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This one was a serious cryer for me! It is 1973 on the brink of the Yom Kippur war in Israel when Syrian and Egyptian troops appear to be staging to attack Israel. It is an existential threat. Golda Meir, the Prime Minister of Israel is skeptical of the reports, as her defense minister and army hero Moshe Dayan. The scenes depicting the screams of the soldiers in battle as they realize how outgunned and outmaneuvered they are nearly broke me. Eventually, Ariel Sharon devises a plan to defend the country at the edge of the Suez Canal and miraculously, the Israelis win and hold the line. After a number of battles, Israel emerges from the war triumphant and lives to see another day, but Golda takes the lion's share of the blame in not having reacted right away. Though a commission eventually clears her of any accusations hanging over her head, this was the turning point in her political career from which she never recovered. Still, the film ends with her meeting Anwar Sadat of Egypt and making peace, and with her living to see the Camp David Accords.
At this time, this is a particularly extraordinary film to watch. Israel will never be destroyed by its enemies, will always be on the path of peace when there are partners whose charters do not call for its destruction and the murder of all Jews in the land, and will always dream of a day when they can live in harmony with their neighbors. And yes, the makeup turning Helen Mirren into Golda Meir was excellent.
May we all pray for peace.
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