“The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem,” one of the most expensive shows to come out of Israel, has returned to Netflix for a second season. It’s a compelling show, though not for people looking for daisies and roses.
Luna (Swell Ariel Or) and her husband David, (Israel Ogalbo) continue their romance, but David is hiding a secret about his time spent fighting Nazis with a regiment of Jews fighting alongside the British. Luna is thrilled to be raking in money making fabulous dresses for Stephanie, the wife of Col. Charlie Parker, (Aki Avni) who is in charge of the area where they live in Jerusalem, under the British Mandate during World War II. David starts taking Pervitin, a methamphetamine the Nazis gave to their soldiers. David takes the pills, but his behavior goes from erratic, to violent, to criminal. Meanwhile, Luna’s uncle, Efraim Siton (Tom Hagi) is still attacking the British and is the most wanted Jew in Jerusalem. Luna’s mother, Roza, (Hila Saade) has been loyal to Efraim, but her devotion is put to the test when Efraim does something she considers to be unacceptable.
Gabriel Ermoza, Luna’s father, is played brilliantly by Michael Aloni. Gabriel, who is fighting to save the family business, has a kind soul and wants to do the right thing, even though he doesn’t always know what that is.
Though a bit slow in the first few episodes, “The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” gets better as it goes on. The show has corrected the major flaw of the first season, telling the story chronologically and not jumping around different years.
Based on the novel of the same name by Sarit Yishai-Levi, the characters hope the Nazis won’t reach the Holy Land. Gabriel re tries to keep his family together. The show also demonstrates tensions between the Sephardic and Ashkenazic culture. Perhaps the character who has the lowest opinion of Ashkenazim is Gabriel’s mother, Merkada, who mostly talks about what a great cook she is. Irit Kaplan gives a fine performance as a woman who is mean and feared. As David, Ogalbo has the difficult role of David and does a commendable job playing a character who acts in an unthinkable manner.
I wish the violent finale was handled more artfully, and the storyline about the family business feels cliched. But for the most part, creators Shlomo Mashiach, Ester Namdar and Oded Davidoff have created an addictive drama.
What side should win in a war between our personal desires and our family’s expectations? And when we make major mistakes, should we deal with them head on or try to cover them up?
Produced by yes Studios, “The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” is a potent show that highlights our struggle between the dream life we would like to have, and the reality that we live in. It poses two important questions. What side should win in a war between our personal desires and our family’s expectations? And when we make major mistakes, should we deal with them head on or try to cover them up?
The 16 episodes allow you to get to know each character in a meaningful way and may serve as a needed kick in the pants if you’ve been taking life for granted or complaining about minutiae. With a deep roster of talented actors, this is a show that is entertaining, thought-provoking, and may make you want to get on a plane and go to Jerusalem.
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