I was told by many historians that it was really Truman’s cabinet that pushed for these embargoes. The British also put a lot of pressure on the Americans to stay out of it. Everybody thought the situation would be resolved in a couple of weeks because you have all these Arab armies attacking, and there really was no chance Israel was going to survive….
Al Schwimmer [who helped purchase and smuggle planes into Israel] lost his American citizenship. And there were fines and jail times slapped on others.
Where did you find the veterans you interviewed for the film? They must be in their 90s.
I think the youngest person I spoke to was 88. The oldest guy now is 95. But there are really not a lot of them left.
Did your brother Steven Spielberg help you in making the film?
I didn’t really want his help. I had a vision of what I wanted to say, and I wanted to stay true to that.
But my brother was helpful in the sense that he’s my brother and was loving and supportive and wonderful. I got a big bracha from him – like he put the big Spielberg stamp on my forehead and said, “Great idea, Nancy! Go do it.”
Of course I did show him a rough cut, and I remember he came to me and said, “I love your film.” I said, “I’m so glad. Can I have notes [of comments and suggestions]?” He said, “I don’t have any notes except that I’d like to recommend it to the Cannes Film Festival.” And I was like, “Oh my G-d.” I couldn’t have asked for more.
What was the biggest surprise or inspiration for you personally in making this film?
What surprised me was that I really identified with these guys. As I listened to them talk about growing up with anti-Semitism and being alienated from their Jewish roots, it really brought back to me my own childhood growing up in Phoenix where we moved in 1957 when I was under a year old. We were the only Jews on the block and many times we were called “Dirty Jews” and made to feel like we didn’t fit in. So I really identified with them.
At the same time, I think I saw my dad in them, and in many ways I made this film for my dad. He’s 98 and he used to fly in the back of B-25s doing radio communications.
Your father is still alive?
Thank G-d. He’s going to be 98 in February. He was very sick, and we almost lost him. But he’s getting stronger now. He came to Jerusalem with me to screen the film, and he came to San Francisco for our premiere at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. He is shepping nachas galore!
Editor’s note: “Above and Beyond” is opening in New York City on January 30. Readers should be advised that some of the film’s language and details concerning the pilots’ personal lives may be considered inappropriate.