Ben Hecht was known as the ‘Shakespeare of Hollywood’ for his ability to knock out clever, crowd-pleasing works for the screen in next to no time.
Despite the honour of authoring dozens of successful films earning him six Oscar Award Nominations, (with two wins), he dismissed Hollywood as a ‘marzipan kingdom’ populated by idiots responsible for filling American minds with trash, rather than knowledge.
Hecht was born in New York, his parents Jewish-Russian immigrants.
His profession as a journalist, novelist and screenwriter brought him fame, yet he was only vaguely observant as a Jew and never active in political circles.
That all changed in 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Czechoslovakia and the plight of the Jews in Europe became acute.
He was alarmed by the situation abroad and the indifference of his colleagues in Hollywood, many of whom were Jewish.
“I became a Jew and looked on the world with Jewish eyes.”
As Hollywood cheered the talented and successful author, safe in its world of unreality, Ben Hecht’s restless gaze switched to Europe.
He was simply horrified with reports of Jewish persecution and set to penning articles about the plight and hardship of European Jews.
He wrote in an outspoken manner, never worrying about criticism or repercussions from his bluntness.
In fact, some critics called him a fascist given his heavy-handed literary expressions and friendship with numerous Jewish gangsters.
A dramatic development occurred in April 1941 when Ben Hecht wrote an article My Tribe is Called Israel which was published in a New York newspaper, defending his efforts to bring greater understanding and knowledge to the American people about the horrific reports of Jewish persecution in Europe.
He castigated ‘Americanised Jews’ for failing to join him out of fear they would appear to value Jewish lives more than American ones.
It was certainly controversial but effective, at times criticism almost becoming abusive.
Furthermore, he joined the Fight for Freedom Committee pressure group urging American involvement in the war.
The Odd Couple
My Tribe is Called Israel caught the attention of the Bergson Group.
The Bergson Group was a small network based in the United States seeking to advance the agenda of Irgun, the paramilitary group in Israel fighting to establish a free Jewish state in the historic land of Israel.
They were led by Peter Bergson (born Hillel Kook), a charismatic 25-year-old man.
Bergson sensed a potential ally in Ben Hecht and two arranged to meet.
Certainly an odd couple; on the one hand a ‘Hollywood Darling’ and talented wordsmith determined to help European Jews escape the tyranny of WW2 and with little interest in a Jewish state. On the other hand, an ardent Zionist and military man.
But the two clicked when Ben Hecht offered to lend whatever support he could muster for the creation of a Jewish state.
The partnership blossomed and became fruitful in a short space of time.
Given Bergson’s radical sense of purpose and positive outlook he was able to draw out the best in Ben Hecht, whose bracing and high-powered propaganda rapidly reached the mainstream of American Jews actively promoting Zionism.
Ben Hecht became synonymous with the struggle for a Jewish homeland and the most celebrated supporter of the Irgun in the United States.
