By Laurie Baron
SAN DIEGO─ Run Boy Run follows the harrowing odyssey of a Polish-Jewish youngster named Srulik who evades betrayal by anti-Semitic Poles and capture by the Germans for three years. Through flashbacks, the audience learns that his father had him smuggled out of the Warsaw Ghetto after he promised that he would survive and never forget he was Jewish.
Keeping that latter pledge is difficult because the only way Srulik can survive is by assuming the Gentile name of Janek and pretending he is a Catholic. As he wanders the countryside, he encounters Poles who are indifferent to his plight or hostile to Jews, but other kinder souls like Magda whose husband and son are partisans and the Kowalski family. They embody Christian compassion for Janek who is attracted to their ethical faith.
Just when Janek feels secure, the Germans stumble upon his location and force him to flee again. No matter how convincing his lies are, his circumcised penis reveals his true identity. He joins a band of Jewish orphans who hide in the forest and steal food from local farms. He even briefly can be a child again and play soccer, swim in rivers, and, tend to an injured dog he adopts. But those ephemeral episodes quickly end when the Germans resume their search for him.
While on the estate of an ethnic German, his hand gets mangled by a grain mill. Although it could be saved if treated promptly, a Polish doctor refuses to operate on a Jew. A more conscientious surgeon subsequently amputates Janek’s arm, but Janek gradually learns to compensate for his missing limb.
The movie is based on the experiences of Srulik Frydman who after the war made Aliyah to Israel where 30 years later he met his sister who presumably had died during the war. The cinematography enhances the compelling story by featuring beautiful panoramas of forests and fields that dwarf Janek and pelt him with snow and rain.
I was surprised to learn that Srulik is played by twin brothers Andrzej and Tamil Tkacz who convey both his resourcefulness and vulnerability. Other impressive performances are delivered by Elizabeth Duda as Magda and Przemyslaw Sadowski as Mr. Kowalski.
Despite the gory scene of Janek’s mangled hand, Run Boy Run is a juvenile counterpart to Europa Europa. It is adapted from Uri Orlev’s popular book of the same title which is targeted at preteens. Like his other novel The Island on Bird Street that was turned into a film, Run Boy Run demonstrates how a child can navigate the shoals of bigotry and persecution. I predict it will garner one of awards from the San Diego Jewish Film Festival.
Baron is a professor emeritus of history at San Diego State University. He may be contacted at lawrence.baron@sdjewishworld.com