Givat Halfon Eina Ona
Encyclopedia
Giv'at Halfon Eina Ona also credited as Halfon Hill Doesn't Answer, is a cult
Israel
i comedy film
produced in 1976. It is a good-hearted satire movie about the Israel Defense Forces
which tells the story of a reserves company, watching the Egyptian border in Sinai. Characters such as the conman Sergio Constanza, the Egyptian-born Mr. Hasson and the huge cook Yosifoun became classics.
The name of the film is a parody
of the name of the Israeli patriotic film Giv'a 24 Eina Ona (Hill 24 Doesn't Answer).
The film was directed by Assi Dayan
and features members of HaGashash HaHiver
: Shaike Levi
, Yisrael Poliakov
and Gavri Banai.
Shamgar, to retrieve Sergio Constanza, a deserter
from reserve service. On his way he meets his girlfriend Yaeli and offers to talk to her father, Victor Hasson, to get a blessing for their relationship. Hasson gives his blessing, believing that Moked came for his older daughter Shifra, but throws him out of the house after finding out this was not so. Yaeli does not wish to part from Moked, and sneaks into a suitcase in his jeep. Meanwhile, Sergio Constanza tricks several other gamblers into losing thousands of dollars, which he intends to use to repay his debt to Mr. Hasson. The gamblers find out about the plot however, which leaves Sergio with no choice but to run away to the army with Moked.
Moked and Constanza make it to the Sinai
base, and Mr. Hasson follows them posing as Constanza. When he is not allowed into the base, he steals a loader (tractor)
to break in. Meanwhile, Moked finds out that Yaeli came with them, and Constanza comes up with a plot to make her an authorized visitor, by claiming that she is a singer/entertainer sent from the Education Corps. Mr. Hasson arrives at the base with the loader, and is caught by the soldiers in a fishing net. Shamgar calls the brigadier about the incident. He then meets with Yaeli in private and they start dancing African dances half-nude.
As the brigadier is about to arrive, Moked releases Mr. Hasson, who is forced to temporarily reconcile with Constanza. The brigadier finds Shamgar dancing alone and making noises, deems him insane, and takes him away in his helicopter
. Moked is made the temporary commander of the outpost. It is discovered that Mr. Hasson is an excellent cook. He transforms the military kitchen into a restaurant-like establishment, and then denies Constanza access. In revenge, Constanza tricks Hasson into buying a plot of land from him for the owed money, which Hasson believes to be an oil field.
Constanza eats food from another soldier, Wasserman. He then tries to help Moked by matching this Wasserman with Shifra Hasson, Yaeli's older sister. Shifra arrives at the base but isn't impressed with Wasserman, and falls in love with Constanza instead. Hasson goes fishing, but then accidentally goes over the border and encounters an Egyptian patrol, which takes him captive. The Israeli soldiers devise a plot to rescue him by posing as UN observers. While the plot doesn't go as planned, Hasson is eventually rescued and returned to the base.
When Hasson returns to the base, he discovers that the plot of land that Sergio sold him isn't really an oil field. However, an inasane Shamgar appears and falls into the hole dug there by Hasson, making oil come out. The film ends with Hasson, Moked and Constanza trying to sell the oil in Tel Aviv
early in the morning.
The film also features Hanna Laslo
, and Oshik Levi
.
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
produced in 1976. It is a good-hearted satire movie about the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
which tells the story of a reserves company, watching the Egyptian border in Sinai. Characters such as the conman Sergio Constanza, the Egyptian-born Mr. Hasson and the huge cook Yosifoun became classics.
The name of the film is a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the name of the Israeli patriotic film Giv'a 24 Eina Ona (Hill 24 Doesn't Answer).
The film was directed by Assi Dayan
Assi Dayan
Asaf "Assi" Dayan is an Israeli film director, actor, screenwriter and producer.-Personal life:Assi Dayan is the youngest son of Israeli general and minister of defence Moshe Dayan and peace activist Ruth Dayan . He has two siblings: politician and author Yael Dayan, born 1939, and sculptor Ehud ...
and features members of HaGashash HaHiver
HaGashash HaHiver
HaGashash HaHiver |Tracker]]) were an Israeli comedy group. Often called HaGashashim , they are considered a classic of Israeli entertainment and the most influential comedy act in the history of Israel.The three members of the Gashash were:...
: Shaike Levi
Shaike Levi
Yeshayahu "Shaike" Levi is an Israeli comedian, singer and actor. He is best known for his role in the Gashash HaHiver comedy trio, which won the Israel Prize in 2000..-Biography:...
, Yisrael Poliakov
Yisrael Poliakov
Yisrael "Poli" Poliakov was an Israeli comedian and actor. Poliakov was born in Jerusalem, and grew up in Tel Aviv. He became one of the three members of the Israeli comedy group, HaGashash HaHiver .-Career:Poliakov originally chose a career as a farmer and studied at the Kfar HaYarok...
and Gavri Banai.
Plot
Staff Sgt. Raphael "Jinji" Moked is ordered by his captain, company commanderCompany (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
Shamgar, to retrieve Sergio Constanza, a deserter
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
from reserve service. On his way he meets his girlfriend Yaeli and offers to talk to her father, Victor Hasson, to get a blessing for their relationship. Hasson gives his blessing, believing that Moked came for his older daughter Shifra, but throws him out of the house after finding out this was not so. Yaeli does not wish to part from Moked, and sneaks into a suitcase in his jeep. Meanwhile, Sergio Constanza tricks several other gamblers into losing thousands of dollars, which he intends to use to repay his debt to Mr. Hasson. The gamblers find out about the plot however, which leaves Sergio with no choice but to run away to the army with Moked.
