Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness (2011)
84%RT Audience Score: 68%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness serves as an effective primer on its subject, as well as an evocative portrait of the era in which he lived
Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness is a documentary that explores the life and works of the celebrated humorist and storyteller. It’s like a literary critic on steroids, giving us a deep analysis of Aleichem’s works and featuring experts and the writer’s granddaughter. The film strikes the perfect balance between the work and the man, and it’s a rich, winning documentary that’s perfect for anyone who cares about literature. Plus, the archival photographs of 19th-century Jewish life and of Sholem Aleichem himself are a treat for the eyes. Overall, it’s a must-watch for anyone who wants to learn more about this fascinating writer and his impact on Eastern European Jews.
Production Company(ies)
Deblokada Produkcija Coop99 Filmproduktion, Digital Cube
Distributor
International Film Circuit [us]
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Unrated
Year of Release
2011
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 33m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 8, 2011 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 9, 2013
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
Sholem Aleichem, Laughing in the Darkness, documentary, English, Joseph Dorman, Alan Rosenberg, Rachel Dratch, Bel Kaufman, Yiddish writer, Eastern European Jews, literary critic, PBS-style documentary, archival photographs, klezmer music, 19th-century Jewish life, writer’s granddaughter, deep analysis, prolific writings, language, culture, effective primer, evocative portrait, contradictory life, celebrated humorist, storyteller, complex world, box office, gross USA, limited release, International Film Circuit, reviewed by Kenneth Turan, Rick Groen, Anita Li, J.R Jones, Joe Williams, Bill Goodykoontz, Susan G Cole, Chris Knight, Clint O’Connor, Christopher Long, Shawn Levy, Sarah Boslaugh
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Rachel Dratch – Shayne Sheyndl (Voice)
Joseph Dorman – Director, Writer
Director(s)
Joseph Dorman
Writer(s)
Joseph Dorman
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (43)
The result is more than an examination of the contradictory life of the celebrated humorist and storyteller, it’s a compelling cinematic look at the complex world of Eastern European Jews.
September 23, 2020
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Not often does a film double as a literary critic, but this is the Northrop Frye of docs. Essentially, it revises and sharpens the blunted reputation of a great writer.
February 24, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Audiences interested in Jewish literature will find Laughing in the Darkness compelling for its deep analysis of Aleichem’s works, featuring a selection of experts and the writer’s granddaughter, Bel Kaufman.
February 23, 2012 | Rating: 2.5/4
Anita Li
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
[An] absorbing PBS-style documentary.
December 7, 2011
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Throughout the film, Dorman uses ethnographic and silent-cinema footage, along with ubiquitous klezmer music, to paint a picture of the era.
October 28, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
Joe Williams
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
A rich, winning documentary…
October 13, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Bill Goodykoontz
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
An important doc for anyone who cares about literature.
September 23, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Susan G. Cole
NOW Toronto
Dorman’s well-researched documentary is aided by numerous archival photographs, both of 19th-century Jewish life and of Sholem Aleichem himself.
September 23, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Chris Knight
National Post
Dorman’s documentary reveals how one man’s prolific writings could have such a profound effect on both assessing and advancing a language and a culture.
September 23, 2020 | Rating: A
Clint O’Connor
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Dorman strikes the perfect balance between the work and the man.
July 11, 2013 | Rating: 8/10
Christopher Long
Movie Metropolis
In the end, you’re certainly inspired to read Aleichem, but not necessarily to watch Dorman’s film again.
December 15, 2011 | Rating: B-
Shawn Levy
Oregonian
…. a thoughtful, if also conventional, overview of Aleichem’s life and work, mixing straight history and biography with quotations from his writings…
October 27, 2011 | Rating: 7/10
Sarah Boslaugh
Playback:stl…
Plot
A riveting portrait of the great writer whose stories became the basis of the Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof. Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness tells the tale of the rebellious genius who created an entirely new literature. Plumbing the depths of a Jewish world locked in crisis and on the cusp of profound change, he captured that world with brilliant humor. Sholem Aleichem was not just a witness to the creation of a new modern Jewish identity, but one of the very men who forged it.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features narration by actor Alan Rosenberg.
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