DarrenBarefoot.com

I was just doing a seach about the Sword Of Gideon and Munich to see if anyone else put 2 and 2 together. along with VENGENCE, I believe there was also a book called “The Hit Team” but I am unable to locate it. It may have been a movie but I seem to recall a book. In my searches I have found several other books on the subject, check google. MUNICH was a little long and slow but that’s what happens when you accurately portray a long and slow process.

[Reply]

Just saw the movie and I enjoyed it, if that is the right word, given the solemn nature of the content. I, too, remembered seeing the original and remembering that it was a very good movie. It is interesting that noone else seems to acknowledge the fact that “Munich” is a remake. Still, Spielberg does make his point about the futility of revenge, regardless of one’s point of view.

[Reply]

I too looked up the movie, “Sword of Gideon” to check my memory of a better movie treatment of the history. “Munich” to me lacked even flow of narrative and character development. Among other scenes, the scene where the boats are coming in full of commandos looked as though it was from a James Bond episode; but there were others that were pure artistry…. the last scene where the main character is asking his manager/contact to come home with him to “break bread”. The whole thing was uneven. Whereas the earlier movie was more gripping. Did anyone out there, besides the people in the audience where I watched “Munich”, think that the nudity and crude intimacy were unnecessary and detracted from the story? That was all the conversation I overheard out in the lobby.

[Reply]

It took me awhile to finally find someone who actually references this film. Despite some flaws, “Sword of Gideon” had an impact on how I viewed (through the eyes of a teenager) terrorism and how a nation responds. I’m still amazed that none of the Munich’s critics or supporters (including respected columists in the New York Times and Washington Post) have even hinted that this story has already been told and make it sound as though Spielberg created someting unique.

As with many things in life, timing is everything.

[Reply]

I was very surprised to see a remake of a movie I’d seen years ago… and even more surprised that I’ve seen absolutely no reference to ‘Sword of Gideon’ in any reviews I’ve read. Hardly an original or creative idea from Spielberg… it looks like what Hollywood does best these days is serve up warmed over roast beef and market it as ‘prime chateaubriand’.

[Reply]

Knock off the nudity it was nothing. Spirelberg’s version was good, not great. I enjoyed “The Sword…” more. There was a scene, after the agent was killed on the bench (Spielberg had him killed by the water) that took two agents up to their apartment. The bomb expert asked all to leave and found 2 of 3 bombs. The third killed him. Spielberg chose not to “remake” this scene. It was one of the best in the original movie.
I knew, sitting in the theatre, calling the scenes that I had seen this. Spielberg remade Sword the way they remade Psycho. The difference was he chose not to give credit to an excellent original.
Age must be catching up with him. War of the worlds was inferior to the original. Munich had no edge to its Sword.

[Reply]

I was really amazed to see how closely “Munich” followed the same plot development as “Sword”. I walked out of the theater and told my fiancee that I had seen this flick before as a kid with Steven Bauer.

[Reply]

I agree with many of you. I was disappointed to be there sitting and watching for so long time this remake. No surprises, better story development in the “Sword..” and an awful color by the way. I remember the same scene Burt Yust mentioned, one of best ones in the “Sword..”. I am as surprised with the lack of references to the “Sword..”, obviously not got for Spielberg. Is my fault I should have searched more before going.
My advice: If you have watched the “Sword..” don’t go to watch “Munich”, save money for another one or try to get the DVD to remember how great was the “Sword..” and if you haven’t watched the “Sword..” do the same :)

[Reply]

Yeah, me too am very disappointed, almost upset that there is no hint at all that refers this movie to “Sword..”. When I first saw the trailer I thought that it was about the hostage itself and the tragic ending. But when I watched more trailers and read about the content I realized that it was “just” a remake.

No problem with that, but hey, isn´t it worth at least mentioning it?

Sorry Mr. S. no good move.

[Reply]

I’m surprised not so much that Speilberg/Kushner do not reference Sword of Gideon, but few critics do. You can see Sword on cable pretty often - I never saw it when it originally aired, but have seen it at least three times on cable. The cast for Sword is a good one too - Michael York, Rod Steiger, Colleen Dewhurst. I believe this was an HBO film.

I actually like Munich and found it disturbing. What I found most interesting was that Spielberg resisted the temptation he usually succumbs to to sentimentalize the story and try to bring it to a clear closure. I think the film story has more to do with tony Kushner than Spielberg.

But, I also found the original Sword of Gideon to be quite distrubing too - no matter which side of the politics of this story you come down on, certainly the question of violence begetting violence has become the theme of the 21st century. It’s a very powerful story and Spielberg manages to restrain himself for once - so maybe following the pattern of the original he manages to focus his storytelling skills on visual representation to bring this story to the large screen. As a story, Sword of Gideon is very strong, and Munich follows it pretty closely. But the images and mise-en-scene in Munich do enlarge the narrative for the bigger canvas and, perhaps, a bigger audience.

[Reply]

Finally !!!
Glad to see a review from the original movie…

Since I saw the trailers from Munich i started remembering about a movie I saw on tv long time ago… and couldn’t find it because couldn’t remember any actors/director name…

Found particulary interesting about no one mentioning the first movie..

I do remember that the Sword… had a very nice incidental music…

I didn’t like at all the murdering scenes of Munich… and that french character… :(

[Reply]

The scene in Munich where they killed the girl on the house boat reminded me of an old movie I had scene. While watching Scarface I recognized Steven Bauer. I searched his name and there it is “The Sword of Gideon”
I didn’t realize that munich was basically a re-make
Both were great movies

[Reply]

I just saw Sword of Gideon within the last few months and enjoyed it more than Munich. Munich is very close but it was just a remake. Sword of Gideon was much better on characterizations.

[Reply]

I read with interest you article.
I purchased a vhs copy of the Sword of Gideon many years ago. I have viewed this film many times over the years. I recently saw Munich. Munich unlike Gideon never brought made you have feelings for the principals as Gideon did.There was avery differnt pont of view about the killing of the woman.
In Gideon she spat on her attackers in Munick you were made to feel sorry about her death.
Two very different views.
Thank you
Paul

[Reply]

Miren señores munich es un remake y punto, ni bien vi la portada me acorde de la espadad de gedeon simplemente que no me acordava como se llamaba, lo unico que me acordaba era la muerte de michael york como volaba con la refrigeradora por tomar un vaso de leche por segun él habia terminado de desactivar las bombas que habia.

[Reply]