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The Long Way Home |  | Director: Mark Jonathan Harris
Actors: Morgan Freeman, Edward Asner, Sean Astin, Martin Landau, Miriam Margolyes
Studio: Vanguard Cinema
Category: DVD
Buy New: $224.98
as of 2/9/2010 22:53 EST details
New (1) Used (4) from $89.00
Seller: collectors_shangri-la
Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 167996
Format: Black & White, Color, DVD, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 120 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
ISBN: 6305933634
UPC: 658769003833
EAN: 9781892649539
ASIN: 6305933634
Theatrical Release Date: September 19, 1997
Release Date: August 1, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com
As Allied troops liberated Nazi concentration camps in the final weeks of World War II, the trials of the Jews in Europe were hardly over. The end of the war brought extreme deprivation and even, in some places, further violence directed against survivors of the Holocaust. This documentary tells the story of the struggle European Jews faced in trying to reach Palestine, which they hoped would become the new Jewish homeland. Archival footage documents how Jews literally walked across snow-clogged mountain passes to reach the Mediterranean. In Italian ports they boarded overcrowded freighters and tried to slip past the blockage of Palestine, which was then controlled by Britain. The physical hardships were only part of the problem, and The Long Way Home does a fine job of describing the complicated political dealings that involved the United Nations, the U.S. administration of Harry Truman, and, of course, the Arab states that were hostile to the very idea of the country of Israel. Drawing on letters, diaries, and oral histories of participants, as well as interviews with Holocaust survivors and those who volunteered to help the fledgling Zionist state, an inspiring human story of courage and fortitude emerges in the course of this moving and fascinating film. --Robert J. McNamara
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 19
 Moving documentary January 5, 2010
Westley (Stuck in my head)
"The Long Way Home" (1997) tells the story of what happened to many Jewish survivors of the holocaust. Between their "liberation" by allied forces in 1945 and the formation of the state of Israel in 1948, many were held as "DPs" (displaced persons) in camps throughout Europe. In many cases, they were detained in the same camp in Germany in which they had spent the holocaust and often under very similar conditions. Many Jews died in these camps after the liberation, as the world stuggled to determine what to do with the thousands of survivors. The concept of a Jewish state or homeland started to gain traction, leading in 1948 to the formation of the state of Israel. However, these 3 years were filled with turmoil for most survivors. Through interviews with survivors and the use of archival footage, "The Long Way Home" recounts this difficult journey.
This documentary does an excellent job of simplifying the complex political story behind these years. I've read several accounts of this time period previously and come away somewhat confused by the political complexities. "The Long Way Home" is obviously told from the perspective of the Jewish people, with a focus on their suffering during this period; any anti-Israeli sentiments are given little emphasis. However, even with this drawback, it's an important documentary.
I have a few minor quibbles with how this documentary is presented. First, numerous quotes from survivors are presented; however, these quotes are read by movie actors without any indication of the name of their source. By not identifying their source, it makes the survivors that much more faceless. Second, the documentary is often lax about presenting dates and details that would help put the story into greater context. However, overall, "The Long Way Home" is a moving and effective document about an important time in our recent history that has often been given short shrift in other documentaries. The film was awarded the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, winning over Spike Lee's acclaimed "4 little Girls." Lee has been critical of "The Long Way Home," claiming that the second half of the movie was little more than Pro-Israeli propaganda; see the film and judge for yourself.
 Insightful documentary on post-liberation period to the birth of Israel October 29, 2009
z hayes (plano,texas)
Though I've watched numerous documentaries and feature films dealing with the Holocaust, I have not seen many about the post-liberation period, and "The Long Way Home" proved to be a compelling watch. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1997, "The Long Way Home" traces the journey of survivors of the Holocaust in the post-liberation period in 1945 till the founding of the state of Israel in 1948. Morgan Freeman is the main narrator and does an excellent job in stirring one's emotions though this painful, arduous and epic journey. There are other narrators that convey the feelings and experiences of the various survivors, and testimonies by actual survivors such as Israel Lau, Chief Rabbi of Israel at the time.
Throughout the documentary, there are countless archival footage of events such as the discovery of the death camps by the liberating forces, the torment of the survivors as they discover how many of their family members have been decimated, and the long process towards finding a real home of their own in Eretz Israel, which was not smooth sailing, but fraught with obstacles. This documentary would make a great teaching tool for high school and college students, and runs about 2 hours. A historically relevant and compelling watch.
Clear and thorough January 28, 2009
Richard Libowitz (Philadelphia, PA USA)
This Academy Award winning documentary traces the events between the end of the war in Europe, in spring of 1945, to the declaration of Israel's statehood in May 1948, revealing the continuing harrowing experiences of the concentration camp survivors, who had neither homes nor families to which they could return and were prevented from going to the land of Israel. The excellent narration by Morgan Freeman and the cast of readers supplements the interviews and graphic pictorals. Highly recommended.
After the happy ending May 18, 2008
David Bonesteel (Fresno, CA United States)
Much has been said of the Holocaust, but these stories usually end with the liberation of the Jews from the concentration camps. This remarkable documentary fills in the missing piece between this period and the creation of the state of Israel. It was an excruciatingly difficult transition. From the concentration camps, the Jews went to displaced persons camp because they could not return to their old ways of life. These camps were scarcely an improvement. As one survivor states, "The Nazis killed us, but the Allies do not let us live." Anti-Semitic feelings remained strong among the people of surrounding countries as well as the ranks of the Allies themselves. The Jews began to work toward a homeland and many survivors made the difficult journey to Palestine, only to be blocked by the British, who still administrated that land in these final years of their colonial empire, and sent to still other camps on the island of Cyprus. The film also covers the debate in the United Nations concerning Israel, the strong support from U.S. President Harry Truman despite ambivalence among his Cabinet, and the opposition of the Arabs.
Featuring incredible archival footage, fascinating interviews, and skilled actors performing the testimonies of eyewitnesses, this important film casts light on a period of world history that is often glossed over.
Historial moving. March 7, 2008
Steve D. Howell (Allen, Texas United States)
This video covers the period of the Jewish people in Europe from 1945 to the creation of the State of Israel. Its a moving story that few people are familiar with. It tells the story how the Jewish people after surviving the hell of the holocaust were forced to fight against the British for entry into their own homeland. I highly recommend this film.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 19
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