Collective Adventure (film #3 in the Pre-State section of Stephen Spielberg Jewish Film Archive). [Category: Sleaze & Outsider]

This film, made in 1939, shows a colony of Jews building an agricultural settlement in Palestine, erecting all the buildings in a single day. Not only is this a lot of hard work, but they must also be constantly on guard against attack from those who oppose Jewish settlement in Palestine. There is an additional sense of urgency from the fact that the Jews in Europe were beginning to experience the Holocaust at this time, and you know that these pioneers were some of the lucky ones who got out in time. It’s a fairly stirring story, though it’s a bit long, and drags a bit in the middle. Mostly, though, you end up being inspired by the courage and industry of these pioneering people. The film has lots of historical value as a document of Zionist pioneering in pre-state Israel.

Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: N/A. Weirdness: **. Historical Interest: *****. Overall Rating: ***.