The Coen Brothers' recently released cinematic homage to the cowboys and gunslingers of the Old West places squarely within our sights the centrality of masculinity to the making of modern America.
Occasioning lots of commentary over the years, the transformation of the Jewish male has also been the subject of several hard-hitting contemporary documentaries. Over the course of the next few months GW's Program in Judaic Studies will partner with American University's Program in Jewish Studies to showcase three films that explore the relationship among brain, brawn and the Jewish male.
"Tough Guys," as we're calling the series, commences on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m., with a screening at American University of The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg (event details here). This profile of the legendary baseball player will be followed a few weeks later on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at American Unversity by a salute to prize-fighter Dmitriy Salita, whose boxing prowess along with his religiosity is explored in Orthodox Stance.
The series culminates on April 4 at 7 p.m. on GW's campus (Room 310, School of Media and Public Affairs) with a screening of Disturbing the Universe, an in-depth look at the career of legal tiger and brawler, William Kunstler, who had a fierce and fighting way with words.
Baseball, boxing, the law and Jewish men: Who can resist?
