{{Infobox film | name = The Flying Matchmaker | image = Shneikunileml.jpg | caption = | studio = [[Geva Films]] | native_name = שני קוני למל | director = {{ill|Israel Becker|he|ישראל בקר}} | writer = Israel Becker<br>[[Avraham Goldfaden]] ([[operetta]]) | starring = [[Mike Burstyn]]<br>Raphael Klatchkin<br>Jermain Unikovsky<br>[[Shmuel Rodensky]]<br>Elisheva Michaeli<br>Rina Ganor<br>[[Aharon Meskin]] | cinematography = Romulo Grounni | producer = Mordecai Navon | released = {{Film date|1966}} | runtime = 120 minutes | country = Israel | language = [[Yiddish]]<br/>[[Hebrew]] }} [[File:Two Kuni Lemel.jpg|thumb|The title page of Goldfaden's play]] '''''The Flying Matchmaker'''''<ref>[https://www.svjff.org/films/2_kuni_lemel.shtml 2 Kuni Lemel / The Flying Matchmaker]</ref> (also: ''Two Kuni Lemel'', ''Shnei Kuni Leml'' or {{lang|he|שני קוני למל}}) is a 1966 [[Israeli film]] [[musical film|musical]] directed by Israel Becker. The film was the first major success on screen for lead actor [[Mike Burstyn]] who has a double role as Kuni Leml and his cousin Max, and also casts his father [[Pesach Burstein]] in a small role. The film was selected as the Israeli entry for the [[Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Language Film]] at the [[39th Academy Awards]], but was not accepted as a nominee.<ref>Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences</ref>
==Plot history== The plot is based on the 1880 Yiddish play, a [[comedy of errors]], ''{{ill|Di tsvey Kuni-Lemels|he|שני קוני למל}}'' ({{langx|yi|די בײדע קוני-לעמעל}}) by [[Abraham Goldfaden]]. It was based on the German-language comedy ''Nathan Schlemiel oder Orthodoxe und reformirte Juden'' by J. Rosenzweig{{efn|Rosenzweig's text says that the action is "somewhere in Hungary"<ref name=rosen/> and a 1906 Hungarian reference book gives author's name as Ignácz Rosenzweig, born in [[Pozsony]] (Both Pressburg and Poszony are the names of [[Bratislava]],)<ref>{{ill|József Szinnyei|hu|Szinnyei József (bibliográfus)}}, ''[[Life and works of Hungarian writers (Szinnyei)|Life and works of Hungarian writers]]'', [https://books.google.com/books?id=f8tEAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA1183 p. 1183] (public domain, readable in Google Books)</ref>}} (Ein Tendenz-Lustspiel in 3 Acten. [[Pressburg]], 1873<ref name=rosen>[https://books.google.com/books?id=cx9cAAAAcAAJ Nathan Schlemiel oder Orthodoxe und reformirte Juden. Ein Tendenz-Lustspiel in 3 Akten], public domain, readable in Google Books</ref>). Rosenzweig's was also the base for the 1879 play ''Di tsvey shmuel shmelkes'' (''Two Shmuel Shmelkes'') by [[Joseph Lateiner]], and some sources say that Goldfaden's was based on Lateiner's,<ref> [https://congressforjewishculture.org/lexicon/t/3663 Lateiner, Yoysef (Joseph) (December 25, 1853–February 23, 1935)], translated from ''Leksikon Fun Der Nayer Yidisher Literatur'' by Joshua A Fogel</ref> because the play of the latter one was earlier, but Lateiner's text is no longer available.<ref>''Landmark Yiddish Plays. A Critical Anthology'', 2010, [https://books.google.com/books?id=hgQKaPf4ypUC&dq=%22Nathan+Schlemiel%22+Rosenzweig&pg=PA39 p. 39]</ref>
==Plot== The local matchmaker (''[[shadchan]]''), Reb Kalman, arranges a match for Carolina, the daughter of a wealthy client, Reb Pinchas. The daughter is already romantically linked with Max, who teaches her French. He arranges to show up in Kuni Lemel's place, disguised as Kuni Lemel, so he can marry Carolina. Confusion ensues as both Max and Kuni Lemel show up to court Carolina.
==Cast== * [[Mike Burstyn]] as Max / Kuni Leml * {{ill|Raphael Klatchkin|he|רפאל קלצ'קין}} as Matchmaker * {{ill|Germaine Unikovsky|he|ז'רמן אוניקובסקי}} as Matchmaker's Daughter (as Jermain Unikovsky) * [[Shmuel Rodensky]] as Rebbe Pinchas * [[Elisheva Michaeli]] as Rebbe Pinchas' Wife * {{ill|Rina Ganor|he|רינה גנור}} as Carolina, Rebbe Pinchas's Daughter * [[Aharon Meskin]] as Kuni Leml's Father * {{ill|Ari Kutai|he|ארי קוטאי}} as Max's Father
==Sequels== *''{{ill|Kuni Lemel in Tel Aviv|he|קוני למל בתל אביב}}'' ({{imdb-title|0074766|Kuni Lemel in Tel Aviv}}), 1976 *''{{ill|Kuni Lemel in Cairo|he|קוני למל בקהיר}}'' ({{imdb-title|0151269|Kuni Lemel in Cairo}}), 1983
==See also== * [[List of submissions to the 39th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film]] * [[List of Israeli submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film]]
==Notes== {{notelist}} ==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title|0138101|Shnei Kuni Leml}} *Joel Berkowitz, [https://web.uwm.edu/yiddish-stage/plotting-yiddish-drama/di-tsvey-kuni-leml Di tsvey Kuni-Leml [The Two Kuni-Lemls]] (synopsys of the original play)
{{Israeli submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flying Matchmaker}} [[Category:1966 films]] [[Category:1966 musical films]] [[Category:1960s Hebrew-language films]] [[Category:Yiddish-language films]] [[Category:Films about twin brothers]] [[Category:Israeli musical films]] [[Category:Abraham Goldfaden]]