July 19th, 2019 - 3:00 pm
THE SPY BEHIND HOME PLATE Opening at the Cinema Art Theater
Starting on July 19, the Rehoboth Beach Film Society’s Cinema Art Theater will present “The Spy Behind Home Plate,” a fascinating documentary by award-winning filmmaker Aviva Kempner about Moe Berg, an enigmatic Jewish catcher, who joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) to spy for the U.S. on the Nazis’ atomic bomb program.
From the streets of Newark to five major league teams during baseball’s Golden Age to his secret life spying for the OSS during WWII, Berg’s improbable story is told with rare historical footage and revealing interviews with family and an All-Star roster from the worlds of history, sports and spy craft. Berg may have had only a .243 batting average during his 15-year major league career, but it was the stats he collected for the OSS that made him a most valuable player to his country. [US, 2019, 101 minutes, Rating: NR].
“A satisfying combination of baseball and WWII history but works on its own as a biographical documentary about a fascinating subject,” says Raquel Stecher of “Quelle Movies.” Elias Savada of “Film International” exclaims, “A solid triple and a worthwhile salute to a great baseball star, a true American hero...and a spy.”
Screening times are 3 pm on Friday (July 19), 6 pm on Saturday (July 20), 4 pm on Sunday (July 21), 7 pm on Tuesday (July 23), 3 pm on Wednesday (July 24), 6:00 pm on Thursday (July 25). Admission is $8 for members and $11 for future members. Customers are encouraged to purchase tickets online. If seats are available, tickets can be purchased at the theater starting 30 minutes prior to each screening.
The mission of the RBFS is promoting cinematic arts and providing education, cultural enrichment, and opportunities for engagement for our diverse communities and audiences. The Film Society sponsors ongoing screenings, special events, and the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival (October 31 – November 10, 2019). Having met all the requirements for best practices in nonprofit management, the Rehoboth Beach Film Society is accredited by the Standards for Excellence Institute®. The Film Society is funded, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com. For more information on this series, other events, or to become a member, visit the Rehoboth Beach Film Society website at www.rehobothfilm.com or call 302-645-9095.