The Hijacking Over a Comedy and Other Acts of Dangerous Certainty

The Hijacking Over a Comedy and Other Acts of Dangerous Certainty

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Episode description

The Hijacking Over a Comedy and Other Acts of Dangerous Certainty

On 18 October 1973, a woman hijacked a domestic French flight to protest the release of a Louis de Funès comedy she deemed too pro-Jewish in the wake of the Yom Kippur War. The film, Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob, had already opened the day before and went on to become a box office hit. Elsewhere in history, this date marked the first recorded naval battle between Japan and the West in 1565, when the Matsura clan failed to capture a Portuguese carrack in Fukuda Bay. In 1945, Juan Perón married Eva Duarte in Argentina, beginning a political partnership that would reshape the nation. And in 1009, Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah ordered the complete destruction of Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, an act that would echo through centuries and contribute to calls for the Crusades. Four stories bound by human certainty, questionable logic, and the unpredictable consequences of conviction.

Chapters

  • Intro Clara introduces the most cinematic film protest in history: a 1973 hijacking over a Louis de Funès comedy.
  • The Hijacking That Hated a Comedy On 18 October 1973, the wife of French film producer Georges Cravenne hijacked a Paris-Nice flight demanding the cancellation of Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob, which she considered too pro-Jewish following the Yom Kippur War. The film had opened the previous day and became a box office success.
  • The First Naval Battle Between Japan and the West In 1565, the Matsura clan attempted to capture a Portuguese trading carrack in Fukuda Bay, marking the first recorded naval battle between Japan and European forces. The Portuguese vessel escaped.
  • Juan Perón Marries Eva Duarte On 18 October 1945, military officer Juan Perón married actress Eva Duarte in Argentina, beginning a political partnership that would transform the nation through advocacy for workers, the poor, and women’s suffrage.
  • Al-Hakim and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre In 1009, Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah ordered the complete destruction of Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, an act that became one contributing factor to the eventual Crusades and sent shockwaves through Christian Europe.
  • Outro Clara reflects on how these events share a common thread of dangerous certainty and the unpredictable consequences of being absolutely convinced you are right.

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