Yehuda Barkan Movies
- 1990
- PG
In 1980, 20-year-old novice director Stuart Paul exhibited far more chutzpah than talent with Falling in Love Again. Ten years later, an older, wiser Paul has picked up some talent, but it's still outweighed by sheer nerve. In Fate, Paul casts himself as the last of the truly nice guys (or so he regards himself). He has his future all planned, specifically an ideal marriage to the perfect woman. The next step is to find that woman. Cheryl Lynn co-stars, along with veterans Kaye Ballard and Susannah York, who seem to have a better grasp on what they're doing than the ubiquitous Mr. Paul. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stuart Paul, Cheryl Lynn, (more)
A military investigator on a mission to catch a rapist finds his life altered in the most unexpected of ways when a tough female soldier poses as his girlfriend to lure the fiend in. Arik Schwartzman had left the military behind to pursue a career in business, but when a violent rapist began attacking women he had to answer the call of duty. Now, in order to lure the rapist in, Arik and fellow soldier Natalie will pose as a couple. But over the course of the investigation something unexpected happens, Arik and Natalie form a bond that will change both of their lives forever. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yehuda Barkan, Rami Danon, (more)
- 1989
Chico (played by the Israeli movie star Yehuda Barkan) is divorced, and has custody of his son, Ben (Ben Zion). He is a cheerful sort who has earned his living as a sailor. In this romantic melodrama (a sequel to the 1988 Abba Ganuv) he has moved to Tel Aviv in order to be closer to his lawyer lady-love, Galia (Alona Kimchi). Things take a darker turn when his ex-wife institutes proceedings to take custody of his beloved boy from him, and for a while Chico suspects that Galia is seeing somebody else. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yehuda Barkan, Alona Kimchi, (more)
- 1989
This English-language, Israeli produced example of the ever-popular "candid camera" type of show was shot in South Africa for the Israeli market. The producers choice of shooting it in English and the absence of genuinely original set-ups may have been a mistake: at any event, the film did not do well in its home market. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Boaz Davidson, Zvi Shissel, (more)
- 1988
Chico has been looking after his son for the past five years while his ex-wife has been gallivanting around in the United States. Now she has come back to Israel in the company of her new husband, a millionaire, and suddenly is taking an interest in their child. What's more, she wants custody. In this drama, the decent dad must battle his grasping wife in the courts. However, like David and Goliath, the outcome of the battle is not necessarily based on the size of the contestants. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yehuda Barkan, Ben Zion, (more)
- 1986
Interlaced with commercials that should remind audiences of television shows, this standard "Candid Camera" documentary features the Allen Funt of Israel, Yehuda Barkan and his crew of pranksters pulling the proverbial wool over the eyes of the unsuspecting. In one instance, a crew member in disguise has to sample all the fruit in a stall before deciding on what he wants to buy. The reaction from the vendor is what anyone would expect. In another vignette, the cameraman hides inside a tree trunk and whenever a dog comes up to mark his territory, the tree moves. The look on the dogs' faces is hilarious as they cannot figure out what has happened to their ordinary universe. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yehuda Barkan, Caroline Langford, (more)
- 1980
Following up the success of candid camera television shows and one such feature film, this weakly limned comedy has just such a program's crew going out into the nooks and crannies of Israel to entrap unsuspecting citizens. Although some of the practical jokes and tricksters in these shows can trash the people who fall victim to their duplicity, this movie does not. Good-natured citizens might feel a little foolish, but they are not ridiculed. Among the deceptions is one sequence in which a group of people are told that the only way they can start a train is to go and push it -- and so they do. Another sequence has an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) responding like a human being as customers approach to take out money. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Caroline Langford, Aryeh Moskuna, (more)
- 1978
Presented as the drug-induced fantasies of a shy chemist, this cartoonish exploitation comedy from cult director Jesus Franco is a minor entry without much to recommend it. The chemist, Robinson Crusoe (Yuda Barkan), is an ineffectual Walter Mitty character who develops a potion allowing his daydreams to come true. Soon he is on a tropical island, where two beautiful women (Anne Libert, Ingeborg Steinbach) make love to him constantly. The group soon includes Crusoe's friend Linda (Andrea Rau), a reticent actress. The fantasy begins to sour a bit when Crusoe gets visits from his employer, mother-in-law, and wife, as well as a native tribe headed by Franco regular Howard Vernon in a grass skirt and warpaint. Crusoe's fantasies also include a pornographic film segment, lifted from Franco's own Jungfrauen-Report. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 1978
While in New York, a millionaire and his chauffeur get into an argument about which is more important: character or money. They decide to change identities in New York, and they return to Israel to check out their theories on their home turf. In this gag-filled comedy, each of them wins a new girlfriend in the process. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yehuda Barkan
- 1972
The ongoing plight of Russian Jewry serves as the backdrop for the Golan-Globus effort Escape to the Sun (Habricha el Hashemesh). Laurence Harvey is cast against type as Major Kirsanov, a nasty KGB officer who refuses to allow Soviet Jews Nina Kaplan (Josephine Chaplin, Charlie's daughter and Geraldine's sister) and Yasha Bazarov (Yuda Barkin) to emigrate to Israel. In desperation, Nina, Yasha and several others hijack a jetliner. Kirsanov foils the plan, but Nina and Yasha manage to escape--if you can call heading to the desolate Russian steppes an "escape." The actors are talented and the locations well chosen, but the script is a real let-down. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
The plot in this improbable Israeli romance revolves around a sperm donor and his later "emergency" vasectomy. Dan (Yuda Barkin) is a college student. His lady-love is Hurit (Mona Silberstein), but though he wants to marry her, they face some strong parental opposition. For some time, Dan has raised some extra cash by acting as a sperm donor. This becomes important because he is subjected to a vasectomy as part of his treatment for injuries he suffers during a plane crash. When he and Hurit marry, they have fights and arguments over their childless state. Dan pursues a pregnant woman whom he thinks may have received his sperm donation, and he begins to fall in love with her. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1971
This film moves the Romeo and Juliet story to Tel Aviv, has the rival families be insurance brokers Katz and Karosso, and changes the number of tragic couples from one to two. In this Israeli comedy, the story has a happy ending. One interesting feature of the film is the astonishing number of barely concealed merchandising plugs it contains: in that regard it is practically a filmed yellow pages. Adjustments in the plot appear to have been made to accommodate the use of name-brand items. While it is not surprising that this film was not well-reviewed, it is a great curiosity piece. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Members of the Israeli Army and Security Services plan an attack on a Syrian prison to release Israeli commandos. Eli (Yehoram Gaon) joins Beno (Rick Jason) and Abie (Peter Braun) in the clandestine operation. They must divert the attention of the Syrian Major Heikal (Yoseph Shiloah) by leaking false information to the Syrians. Hebrew, Arabic and English are spoken in this tepid drama. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yehoram Gaon, Rick Jason, (more)
- 1970
Yes, contrary to popular belief, Menahem Golan of the Golan-Globus production team can direct. Lupo is proof positive of this. The title character, played by Yehuda Barkan, is a happy-go-lucky Israeli cart driver. Before long, however, Lupo is neither happy nor lucky, nor can he "go." His horse is killed, his tiny hovel is threatened with demolition, and his daughter may leave him forever when she marries into wealth. He organizes a protest against the destruction of his home, but has to solve his other problems through wit and charm. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yehuda Barkan, Gabi Amrani, (more)
