Tonight, we rented the new film, "The Fabelmans" and loved it. Incredible performances, screenwriting and story-telling. I especially loved the fact that Steven Spielberg got to co-write and direct his own story.
Cinephiles and historians, I need you to give me a reality check on something in the film. I am not intending this as a spoiler alert (for those who haven't yet seen the film my question revolves around the first 10 minutes of the movie).
We open on a winter exterior shot in line at a movie theatre and over that visual there is a screen card that comes appears, "January 10, 1952." Next are shots of Burt and Mitzi as Sammy is about to see his first real movie on a big screen. I am fast forwarding now to the family ride home as Burt is musing on how to find their house amidst all the houses with holiday lights; while Mitzi asks what Sammy wants for Hanukah. Later that night after Sammy goes to bed he awakens Mitzi with his squeals of delight at deciding what he wants for Hanukah after all.
The next scene is the entire family presumably in the early evening preparing to light the first candle on the menorah; and then scenes for the remaining seven candles and presents.
Here's my confusion: The references to it being the start of Hanukah comes right after seeing the movie and matches with the Christmas lights in the neighborhood. Soooooo, why did the opening screen card show January 10th? Hanukah and Christmas would be over by then. In fact, research tells me that Hanukah in 1952 began on December 12th-- which would jive with the subsequent menorah lighting scenes that appear to be after they went to the movies.
I am asking those of you in the know: Was there a typo on that screen card that no one else caught? On the web, I found a copy of the script and it states the same opening date,"January 10, 1952."
Surely the creative team for this film wouldn't have erred on the chronology either in the script or the editing. So, what am I missing?
The film starts in 1952, so 'splain it to me Lucy.
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