While this movie is fine for what it is, it is sad that the producers changed the original intent of the movie. The story as written was about anti-Semitism. For some reason it was changed to a racial theme. With so few movies made about this topic through the years in Hollywood, and with the perception that prejudice equals race in America, it is said to see an opportunity missed to address a deep seated and long enduring American and world problem. This is especially so in light of the time when the movie was made, a time when many in this country tried to pretend that anti-Semitism was a foreign problem.
Anti Jewish feelings and were very prevalent throughout society, including the armed forces. This was an intelligent screenplay that could have gone a long way in bringing this problem to the fore. Slanders at the time, and in subsequent wars, often portrayed Jews as those who managed to avoid combat. It would have been nice to see that prejudice in some way fought. Indeed stories in later years emerged of Jews being denied honors and medals simply because of their religion. One story that came to light in the 1990s revealed that a Jewish soldier had been denied the Congressional Medal of Honor because his commanding officer said he would not even consider recommending a Jew for this nation's highest honor.
Anti Jewish feelings and were very prevalent throughout society, including the armed forces. This was an intelligent screenplay that could have gone a long way in bringing this problem to the fore. Slanders at the time, and in subsequent wars, often portrayed Jews as those who managed to avoid combat. It would have been nice to see that prejudice in some way fought. Indeed stories in later years emerged of Jews being denied honors and medals simply because of their religion. One story that came to light in the 1990s revealed that a Jewish soldier had been denied the Congressional Medal of Honor because his commanding officer said he would not even consider recommending a Jew for this nation's highest honor.