Introduction

Golda is a 2023 biographical drama film directed by Guy Nattiv and written by Nicholas Martin.

The film depicts the life of Golda Meir, the 4th Prime Minister of Israel, particularly during the Yom Kippur War (1973). It stars Helen Mirren, Camille Cottin and Liev Schreiber.

Outline

In October 1973, Mossad receives intelligence implying that Egypt and Syria are preparing to commence a military campaign against Israel, which is promptly relayed to the Israeli prime minister, Golda Meir. Golda is dismissive of the intelligence, noting her inability to initiate a counter-plan sans the support of her defence minister, Moshe Dayan, who too, is equally speculative.

On 06 October, the day of Yom Kippur, Golda’s inner circle informs her that Egypt has amassed a large force opposite the Suez Canal, concluding that hostilities would begin by sundown. Although realising her tardiness in preparing early, Golda refuses to make a pre-emptive move, instead ordering a partial mobilisation to face the threat; nevertheless, she is surprised when the attack commences early. Elsewhere, Dayan, who is sent to inspect the Golan Heights, is horrified to discover that Syria has launched a thorough attack against the ill-prepared Israeli troops. Dazed, he attempts to resign, but Golda talks him out of it, nonetheless, she loses her confidence in him.

Between 07-08 October, with Egypt and Syria making gains into Israel, Israeli Defence Force (IDF) chief of staff Lieutenant General David Elazar proposes to relieve Israeli fortifications in the Sinai Peninsula using the 162nd Division led by Major General Avraham Adan. Despite opposition from Mossad chief Zvi Zamir, the plan proceeds, but the Egyptians defeat the Israeli force. The next day, with the Syrian offensive having slowed, Dayan proposes an air strike on Damascus to put pressure on Egypt. However, with a shortage of planes, the IAF is unable to proceed; in response, Golda requests US secretary of state Henry Kissinger to provide surplus jets, which he reluctantly agrees to.

On the fifth day, amidst increasing tensions, Major General Ariel Sharon proposes an operation to cross the canal using the 143rd Division to challenge the Egyptian Second and Third Armies. Zvi informs Golda that the Egyptian 4th and 21st Divisions would cross the canal in two days, leaving Cairo undefended in the event of an attack. Per the intelligence, the Egyptians cross the canal and are met with resistance from Israeli tank forces led by Lieutenant General Haim Bar-Lev and are defeated.

On 15 October, Sharon’s forces cross the canal at an undefended point called the “Chinese Farm”. They are ambushed by Egyptian units, regardless, they maintain their positions. Meanwhile, Elazar prepares to barricade the Third Army by cutting Suez from Cairo, which would accordingly force Egypt into negotiations. Concurrently, Kissinger pays a private visit to Golda and urges her to accept a ceasefire. Golda proceeds with her plan anyway, which finally forces Egypt into talks.

By the twentieth day, both sides agree to the further diplomatic talks and to exchange POWs, effectively concluding the conflict. However, Zvi privately informs Golda that IDF military intelligence chief Eli Zeira had neglected to properly monitor signals intelligence from the Egyptian side, which allowed Israel to be attacked unaware; although appalled, she chooses to bear the blame instead. Despite the victory, the conflict’s intensity inflicts an emotional toll on the aged Golda, who is stricken with cancer.

One year later, in 1974, Golda testifies before the Agranat Commission for her conduct in the war. She states off-the-record that despite her initial uncertainty, she genuinely felt war was certain. Four years later, on 08 October 1978, a bedridden Golda dies watching footage of her meeting with Egyptian president Anwar Sadat a year earlier.

The film’s monologue informs that the commission cleared Golda of any wrongdoing and that she lived to see the signing of the Camp David Accords, the first formal measures of peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

Cast

• Government of Israel:
  • Helen Mirren as Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel
  • Camille Cottin as Lou Kaddar, private secretary to Golda Meir
  • Rami Heuberger as Moshe Dayan, Minister of Defense for Israel
  • Rotem Keinan as Zvi Zamir, Director of Mossad
  • Emma Davies as Miss Epstein, a typist in the Prime Minister’s Office
• Israel Defence Forces:
  • Lior Ashkenazi as Lieutenant General David “Dado” Elazar, the Chief of Staff, IDF
  • Dominic Mafham as Lieutenant General Haim Bar-Lev, Commander, Southern Command
  • Dvir Benedek as Major General Eli Zeira, Director of Military Intelligence
  • Ed Stoppard as Major General Benny Peled, Commander of the Israeli Air Force
  • Ohad Knoller as Major General Ariel “Arik” Sharon, Commander, 143rd Division, IDF
• United States Department of State:
  • Liev Schreiber as Henry Kissinger, United States Secretary of State
  • Jaime Ray Newman as Henry Kissinger’s secretary

Production

Development

In April 2021, it was announced Helen Mirren was set to star, with Guy Nattiv to direct, a screenplay by Nicholas Martin. In November 2021, Camille Cottin, Rami Heuberger, Lior Ashkenazi, Ellie Piercy, Ed Stoppard, Rotem Keinan, Dvir Benedek, Dominic Mafham, Ben Caplan, Kit Rakusen and Emma Davies joined the cast. In January 2022, Liev Schreiber announced his involvement.

