocaust commission gets new life; atrocities to be recalled this week in Texas, San Antonio - San Antonio Express-News [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2021]
- Her family survived the Holocaust, but terror found them in their new home - The Gazette [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2021]
- International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2021: 'I Only Wanted to Live' by Mimmo Calopresti - University of Arkansas Newswire [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2021]
- How Shanghai saved thousands of Jews from the Holocaust - CNA [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2021]
- Holocaust Survivor Q&A on Feb. 11 via Zoom | University of Arkansas - University of Arkansas Newswire [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2021]
- 'Hate Never Disappears. It Just Takes a Break for a While.' Why the U.S. Capitol Attack Makes Holocaust Remembrance Day More Important Than Ever -... [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2021]
- 99-year-old Montreal man credits luck for surviving the Holocaust - CTV News Montreal [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- Jenrick announces free admission to the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial - GOV.UK [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- Its not as bad: Holocaust survivor compares the pandemic lockdown to one that was far worse - Global News [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- Survivors set to gather at Auschwitz this week for Holocaust Remembrance Week - NewsWest9.com [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- Digital Exclusive: The importance of remembering the Holocaust - KCAU 9 [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- Florida's Vaccine Rollout Woes, Remembering The Holocaust, Why The Obsession With Orchids? - WLRN [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- Six HGI Events Begin with Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 - Manhattan College News [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- Local Air Force veteran remembers his time in the Holocaust - KATC Lafayette News [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- Holocaust survivor from Plattsburgh reflects on trip to Auschwitz and the pandemic - North Country Public Radio [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- Daughter of Holocaust survivor spreads message of awareness, education - WZZM13.com [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- She survived the Holocaust. Now, shes getting the COVID-19 vaccine - 9News.com KUSA [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- Holocaust Memorial Day: They were rescued from deportation. Now, Jewish orphans reunite. - USA TODAY [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- A London museum wants to challenge common perceptions of the Holocaust - CNN [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- US witnessed 'echoes of the Holocaust' during breach of the Capitol, says concentration camp survivor - UN News [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- File: Holocaust remembrance - Council of Europe [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- The Oscar Schindler Story [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2021]
- Holocaust Museums teddy bear and train set carry the weight of genocide - Houston Chronicle [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2021]
Comments