By Nate Bloom
Contributing Columnist
A Very Big ‘Wicked’ Sequel, “Now You See #3” and Lee Grant Bios
“Wicked for Good” is a film that opens in theaters on Nov. 21. Of course, it’s a sequel to the “Wicked” film that came out in 2024 and made an astonishing $750M(!) worldwide. The sequel will surely be a big hit too.
Here’s the ‘Jewish breakdown’ of the new movie: the screenplay was co-written by WINNIE HOLZMAN, 71; she also co-wrote the first “Wicked” movie and co-wrote the original Broadway show; STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, 77, wrote the stage musical songs and co-wrote story of the original theater play; and he wrote new songs for the two films; JEFF GOLDBLUM, 72, plays the Wizard of Oz in both “Wicked” films; and ETHAN SLATER, 33, plays the Boq Woodsman in both “Wicked” films.
Musical critics, and most “average” viewers, will never say that Schwartz’s songs are quite as good as the songs in the original “Wizard of Oz” film (1939). The composers of those songs were Jewish: HAROLD ARLEN (music) and E. Y. “YIP” HARBURG (lyrics). These two guys wrote a score that remains remarkably wonderful to this day and age.
Schwartz is undoubtedly a top contemporary musical composer. He’s won three Oscars (musical categories) and he’s been nominated nine times for an Oscar. Here’s some of the hits that he wrote: “Godspell” (stage), “Pippin” (stage), “Pocahontas” (film); “Prince of Egypt” (film); “Enchanted” (film); and the “Hunchback of Notre Dame” (film).
I’m happy that the songs for the three most popular Oz musical films were written by Jewish guys. (Feel free to kvell about this!)
Here’s a catch-up: “Now You See Me, Now You Don’t” opened in theaters last Friday (Nov. 14). It’s going to be in theaters for a while. It’s the 3rd film in a series of films (2013 and 2016).
Here’s the premise: The Four Horsemen (three good guys & a good gal) reunite to recruit three skilled illusionists for a high-stakes heist involving the theft of the world’s largest queen diamond from a powerful family crime syndicate.
This is a “very Jewish” movie: three of the four ‘horsemen’ are played by Jewish actors: JESSE EISENBERG, 42, as Danny Atlas; DAVE FRANCO, 40, as Jack Wilder; and ISLA FISHER, 49, as Henley Reeves.
Woody Harrelson is the only non-Jewish actor playing one of the Four Horseman.
RUBEN FLEISCHER, 51, directed the movie. His biggest hits, to date, are “Zombieland” (2009) and “Zombieland, Double Tap” (2019). Jesse Eisenberg starred in both films.
You may wonder about ARIANA GREENBLATT, 18. She has a supporting role in the “Now You See Me” film and she’s talented. She has a ‘very Jewish’ last name, but her only Jewish grandparent is her paternal grandfather. I have this info from good sources — “lazy” sources often say her father is Jewish.
Last week, I said I would discuss the life and career of LEE GRANT this week. I’ll begin by saying that she was born Lyova Haskell Rosenthal and that she just celebrated her 100th birthday.
I’ve come to realize that her life demands much more than a short column item. She is still active. She acted for decades, won an Oscar and then she became an acclaimed documentary filmmaker — and she directed a documentary that won an Oscar! How do I summarize?
Here are three really good biographical sources on Grant that are now (free) on the internet: (1) Search for ‘Be Kind, Rewind’ (channel) and, in your internet search, add Lee Grant to the channel title. Full bio title is “Lee Grant Overcame the Blacklist and won an Oscar.” (2) A 2014 Grant interview — when she was “just” 89! Search for the “92Y” channel. The interview is entitled: “Lee Grant on Valley of the Dolls, Being on the Hollywood Blacklist,” and (3) A very recent interview on “Life Stories” (channel name). Program name: “Lee Grant Interview from Hollywood Blacklist to Oscar.”
Lee Grant got an Oscar nomination (supporting actress) for the very first film she made — “Detective Story” (1951). She played a semi-comical character — a young woman who was arrested for petty shoplifting. Sadly, Grant was blacklisted after “Detective Story” and she was in very few films from 1952 to 1965.
Some of her full, free films can be found on the internet. (You have to watch some ads). “Detective Story” is one of them. Simply search for “Detective Story” and it will come up. But act soon. It won’t be on the internet forever.
“Detective” is a terrific movie with many Jewish connections: the Broadway “Detective” movie was based on a play by SIDNEY KINGSLEY, a Pulitzer winner; character actor JOSEPH WISEMAN has a biggish role as a loony crook; and KIRK DOUGLAS stars as the detective. The film got four Oscar nominations — Grant was one. Another Oscar nomination went to WIILLIAM WYLER, a top Hollywood director.
