Above and Beyond, produced by Nancy Spielberg (sister to Steven), is a wild adventure true-life tale you won’t want to miss. It is a riveting documentary about a ragtag team of Jewish-American pilots who, after surviving World War II, decided to risk everything to save the State of Israel.
I published a few pieces when the movie first came out in 2015. Today, after a friend and I went to see another true story, Three Identical Strangers — which is fantastic by the way — this indie popped into my head. As an entertainment writer, I see hundreds of films every year. Many of them blend together in my head and others I forget quickly — due to their meh factor. Special films stand out and stay with me. This movie is one of those.
Above and Beyond is directed by Roberta Grossman, written by Sophie Sartain and Harris Done is the cinematographer. It tells the strange tale of a small group of young men with loads of chutzpah, who became heroes. They barely knew what the heck they were doing. By the seat of their barely-piloting pants miraculously became the first Israeli air force in 1948 and saved the Jewish homeland.
An Exclusive Interview with Nancy Spielberg
Dorri Olds: Have you thought about making this into a feature film?
Nancy Spielberg: Oh, I have. It’s like a cross between Catch Me If You Can, Band of Brothers and Indiana Jones. [Laughs] All those elements — the capers, the clandestine operations and the bigger story — have so many wonderful pieces to it, more than we could fit in the documentary.
Have you daydreamed about who could be in the movie?
I think Leo DiCaprio as [the pilot] Al Schwimmer would be good. I’ll ask my 26-year-old daughter, “Who do you think is hot and cool and can play swarthy, sexy pilot types?”
Does it make your job easier or harder to have a famous brother?
[Laughs] A little of both. It made it much harder to raise money, much harder. You know, like it’s hard to raise money for the Shoah Foundation because everybody thinks Steven Spielberg supports the Shoah Foundation completely. It was hard because I did have to answer that question. I would gather people together, show them a sample reel, tell them I’m raising money, it’s a 501(c)(3) not for profit, and I would get these questions, “Why can’t your brother give you the money?” Or “Where’s Jeffrey and David, his friends?” So I had to say, without being defensive, “I didn’t ask and that’s not the kind of relationship I want to have with my brother. I also think that this is project that we all need to support. This is not a one-man-show.” In that sense it was tough.
On the other hand, the benefit is that I feel like a lot of doors opened up and people listened to the story and I already knew a lot of people that I contacted to work. I’m very close with James Moll. He’s an incredible filmmaker who started off making home movies for my brother. “It’s Kate’s birthday, let’s make a movie.” Then he went on to make “Last Days” and “The Foo Fighters.” He’s won Oscars and Grammys and Emmys. He’s incredible. The joke was that I went to James first and said, “I need your help,” and he said, “OK, your brother helps me. I help you.” He had Harris Done, which was my dp [director of photographer] who I’ve known through James. James had Larry Benjamin, the guy who mixes sound who is incredible. These people were all willing to work with me.
Here is a fascinating sample reel:
Above and Beyond • Playmount Productions • Katahdin Productions.
Is it true that when you called Director Roberta Grossman that she didn’t believe it was really a Spielberg calling her?
Yes, she wouldn’t take my call and didn’t answer my email. She thought it was a prank. As she described it, “Hava Nagila” was opening up in film festivals and was getting all the awards and she was feeling very smug and secure. The big joke in her office was, “Oh, if that’s Spielberg, tell him I’ll call him back.”
She checked me out with Rachel Levin from Righteous Persons Foundation saying, “Does Stephen have a little sister named Nancy that’s making films?” So she checked me out before she would return my call. But I’ll tell you, she’s incredible. We have such a great team. I feel bad because sometimes that whole Spielberg thing tends to overshadow the people that deserve credit more than that name. She’s wonderful. The whole team was wonderful. I’m grateful she finally took my calls. [Laughs]
What sparked your ideas for “Above and Beyond”?
In 2011, after I finished executive producing the documentary “Elusive Justice: The Search for Nazi War Criminals,” I came across the obituary of a man named Al Schwimmer. “Father of the Israeli Air Force Dies at 94,” it read. The obituary detailed how an American, a flight engineer for TWA, had smuggled the first planes to Israel, recruited volunteer pilots to fly them in the ’48 War and, in doing so, helped create the Israeli Air Force.
You have a daughter who lives in Tel Aviv, correct?
Yes, I do. Jessie Katz.
Does it worry you? Israel is such a scary place these days.
Israel is not as scary as CNN makes it out to be. I was there during the war and there during the intifada. The intifada scared me because there were suicide bombers in the streets in Jerusalem. I was scared at every bus stop I walked by. One of them was blown up while I was there.
My daughter was there when somebody took a tractor in Jerusalem and plowed into a crowd. That was during the intifada. That scared me. I know it’s very controversial but when they put the wall up there were actually terrorists there. I had been locked in my apartment and wasn’t allowed to go out into the streets because they said a terrorist had gotten into the city. There was a big parade that day. So, yeah, that got a litte scary.