Filming

Principal photography began on 08 November 2021, in London, United Kingdom.

Casting Controversy

In January 2022, British actress Maureen Lipman criticised the casting of Helen Mirren in the film on account of her not being Jewish, stating: “I’m sure she will be marvellous, but it would never be allowed for Ben Kingsley to play Nelson Mandela. You just couldn’t even go there.” The following month, Mirren responded by saying Lipman was “utterly legitimate” to criticise her casting, and she had discussed the decision to cast her in the film with director Nattiv.

Release

In July 2021, Bleecker Street and ShivHans Pictures acquired US distribution rights to the film. In August 2023, Vertical Entertainment acquired UK and Irish distribution rights in partnership with MetFilm Distribution. It had its world premiere at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival on 20 February 2023. It also screened at the Jerusalem Film Festival on 13 July 2023. It was released in Israel on 24 August 2023, by United King Films, and in the US the next day, on 25 August 2023. The film is scheduled to be released theatrically in the UK and Ireland on 06 October 2023.

Box Office

In the United States and Canada, Golda was released alongside Gran Turismo, The Hill, and Retribution, and is projected to gross around $1 million from 883 theatres in its opening weekend.

Trivia

• Helen Mirren would spend 3.5 hours in the makeup chair to be transformed into Golda.
• The song at the end of the movie is “Who by Fire” by Leonard Cohen.
  • It is based on a prayer said by Jews during the High Holidays – most notably Yom Kippur – called “Unetanneh Tokef” (“Let us speak of the awesomeness”).
  • The song is further relevant to the theme of the movie because Cohen travelled to Israel in October 1973 to perform a series of concerts, which inspired him to write this song which appeared on his 1974 album, “New Skin for the Old Ceremony.”
  • This period in Cohen’s career is discussed in a book titled “Who by Fire” by Matti Friedman (2022), as well as many other podcasts and articles.
• Viewers who know little about the life history of Golda Meir may be surprised to hear the British actress Helen Mirren performing the role of an Israeli prime minster with an American accent.
  • In fact, Meir, who was born in present-day Ukraine, grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after her family immigrated to the US when she was about eight years old.
  • The elementary school she attended, Fourth Street School, is now called the Golda Meir School for Gifted and Talented Students.
  • She stayed in the USs until her early twenties, when she made aliyah (immigrated) to the land then known as Palestine.
• The cabinet room is an exact replica of the cabinet meeting room which currently resides in the Kirya base in Tel-Aviv.
  • The house in which it resides was built in 1930 by a couple who fled the country after WWII broke out, at which point the British military seized it.
  • In 1948, David Ben-Gurion decided it would become the official residence of the government.
  • In 2006, after Ariel Sharon’s final term as prime minister, the official residence of the government moved from the house, and after being preserved and renovated it now serves as a visitor centre of the general staff of the IDF.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Guy Nattiv
• Producer(s):
  • Andrew Boswell … executive producer: Lipsync Productions
  • Mark Charendoff … executive producer
  • Libby D’Arcy … associate producer
  • Jamie Diner … executive producer
  • Christopher Figg … executive producer
  • Maya Fischer … producer: Israel
  • Gavin Glendinning … associate producer
  • Julie Goldstein … executive producer
  • Gal Greenspan … producer: Israel
  • Hugo Grumbar … executive producer
  • Jenny Halper … executive producer
  • Peter Hampden … executive producer
  • Tim Haslam … executive producer
  • Jane Hooks … producer (produced by)
  • Ian Hutchinson … executive producer
  • Andrew Karpen … executive producer
  • Daniel Kilroy … archive producer
  • Michael Kuhn … producer (produced by)
  • Roi Kurland … producer: Israel
  • Nicholas Martin … producer (produced by)
  • Norman Merry … executive producer
  • Hilton Nathanson … executive producer
  • Louise Nathanson … executive producer
  • Keren Noyman … line producer: Israel
  • Celine Rattray … executive producer
  • Shivani Rawat … executive producer
  • Malcolm Ritchie … executive producer
  • Kent Sanderson … executive producer
  • Roni Shamis-Cohen … co-producer: Israel (as Roni Shamiss)
  • Derek Tan … co-producer
  • Sayoko Teitelbaum … co-producer
  • Saskia Thomas … executive producer
  • Anna Vincent … executive producer
  • Robert Whitehouse … executive producer
• Writer(s):
  • Nicholas Martin
• Music:
  • Dascha Dauenhauer
• Cinematography:
  • Jasper Wolf … director of photography
• Editor(s):
  • Arik Lahav-Leibovich … (as Arik Lahav Leibovich)
• Production:
  • Embankment Films (financing)
  • Hianlo (in association with)
  • Maven Screen Media
  • Piccadilly Pictures
  • Qwerty Films
  • ShivHans Pictures
  • New Native Pictures (produced by)
• Distributor(s):
  • Bleecker Street Media (US)
• Release Date: 20 February 2023 (Berlin International Film Festival, Germany).
• Running Time: 100 minutes.
• Rating: 12A.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link(s)