Blaumilch Canal
Encyclopedia
Blaumilch Canal is a 1969 Israeli comedy directed by Ephraim Kishon
, which depicts the madness of bureaucracy through a municipality’s reaction to the actions of a lunatic.
The film was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film
.
and proceeds to open up a main street and traffic artery in Tel Aviv
(Allenby Street
). Rather than question his actions, the police, as well as city officials, assume he is operating under the municipality’s orders and aid him as much as they can. Complaints from local residents, whose lives become a living hell due to the noise and traffic jams, lead to infighting amongst city departments. To speed up the work, so that it would be completed before the start of the municipal elections, the city sends armies of construction workers and heavy equipment to help the lone compressor, turning a mere annoyance into a full blown disaster.
By the time the city officials realize they are destroying a street without any plans or goals it is too late: Allenby Street is connected with the Mediterranean Sea
and a canal is created. The mayor then declares, in a flamboyant opening ceremony, that Tel Aviv has been turned into the Venice
of the Middle East. The lone citizen (a low-ranking municipal administrator named Ziegler) who realized that the 'project' was the work of a lunatic, is laughed at, and branded a lunatic himself.
In the final scene, Blaumilch is seen digging up Kings of Israel Square
near Tel Aviv's municipality building.
Ephraim Kishon
' was an Israeli author, dramatist, screenwriter, and film director. He is one of the most widely-read contemporary satirists in the world.- Early life and World War II :...
, which depicts the madness of bureaucracy through a municipality’s reaction to the actions of a lunatic.
The film was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the awards presented at the Golden Globes, an American film awards ceremony.Until 1986, it was known as the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film, meaning that any non-American film could be honoured...
.
Plot summary
A lunatic with a digging compulsion (Blaumilch) escapes from an asylum, steals a jackhammerJackhammer
A jackhammer is a pneumatic tool that combines a hammer directly with a chisel that was invented by Charles Brady King. Hand-held jackhammers are typically powered by compressed air, but some use electric motors. Larger jackhammers, such as rig mounted hammers used on construction machinery, are...
and proceeds to open up a main street and traffic artery in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
(Allenby Street
Allenby Street
Allenby Street is a major street in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was named in honor of Field Marshal Viscount Allenby.Allenby Street stretches from the Mediterranean sea in the northwest to HaAliya Street in the southeast. It was first paved with concrete in 1914. During the day, it is a commercial street...
). Rather than question his actions, the police, as well as city officials, assume he is operating under the municipality’s orders and aid him as much as they can. Complaints from local residents, whose lives become a living hell due to the noise and traffic jams, lead to infighting amongst city departments. To speed up the work, so that it would be completed before the start of the municipal elections, the city sends armies of construction workers and heavy equipment to help the lone compressor, turning a mere annoyance into a full blown disaster.
By the time the city officials realize they are destroying a street without any plans or goals it is too late: Allenby Street is connected with the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
and a canal is created. The mayor then declares, in a flamboyant opening ceremony, that Tel Aviv has been turned into the Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
of the Middle East. The lone citizen (a low-ranking municipal administrator named Ziegler) who realized that the 'project' was the work of a lunatic, is laughed at, and branded a lunatic himself.
In the final scene, Blaumilch is seen digging up Kings of Israel Square
Rabin Square
Rabin Square , formerly Kings of Israel Square , is the largest open public city square in central Tel Aviv, Israel. Over the years it has been the site of numerous political rallies, parades, and other public events...
near Tel Aviv's municipality building.
Cast
- Bomba Tzur as Blaumilch
- Nissim Azikri as Yehezkel Ziegler
- Shraga Friedman as Dr. Avigdor Kooiybishevsky
- Gideon Singer as Police Chief Levkowicz
- Shaike Ophir as the police officer
- Mosko AlkalaiMosko AlkalaiMosko Alkalai was an Israeli stage and film actor. He was best known a for a string of hits including Blaumilch Canal, The Fox in the Chicken Coop and Yana's Friends.-Career:...
as Schultheiss - Reuven Bar-Yotam as Foreman