And I was there during the war but now I’m really not frightened for her. I don’t feel frightened in Israel. Sometimes I’m frightened here in New York City, especially in the subways. I feel frightened of terrorist activities here. I don’t think we have a grip on terrorism. You get into a crowded subway, packed body-to-body and in the winter everybody has heavy coats on. You have not a clue who is next to you.
When things happen that are so random — like what happened in Paris — that’s frightening. I think it’s frightening anywhere in the world right now. I think Israel has had to live with a watchful eye for so many years that the first time I went there and I went to a movie theater and somebody looked in my purse, I was like, “How dare you?” Then I got used to it and now I welcome it and I wish somebody would look through my bag when I get into a New York subway and everybody else’s bag. So I’m not worried.
Today she sent me a picture of herself wearing a gas mask but the picture had a dog sitting next to her and she complained that the dog had gas. I’m glad she can make jokes out of it. I know she’s happy there.
Above and Beyond Trailer • Katahdin Productions
Teaser • Katahdin Productions
A bomber pilot in the Pacific in World War II, Frankel received the Navy Cross for his heroism in the Battle of Okinawa. “I just made up my mind that I was going to do it,” he says of his decision to volunteer for Israel. “I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do it.” Frankel flew 25 missions for the Israeli Air Force as a member of the101 Squadron before returning to Minnesota.
Coleman Goldstein
A U.S. Army Air Corps pilot, Goldstein’s plane disappeared over France in 1943 andhe was declared “missing in action.” He crossed over the Pyrenees to Spain and was eventually rescued. For this reason, Goldstein kept secret from his family hisdecision to fight for Israel. After flying in the IAF’s 101 Squadron, Goldstein stayed inIsrael for 32 years and became a pilot for El Al Airlines. He died in 2014.
Lou Lenart
After serving in the Marines in the Pacific Theater, Lenart volunteered to fly for Israel and led the Air Force’s first combat mission on May 29, 1948, stopping the Egyptians less than 30 miles from Tel Aviv. “I was born to be there at that moment in history,” he says. “It’s the most important thing I did in my life.” Lenart later helped airlift Iraqi Jews to Israel and became a pilot for El Al Airlines, as well as afilm producer.
George Lichter
The former U.S. Army Air Force pilot flew 88 missions over Europe in World War II. After Lichter volunteered for Israel, he was singled out for his expertise as a flight instructor and trained the first wave of Israeli pilots. He became Israel’s chief flight instructor. “I really did get a lot of satisfaction training those pilots,” Lichter says. “That was the beginning of the Israeli Air Force.” Lichter passed away in 2013 at the age of 92.
Gideon Lichtman
A former U.S. Army Air Force pilot, Lichtman shot down an Egyptian Spitfire on June8, 1948, in one of the Israeli Air Force’s first missions. “I was risking my citizenship and possibly jail time,” he says of fighting for Israel. “I didn’t give a shit. I was gonna help the Jews out. I was going to help my people out.” Lichtman flew more than 30 missions for the 101 Squadron. He returned to the U.S. after the war and lives in Florida.
Harold Livingston
Part of the U.S. Army Air Corps’ transport squadron in World War II, Livingston joined Israel’s Air Transport Command and flew critical supplies, weapons and airplanes between Czechoslovakia and Israel during the war. “The idea that Jews were going to fight back I found exciting,” he says of his service for Israel. “It’s about time.” Livingston became a novelist and Hollywood screenwriter, penning the script for Star Trek.
Milton Rubenfeld
A former stunt pilot who flew for the Royal Air Force and the U.S. Army Air Force, Rubenfeld was one of the first volunteer pilots in Israel, narrowly missing out on the IAF’s first combat mission when there were five pilots but only four planes to fly. He flew the next day, May 30, 1948, on a critical mission that stopped the Iraqi Army. After volunteering, Rubenfeld returned to the U.S. His son Paul Reubens became famous as the character Pee-wee Herman.
Al Schwimmer
Regarded by many as the father of the Israeli Air Force, Schwimmer worked for TWA and was a flight engineer for the U.S. Air Transport Command in World War II. Upon learning of the need for aircraft for the new nation of Israel, Schwimmer smuggled about thirty surplus planes to Israel in 1948. He also recruited pilots and crew from the U.S. After the war, Schwimmer was indicted for violating the U.S. Neutrality Act and lost his citizenship. He stayed in Israel and founded Israel Aircraft Industries. In 2001, he was pardoned by President Clinton.
Smoky Simon
A navigator-bombardier with the South African Air Force, Simon flew missions over North Africa and Sicily in World War II. He and his wife Myra Weinberg pushed their wedding date earlier in 1948 so they could both volunteer for Israel. Simon flew more than 20 missions during the war, in a range of aircraft including B-17bombers. He became Chief of Air Operations for the IAF and is currently chairman of World Machal.
