Blessed Is The Match: The Life & Death Of
Hannah Senesh (2009/Docurama DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C- Documentary: B
Like Anne
Frank and Sophie Scholl, Hannah Senesh is a heroine in the resistance of
individuals against fascism and as part of the only Jewish military mission
behind enemy lines, did what she could to end WWII. Roberta Grossman’s Blessed Is The Match: The Life & Death Of Hannah Senesh (2009)
is an excellent documentary that tells her untold tale of getting to Budapest only days before
the Nazis to give information to British Intelligence and turn the tide of the
war.
Narrated
by Joan Allen, we learn about Senesh’s personal life, what she gave for what
she believed in and what the results were.
As a Palestinian Jew (pre-Israel), she was only 22 years old when she
joined the group of infiltrators to fight for Judaism itself. The title has to do with one night they
needed light and had it against all odds.
Long overdue to be told to a much wider audience, Match is another remarkable documentary on the Holocaust and one I
will not forget anytime soon.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image has some motion blur, but also some fine
shots and quality stock & historic footage that makes this a very watchable
documentary. The only odd item is that
1.33 X 1 footage is stretched out sideways to fit the wide frame, which may be
a distraction for some. The Dolby
Digital 2.0 Stereo sound includes location audio flaws and archival monophonic
audio, but is well edited and as clean as can be under the circumstances. Extras include stills, trailer, additional
interviews and Deleted Scenes.
- Nicholas Sheffo
