Join famed film critic, Mal Vincent for his 10th annual Hollywood tell-all Mal Vincent’s Pick: Cast a Giant Shadow

Monday, January 28, 7:15 pm
Naro Expanded Cinema, $10

Audiences line up each year at the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film to hear Mal Vincent dish juicy stories on some of America’s beloved classic film stars. As Virginian-Pilot’s entertainment editor for more than 20 years, and a local celebrity, Vincent is a mainstay in Tidewater classic cinema.

“People love old movies, and they love to be taken back to a different time,” Vincent says. In fact, Mal’s Classic Film Festival, held at Naro Expanded Cinema, has consistently sold out for 15 years.

For this year’s 10th annual Hollywood tell-all at the 26th Annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, Vincent will discuss the details behind Cast a Giant Shadow, a Hollywood account of American army expert David ‘Mickey Stone’ Marcus’s role in helping a brand new Israel Defense Forces in 1948.

Classic stars such as Kirk Douglas and Angie Dickinson fill the screen with Frank Sinatra and John Wayne in notable supporting roles in this quintessential war film of the golden Hollywood era. “It was kind of Hollywood’s way of coming forth almost instantly and saying ‘we support Israel,’” Vincent says as he discusses what makes Cast a Giant Shadow so special—a declaration of support for a state in its infancy.

In the film, distinguished U.S. Col. David Marcus (Kirk Douglas) is enlisted by the Israelis to perform the difficult task of preparing their nation for battle against the Arabs. Before long, he feuds with the local leaders, quits his post, and goes home to his pregnant wife (Angie Dickinson) in the United States. However, Marcus, who is Jewish, soon has a crisis of faith and decides to return to duty to help the untrained Israelis form an army.

With stories about his personal encounters with Kirk Douglas, John Wayne, and other actors from this all-star cast, Mal Vincent is sure to bring even more intrigue to his 10th annual Hollywood tell-all.