Moked and Constanza make it to the Sinai
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
base, and Mr. Hasson follows them posing as Constanza. When he is not allowed into the base, he steals a loader (tractor)
Loader (equipment)
A loader is a heavy equipment machine often used in construction, primarily used to load material into or onto another type of machinery .-Heavy equipment front loaders:A loader A loader is a heavy equipment machine often used in construction, primarily used to load material (such as asphalt,...
to break in. Meanwhile, Moked finds out that Yaeli came with them, and Constanza comes up with a plot to make her an authorized visitor, by claiming that she is a singer/entertainer sent from the Education Corps. Mr. Hasson arrives at the base with the loader, and is caught by the soldiers in a fishing net. Shamgar calls the brigadier about the incident. He then meets with Yaeli in private and they start dancing African dances half-nude.
As the brigadier is about to arrive, Moked releases Mr. Hasson, who is forced to temporarily reconcile with Constanza. The brigadier finds Shamgar dancing alone and making noises, deems him insane, and takes him away in his helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
. Moked is made the temporary commander of the outpost. It is discovered that Mr. Hasson is an excellent cook. He transforms the military kitchen into a restaurant-like establishment, and then denies Constanza access. In revenge, Constanza tricks Hasson into buying a plot of land from him for the owed money, which Hasson believes to be an oil field.
Constanza eats food from another soldier, Wasserman. He then tries to help Moked by matching this Wasserman with Shifra Hasson, Yaeli's older sister. Shifra arrives at the base but isn't impressed with Wasserman, and falls in love with Constanza instead. Hasson goes fishing, but then accidentally goes over the border and encounters an Egyptian patrol, which takes him captive. The Israeli soldiers devise a plot to rescue him by posing as UN observers. While the plot doesn't go as planned, Hasson is eventually rescued and returned to the base.
When Hasson returns to the base, he discovers that the plot of land that Sergio sold him isn't really an oil field. However, an inasane Shamgar appears and falls into the hole dug there by Hasson, making oil come out. The film ends with Hasson, Moked and Constanza trying to sell the oil 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...
early in the morning.
Cast
- Staff Sgt. Raphael "Jinji" Moked (Gavri Banai) - an IDF non-commissioned officer, in love with Mr. Hasson's young daughter Yaeli.
- Sergio Constanza (Yisrael PoliakovYisrael PoliakovYisrael "Poli" Poliakov was an Israeli comedian and actor. Poliakov was born in Jerusalem, and grew up in Tel Aviv. He became one of the three members of the Israeli comedy group, HaGashash HaHiver .-Career:Poliakov originally chose a career as a farmer and studied at the Kfar HaYarok...
) - a crook, who owes Mr. Hasson thousands of dollars. Sergio decides to run away for reserve duty after he gets into troubles with Hasson and other gamblers in Tel AvivTel AvivTel 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...
. Sergio is a charming funny crook, cunning and manipulative. - Victor Hasson (Shaike LeviShaike LeviYeshayahu "Shaike" Levi is an Israeli comedian, singer and actor. He is best known for his role in the Gashash HaHiver comedy trio, which won the Israel Prize in 2000..-Biography:...
) - a wealthy Jew, born in Egypt and immigrated to Israel. Hasson lives in Tel Aviv with two daughters and is determined to get the older daughter married. He pursues Sergio into the Sinai because of a large debt. The scene where Hasson lifts Sergio's field-toilet cabin with a loaderLoader (equipment)A loader is a heavy equipment machine often used in construction, primarily used to load material into or onto another type of machinery .-Heavy equipment front loaders:A loader A loader is a heavy equipment machine often used in construction, primarily used to load material (such as asphalt,...
-bulldozerBulldozerA bulldozer is a crawler equipped with a substantial metal plate used to push large quantities of soil, sand, rubble, etc., during construction work and typically equipped at the rear with a claw-like device to loosen densely-compacted materials.Bulldozers can be found on a wide range of sites,...
became a classic. - Yaeli Hasson (Nitza ShaulNitza SaulNitza Saul is an Israeli-born actress, best known for her appearances on British television during the 1980s....
) - Mr Hasson's beautiful young daughter and Jinji's beloved. They want to get married but Hasson conditions it on finding a groom for his older daughter. Following Hasson's refusal, Yaeli sneaks into Jinji's jeep and finds herself in the Sinai base. - Shifra Hasson (Miki Kam) - Hasson's older daughter.
- Yosifoun (Moshe Ish Kasit) - the big and strong cook in the Sinai base.
- Shamgar (Tuvia TzafirTuvia Tzafir- Biography :Tzafir was born in Tel Aviv and was initially named Tuvia Kozlowski. Tzafir grew up in a traditionalist home of Jewish immigrants from Poland who lived in the Florentin neighborhood in the southern part of Tel Aviv. During the early sixties Tzafir got his big breakthrough when he...
) - the horny commander of the Sinai post.
The film also features Hanna Laslo
Hanna Laslo
Hanna Laslo is an Israeli actress and comedian.Laszlo rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s in the wake of comedy routines in which she portrayed such characters as 'Safta Zapta' and 'Clara the cleaning woman.' In 2005 she won th Best Actress Award at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival for her role in...
, and Oshik Levi
Oshik Levi
Oshik Levi is an Israeli singer, actor, and entertainer.He started his career in the late 1960s, as a rock singer, first in the group Shlishiyat Ha-Teomim Oshik Levi (Hebrew: אושיק לוי, born April 7, 1944) is an Israeli singer, actor, and entertainer.He started his career in the late 1960s, as a...
.