Mr. Cohen Takes a Walk

It's a sweet movie. There have been variations on the theme over the decades. But for its time, it was brave: How many movies featured central characters named Cohen, Levine, and Levy? Mr. Cohen is the founder of a department store that's become very successful. One of his sons is running it. And he feels as if he has no place at the job or in the world.

It has a sweet quality that is at the same time neither sentimental nor cloying.

I have heard that "Death of a Salesman" was meant to be about a Jewish salesman but the names were changed. I've also heard that Fred and Ethel from "I Love Lucy" were originally conceived as a Jewish couple. But did they turn out that way? No.

Yes, Gertrude Berg gave us Molly Goldberg; and the movie "Molly" is a joy. But this did it first and did it very well. My hat's off to it and all concerned with this enormously likable film.