IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.9K
YOUR RATING
In 1896, a Russian Jewish woman immigrates to New York's Lower East Side to reunite with her Americanized husband, but has difficulty assimilating.In 1896, a Russian Jewish woman immigrates to New York's Lower East Side to reunite with her Americanized husband, but has difficulty assimilating.In 1896, a Russian Jewish woman immigrates to New York's Lower East Side to reunite with her Americanized husband, but has difficulty assimilating.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 2 wins & 3 nominations total
Lauren Friedman
- Fanny
- (as Lauren Frost)
Ed Crowley
- Inspector
- (as Edward Crowley)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe picture had trouble getting distributed. The movie was considered too specialist, mainly of interest to a niche market of only audiences of Jewish ethnicity, and without any mass or general appeal. In the end, the filmmakers decided to distribute the movie themselves.
- GoofsEarly scene at table with Gitl, her husband, son and boarder, one can see the mic in the upper right-hand corner.
- Quotes
Mrs. Kavarsky: You can't pee up my back and make me think it's rain.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 48th Annual Academy Awards (1976)
- SoundtracksMusic for Cornet
(uncredited)
Composed by Herbert L. Clarke
Adapted by William Bolcom
Performed by Gerard Schwarz
Featured review
Nice and quaint.
With its black-and-white cinematography, soundtrack music, and Jewish characters, this film at times reminded me superficially of a Woody Allen movie. But writer/director Joan Micklin Silver made an original film here. If you like a movie that immerses you in a less-familiar culture you might give 'Hester Street' a try.
Steven Keats plays a Russian emigre who prides himself on the way he's molded himself into a real Yankee in the USA, though the world he lives in, New York's Lower East Side in the late 19th century, is almost exclusively populated by other Jewish immigrants. When his wife (Carol Kane) finally arrives in the New World, however, she has a lot of assimilating to do. This causes the tension which drives the movie along, though it maintains a fairly light atmosphere most of the time.
Keats and Kane do fine jobs in their roles; in fact, Kane was nominated for an Academy Award. Dorrie Kavanaugh and Doris Roberts are among the good supporting cast.
Steven Keats plays a Russian emigre who prides himself on the way he's molded himself into a real Yankee in the USA, though the world he lives in, New York's Lower East Side in the late 19th century, is almost exclusively populated by other Jewish immigrants. When his wife (Carol Kane) finally arrives in the New World, however, she has a lot of assimilating to do. This causes the tension which drives the movie along, though it maintains a fairly light atmosphere most of the time.
Keats and Kane do fine jobs in their roles; in fact, Kane was nominated for an Academy Award. Dorrie Kavanaugh and Doris Roberts are among the good supporting cast.
helpful•212
- Hermit C-2
- Jul 6, 1999
- How long is Hester Street?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Das neue Leben in der Hester Street
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $350,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 29 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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