Victor ‘Young’ Perez directed by Jacque Quaniche; Bulgaria, France, Israel; French with English Subtitles; Drama; to be shown twice at the San Diego Jewish Film Festival: At 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 7, at Edwards San Marcos Stadium 18, 1180 W. San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos, and at 4:30 p.m., Sunday, February 14, at the Reading Cinemas 14, 4665 Clairemont Drive, San Diego.
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO – This film might have been nicknamed “Rocky meets the Holocaust.” Flyweight boxer Victor ‘Young’ Perez was a natural talent, able to get into the ring for the first time when his older brother Benjamin broke his hand, and beat his brother’s scheduled opponent. From there he went on an emotional roller coaster ride, from Tunisia, to France, where first he won the European Boxing Championship (although he was later disqualified because he was from Tunisia, not France) and later, against American Frankie Genaro, he won the Flyweight Boxing Championship of the World.
Soon, however, Perez was seduced by a French actress Mireille Balin who saw in keeping his company plenty of publicity and a ticket to possible stardom. He broke his training routine; drank too much champagne, ate too many rich foods, and was flattened in the 13th round of another world flyweight title bout against Englishman Jackie Brown.
Brother Benjamin, unable to convince Victor to abandon the actress and to return to his craft, returns to Tunisia, and Victor continues his dissolute ways, compiling an indifferent ring record. At one point, he is invited to a boxing club in Nazi Germany, where the purpose seems to be nothing more than to humiliate him.
It is a harbinger of things to come after Nazi troops conquer France, and Victor is sent to a concentration camp. There for the amusement of the Nazi guards—and to demoralize the Jewish prisoners—a boxing match is arranged in which Perez, haggard from starvation and from the disease all around him, is supposed to fight a well-conditioned German fighter several weight classifications heavier than him.
The match is a travesty, but despite urging from his brother (with whom he was reunited at the camp) Perez refuses to take a dive.
Victor Young Perez is portrayed by Brahim Asloum; his brother by Steve Suissa, and the actress Mireille Balin by Isabella Orsini.
*
Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com Comments intended for publication in the space below must be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the U.S.)