Strange Fruit (2001) and the House I Live in
1945, G Directed by Joel Katz.
REVIEWED By Marjorie Baumgarten, Tue., Oct. 22, 2002
Billie Holiday's famous song about lynching (written by Bronx Jewish schoolteacher Abel Meeropol) is examined by contemporary artists and scholars, who comment on the history of black and Jewish relations in America. Filmmaker Joel Katz will be in attendance. Also included on the bill is the 10-minute Oscar-winning short, "The House I Live In," directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Frank Sinatra. In this sop to peacetime ecumenism, Sinatra forestalls some kids from beating up a Jewish boy and sings the movie's eponymous song (also written by Abel Meeropol).
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Strange Fruit (2001) and the House I Live in, Joel Katz