Giddy for Gitl: 'Hester Street' (1975) and its Timeless Charms with Sharyn Rothstein

For this cycle's "Mise-Unseen" entry, Julian, Emilio and Madeline fire up 'Hester Street', Joan Micklin Silver's overlooked and under-appreciated film from 1975 depicting the struggles one Jewish family, recently immigrants to the United States, face while assimilating to life in their new homeland at the turn of the century. The trio comment on the film's unique depiction of New York City (particularly in relation to when it was first released), the unusual complexity that most characters are given, how centering Gitl's journey gives the film a strong emotional core, the film's unexpected humor, its portrayal of the working class Jewish immigrant experience class, and why this movie and its story feel so unique. They then have a great chat with Sharyn Rothstein, an accomplished writer who recently adapted 'Hester Street' for the stage, and discuss what was meaningful to her about this story, what details from the film spoke to her, and what the stage production does to modernize and reshape the story for today's audiences. It's a deep dive into an unsung 1970s NYC film you won't want to miss! Sharyn Rothstein is an award winning playwright, teacher, and writer for television. Her play "Bad Books" is currently running at Roundhouse Theater in Bethesda, Maryland through April 27th. Follow her and her work at www.sharynrothstein.net If you enjoy our podcast, please rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice. This really helps us find new listeners and grow! Follow us on IG and TikTok: @sleeplesscinematicpod Send us an email at sleeplesscinematicpod@gmail.com On Letterboxd? Follow Julian at julian_barthold and Madeline at patronessofcats