Uprising

One of many “inspirational” programs shown in the months following the September 2001 Twin Towers tragedy in New York, Uprising is based on the true story of the Jewish Fighting Organization, a courageous band of youthful Polish guerillas and freedom fighters who refused to knuckle under to the Nazis during World War II. Led by schoolteacher Mordechai Anielewicz (Hank Azaria), the organization comes into being as the Warsaw Jewish ghetto is being systemically decimated and shipped off to the Treblinka death camp by the German occupational forces. From April 19 to May 16, 1943, Anielewicz’ followers staged a valiant uprising, which, though ultimately unsuccessful in stopping the Nazi “final solution” juggernaut, inflicted an enormous amount of damage upon the enemy and enabled hundreds of Polish Jews to escape the gas ovens and crematoriums. Much of the story is based upon the eyewitness testimony of surviving freedom fighter Simha “Kazik” Rotem, portrayed in the film by Stephen Moyer. Director Jon Avnet brilliantly combines newly filmed scenes with digitally refashioned archival footage of the actual uprising. Filmed in Bratisla, Slovakia, and boasting an all-star cast, Uprising was shown in two two-hour installments on November 4 and 5, 2001, over the NBC network., Warsaw-ghetto Jews “light a torch of resistance” in a fact-based drama. At its center is resolute Mordechai Anielewicz (Hank Azaria), a teacher whose dream of emigrating to Palestine with his students is dashed by the Nazis. He vows to fight back, but that’s a tall order: Not only are the odds impossible but the ghetto’s Jewish Council, fearing disproportionate retaliation, opposes resistance. Czerniakow: Donald Sutherland. Tosia: Leelee Sobieski. Yitzhak: David Schwimmer. Hippler: Cary Elwes.