THE INFIDEL
UK, 2010, 105 minutes, Colour.
Omid Djalili, Richard Schiff, Archie Punjabi, Matt Lucas, Yagal Naor, Miranda Hart, Paul Kay, Amit Shah.
Directed by Josh Appignanesi.
The title, The Infidel, has the ring of religious intolerance about it. And that is what the film is about. However, it is not preaching in the serious vein about intolerance, it is preaching seriously via comedy. This is a risky enterprise, especially if those in need of learning lessons of tolerance and mutual understanding lack a sense of humour (which anyone with the touch of the fanatic tends to lack). There is probably enough in this comedy, which has quite a light touch but deep feelings about Muslims and Jews, to upset the humourless people.
Omid Djalili has built up a reputation on stage and on television as a strong comedian. Here he portrays a second generation Pakistani minicab manager in London, Mahmud, Muslim but not taking it or practice too seriously. His son wants to marry his sweetheart but her mother has just become engaged to an Imam who has a reputation for stirring up hate. That might be enough for a comedy that wants to challenge extremism but there is more, much much more.
While cleaning out his deceased mother's room, Mahmud finds that he was adopted – and that he was Jewish, Solly Shimshillewitz.
So, on the one hand you have the funny scenes poking fun at Muslims like the visit of the Imam to inspect his prospective son-in-law and Mahmud trying his hardest to give a good and orthodox impression as well as a rally by the smug Imam with his henchmen planted to ask sympathy-eliciting questions with his surprising unmasking (though I don't know what Cat Stevens, who is mentioned earlier in the film, would make of the twist). There is also some comedy at Mahmud turning up at a pro-Palestinian rally and his doing some quick thinking to divert the crowd from thinking he was Jewish.
On the other hand you have Mahmud investigating his Jewish background so that he can meet his dying father and having antagonistic cab driver, Lennie (Richard Schiff familiar from The West Wing), coach him in manners and expressions Jewish. The attempts to do the Jewish shrug and say 'Oy' are very funny as is Lenny's taking Mahmud to a Bar Mitzvah celebration and stranding him on the dais and getting him to tell a Jewish story.
The difficulty with a film like this is that, while it is actually quite funny and audiences will enjoy it, it is really preaching to the converted. One would like to think, however, that it may make a convert or two to religious and cultural tolerance.
1. The impact of the film, satire, humour? The theme of tolerance and intolerance?
2. The East London settings, the Pakistani area, Jewish area? The city of London? Streets, houses, mosques and synagogues, protests and rallies? Authentic background?
3. The UK and London, the 21st century, multi-ethnic, multicultural? Tolerance and intolerance? What is it to be British?
4. The writer, his background in stand-up comedy and comic television? Omid Djalili as a comic actor? His power of parody?
5. The credibility of the plot, impossible but funny? The background of Gary Paige as a singer and popular with Mahmud?
6. Omid Djalili as Mahmud, his cabs, his being a Muslim but not excessive, his bad language, drinking? His love for his wife, son and little daughter (and her jihad games)? His prospects, ordinary life?
7. His son, bug-eyed, his fiancée, hopes? His being a meticulous Muslim, his clothes, language, the Koran, observant? Uzma and his love for her?
8. Uzma’s mother, marrying the imam, his reputation? His elegant manner, clothes, speaking? Smug? His words, incitement? His thuggish assistants? His marrying, his having authority over Mahmud’s son? Over Uzma? His being based on several of the rabble-rousing imams in London?
9. Mahmud out with his son, the taxi, the music in the taxi, his son wanting to talk? Overtaking the cab, the clash with Lenny, the threats? Lenny and his living opposite, Jewish?
10. Mahmud cleaning his mother’s flat after her death, the documents, his birth certificate, his reaction? Going to the authorities – and his being stonewalled by the official, her reaction to Mahmud, giving in? The inquiry, his name, his going to the nursing home, trying to find his father? His not being allowed in, the reaction of the rabbi, of the supervising nurse?
11. Lenny, his story, the American being in the UK, separated from his wife, depressed? His reaction to the UK? The clashes with Mahmud? The change of heart, offering to help? Reading Portnoy’s Complaint – and Mahmud’s wife’s reaction? Help with the Yiddish, training him to shrug like a Jew? Information, language?
12. Lenny taking Mahmud to the bar mitzvah, the ceremony and his being out of place, his talk about his job, meeting the women at the reception? His being invited to tell the story, the awkwardness, making it up, the woman and her burst of laughter, his being accepted, dancing?
13. The protest, going to support his son, wearing his Jewish yarmulke under his Islamic turban? It being knocked off, his quick thinking, burning it as a sign of protest, his being filmed, it being on You Tube, used later against him? The police arriving, the interrogation, the mix-up about identity and the comic interchanges?
14. Mahmud’s son, worry, preparing for the visit of the imam, the father and his embarrassment, the protest, the scenes, his being praised by the imam? The awkwardness of the visit, everybody on their best behaviour, clothes? The revelation of the truth? Anger?
15. Mahmud’s wife, her suspicions, interrogating him, his being out, her discussions with her friend in the hijab?
16. The Jews seeing Mahmud on television, the protest, the demonstrations outside his house, the media, denunciations? The ladies who had asked for his signature on their petition?
17. Mahmud and his studying up the Scriptures, the Koran, Lenny helping him?
18. His various attempts to get in to see his father, finally getting approval, the nurse taking him in, discovering his father was dead, the rabbi and his prayer, his punching the rabbi? His dead father, the tape for him, calling him by his Jewish name?
19. The talk by the imam, unctuous, his attitudes, his assistants and their being planted, asking safe questions? Mahmud challenging him, exposing him – and the story about his being a singing star?
20. The irony of references to Cat Stevens – and stealing something of his story?
21. The final preaching, the point of the film – feeling good, tolerance, understanding? And the capacity for laughing at oneself?
