Movie: Tipat Mazal (a bit of luck)

Movie: Tipat Mazal (a bit of luck)
Rating: 7/10
Director: Ze'ev Revach
Country : Israel
Language : Hebrew. Arabic. French. Yiddish. Roumanian
Year: 1992 (Israel), 1994 (France)
Duration: 1h47 (on DVD) - IMDB announces erroniously 1h30 and Hebrew wiki 1h52.

Jews in Morocco in the 1950s, Jojo is a singer, and his wife Gracia is a dancer. Together they appeare in n their community's festivities . While Jojo's planning their immigration to Israel in order to realize his cherished dream, Gracia who wants to do with it, accepts the advances of her lover, a wealthy merchant, and leaves Jojo and their daughter Vivi, the day before the big departure.

The family now shattered, Jojo takes Vivi with him to Israel and faces a difficult integration within a new and different community, and must raise his daughter alone.

Tipat Mazal, a bit of luck, or more literally 'a drop of luck' 'in Hebrew, is a drama, or even a dramaedy, was released in Israel in1992 and 1994 in France.




The movie follows slowly the obstacle course of a father who's life has been broken, Jojo, played brilliantly by Revach Ze'ev, who also directed the movie. He alternates between funny and sad, or moving moments, and reflects the image of his character's immigration fraught with random conditions ; depending on various people he meets and casual jobs he must assume to survive and provide for his daughter. 



Vivi is interpreted by four different actresses, from ages of 4 years to a young adult. Each plays her role well, and culminates when Zehava Ben, a singer who had just begun his career two years priori to the movie, appears. 
She revleases herself such a flower's petals openning in the sun: Zehava shines with her powerful voice as she sings in Tipat Mazel, which a musical as well as a dramedy. I found her performance very strong, especially for a young woman whose core job is being a singer, not an actress. 

I sometimes criticize the lack of fluidity in the making of the film, I suppose that has to be on Ze'ev Revach,  overwhelmed perhaps to be both in front and behind the camera; unless he deliberately sought to create small shocks passing abruptly between scenes, in the image of the of every person's life, at times eighter sad, happy, or dramatic.

A little luck doesn't lack in charm nor humor, and presents us with the realities of showbiz, emphasizing some aspects...


Both cited protagonists interpret songs in turns, alternating between French, Moroccan Arabic and Hebrew, but unfortunately cut during the film, but on the other hand, each is available in full on the soundtrack released in parallel , but curiously with the songs in a random order ...

  I saw the movie on DVD I bought it a few years during the sales, once then and again yesterday.

The Actors and actresses speak French, Moroccan Arabic, French, and even a little Yiddish:  the sound lacks a bit, it's only 2.0 stereo dolby digital, the subtitles help greatly in any misunderstanding, and are available in Hebrew, English and French.
It is possible to directly access the scenes, and the dvd menu is available in Hebrew and English.

The image isn't stupendous, but it's an Israeli film from 1992, and as a small country, smaller means to improve quality. But the story is beautiful, moving, sometimes funny, and I like quite well. 

I found irritating to see an actress wearing fur toward the end of the film, although I understand that it represents well the nature of her character ... you'll see ... because despite these few scenes and which are not  a majority, the film as a whole is enjoyable to watch and see the endearing characters evolve, especially Jojo, two of his friends, and Vivi. 

I have a certain nostalgia, loving Zehava Ben's songs quite a lot (I could find half of her discography throughout the years... she has 32 albums and compilations!) 

 



Tipat Mazal... 20 years later... aren't they cute watching their own movie? (I hid the scene!)