It was said that when Carol Kane was notified that she had been nominated for best actress, she had just returned home from the Unemployment Division.
"Hester Street" is the story of impoverished Jews at the end of the 19th century in New York City.
A low budget film, it recounts the story of a woman arriving from Europe with her young son to her husband, who has been in the U.S. for a while.
Her husband has become a real "American" while she will struggle to assimilate. Fact is, she just can't do that.
To make ends meet, a border lives in the house which was a very common practice then. (Kane winds up with him by the end of the film.)
Doris Roberts, in a brief appearance, is funny with her line that 2 women with their rear ends can't be in the same kitchen at one time.
As the couple, Carol Kane and the late Steven Keats are perfect examples of a Jewish couple, whose relationship was obviously arranged in Europe. They really have nothing in common other than their Jewish faith, and this becomes quite evident once the Kane character joins her husband in America.
By film's ending, the couple are divorcing by getting the Jewish "get." (divorce) By Jewish law, the husband can marry immediately but the wife will have to wait for 90 days before she can do this.
Kane's acting is excellent, especially with the effective use of Yiddish which she heard quite frequently in her Cleveland home.
The set decorations are excellent. You feel that you're in the typical Jewish home of that period.
"Hester Street" is the story of impoverished Jews at the end of the 19th century in New York City.
A low budget film, it recounts the story of a woman arriving from Europe with her young son to her husband, who has been in the U.S. for a while.
Her husband has become a real "American" while she will struggle to assimilate. Fact is, she just can't do that.
To make ends meet, a border lives in the house which was a very common practice then. (Kane winds up with him by the end of the film.)
Doris Roberts, in a brief appearance, is funny with her line that 2 women with their rear ends can't be in the same kitchen at one time.
As the couple, Carol Kane and the late Steven Keats are perfect examples of a Jewish couple, whose relationship was obviously arranged in Europe. They really have nothing in common other than their Jewish faith, and this becomes quite evident once the Kane character joins her husband in America.
By film's ending, the couple are divorcing by getting the Jewish "get." (divorce) By Jewish law, the husband can marry immediately but the wife will have to wait for 90 days before she can do this.
Kane's acting is excellent, especially with the effective use of Yiddish which she heard quite frequently in her Cleveland home.
The set decorations are excellent. You feel that you're in the typical Jewish home of that period.