Golda

Many of the negative reviews here focus on the historical inaccuracies this movie makes of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, but the movie isn't really about the war itself. Instead it's about Golda's own personal struggle to overcome cancer, fear, old age, and the many stresses of war to become the leader her nation needed at that exact moment in time. It is a brilliant performance by Helen Mirren that should be enjoyed for Golda's own personal journey rather than for the accuracy of the battles portrayed in the movie. If you put these inaccuracies aside, you will watch a performance worthy of an Oscar and a story of triumph in the face of almost certain defeat.

I've always had a fascination with war time leaders and those of courage and fighting with bull dog spirit... From Churchill in WWII to never surrender to 1980s Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher and from The Holy Land in the Middle East... New founded Israel's only female Prime Minster 'Golda Meir' in the 3 week long 'Yom Kippur War' with its chain smoking coffee swigging leader keeping her cool and holding her nerve against Egypt & Syria's attack on Israel.

Film plays out day by day in the style and tension of 'The Darkest Hour' Golda being supported by her war cabinet and defending their new founded nation from its establishing in 1948.

Also Henry Kissinger played By Liev Schreiber is just brilliant as America's Secretary of Defence and a key ally of Israel and both have this kindred spirit with both of them being Jewish from European countries, shows an understanding of what's at stake for their race

Helen Mirren is just brilliant, not just in looking incredibly similar to its iconic leader but everything from mannerisms and shear determination to prevail and to defend its Nation...

A nervy, adrenaline induced movie that grips from start to finish, brilliant!

Having experienced the Yom Kippur War living 10 minutes from Israel's border with both Syria and Jordan, I was very interested to see Golda. There is a lot in this film that captures aspects of Israeli mentality and culture, presented in such a subtle way that it is not until after viewing the film may become apparent to someone who reflects on what the film portrayed.

More than anything, however, Golda is about Golda. It might surprise some viewers to realize that much of her persona was shaped by having escaped the pogroms of what is now the Ukraine. She was only a child when her family came as immigrants to the US and the film shows a side of her haunted by what might have been had they not made it to a safer country.

Another interesting element of her story is illustrated by her exchanges with Henry Kissinger. To avoid a "spoiler" I will instead urge the viewer to pay close attention to the inter-actions between them, always behind closed doors.

Golda is a history lesson wrapped in a biography. It is solid film making with good writing, directing and an outstanding performance from Helen Mirren. It captures an amazing phenomenon: the experience of war time leadership born on the shoulders (and in the kitchen) of a woman who carried this burden with incredible courage, sensitivity, intelligence, and honesty.

I was around when all this took place, I was a young career man with wife and kids in 1973. I remember her well, from the news, but knew nothing of her.

This is not a bio-pic, it covers only a very focused part of her life, namely the 1973 Yom Kippur war. On October 6, 1973, an Arab coalition of Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a surprise attack on Israel on Yom Kippur-the Jewish holy day of atonement.

Helen Mirren in full prosthetic makeup is almost a dead ringer for Prime Minister Golda Meir. At one point she says she is a politician not a military leader, in her frustration at not getting her head wrapped around the conflict and what they should do. But as the days advance she makes a number of tough decisions after her military leaders present options.

All this was going on while she was battling cancer at the age of 75, and receiving radiation treatments. And the year after a truce was reached, having to answer to an inquiry about the actions she took. She died in 1978.

This is a well-made movie that tells an interesting and important story in the history of Israel. And especially now, in the fall of 2023, when Hamas recently attacked Israel and a full-fledged war is in progress as I write this. Why can't everyone get along?

My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library.

It's a wartime biopic of the Yom Kippur War (October 1973) from the perspective of Golda Meir, Israel's Prime Minister. It shows her cabinet relationships, connections to close staff, responses to the Israeli military's failures and successes early in the war, and relationship with Henry Kissinger, the U. S. secretary of state.

"Golda" portrays Golda Meir (Helen Mirren) as a frumpy, chain-smoking 75-year-old woman with lymphoma. Her confidante and assistant is Lou Kaddar (Camille Cottin). She regularly meets with Minister of Defence Moshe Dayan (Rami Heuberger), Defence Forces Chief of Staff David Elazar (Lior Ashkenazi), Mossad Director Zvi Zamir (Rotem Keinan), and Military Intelligence Director Eli Zeira (Dvir Benedek). We also meet various military commanders, including Ariel Sharon (Ohad Knoller).

"Golda" unfolds on a day-by-day basis, beginning with Israel's lack of proper intelligence in early October 1973 and through the war that started on the 6th and ended on the 25th. Meir's spirits ebb and flow, but she maintains a decisive nature and steely exterior in negotiations, especially with Henry Kissinger. In contrast, Moshe Dayan appears weak and rattled. Some actual news clips from the era appear from time to time, giving a documentary-like impression.

Helen Mirren is marvelous as Golda Meir. Camille Cottin and Lior Ashkenazi are also very strong. Ohad Knoller is appropriately flamboyant as Ariel Sharon. The cinematography is a mixed bag--some is very strong and creative. Still, Meir's incessant staring into the night and never without a cigarette in hand, even when taking oxygen in the hospital, seemed a bit much.

"Golda" could have provided more pre-war context about Golda Meir; it dumped an undefined woman into a critical national crisis. "Golda" also omits significant war events like Israel's acceptance of a cease-fire in place on October 12 that Egypt rejected.