In 1915 Leo Frank, after being convicted of a crime he did not commit, was kidnapped from his jail cell and lynched by a bloodthirsty mob. Two years earlier, when Mary Phagen was raped and murdered in the Atlanta, Georgia factory that Frank managed, he was tried and sentenced to death despite the fact that there was no evidence against him. Anti-Semitism raged and economic tensions boiled over during the investigation and subsequent trial, and when Frank's death penalty was commuted to a life sentence, some angry citizens took matters into their own hands. This well-documented case has had important ramifications in United States history and inspired the formation of both the Ku Klux Klan and the Anti-Defamation League. In THE OLD RELIGION, his fictional retelling of the Leo Frank story, David Mamet explores the thoughts and imaginings of Frank's last days.
Leo Frank is a young Jewish man, intellectual, hardworking and involved in the Atlanta Jewish community, although rather acculturated, when he is accused of the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagen. Although he is not the first suspect in the case, the investigation soon focuses on him and he is brought to trail. From his prison cell, Frank recalls the time leading up to his arrest (he poignantly remembers conversations at the Passover table, a time when Jews reflect on current and historical struggles for equality and freedom). He questions whether his lifestyle brought the hatred and wrath of the town upon him, or if, as a Jew, he was doomed to this fate. As he remembers the trial (the tone more so than the details) Frank's frustration grows. He immerses himself in the study of Hebrew grammar and philosophical discussion with the rabbi who comes to visit him weekly. The emotional violence and turmoil Frank feels is finally matched by two acts of physical violence against him.
Mamet's novel is short, powerful and deeply philosophical. Instead of focusing on the details of this case, THE OLD RELIGION takes the reader into the tormented mind of Leo Frank. Although innocent of the murder of Mary Phagen, Frank questions his own spiritual innocence as he examines his life and his Jewish religion and identity. Reminiscent of Kafka's THE TRIAL, THE OLD RELIGION also suggests that the belief that logic and justice will prevail is naïve and potentially damaging. Also reminiscent of the Dreyfus Affair in France, the Leo Frank case warns that racism, anti-Semitism, and what Mamet calls "Americanism" in the justice system, are part of American history as well.
This stream of consciousness narration is a bit of a departure for Mamet. However, as one of America's most unique and powerful writers, he has again proved his talent for capturing the dynamics of American culture. For readers familiar with the Frank case, this novel will add an interesting dimension to the story. For those unfamiliar with Leo Frank, this novel is sure to spark an interest in the actual events. All readers will be treated to Mamet's forceful treatment of religion, American society and its justice system, and the strength of the human mind and spirit.
--- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman
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