Watch The Prime Ministers: Soldiers and Peacemakers

The Prime Ministers: Soldiers and Peacemakers is a documentary film released in 2015 which stars Michael Douglas and Christoph Waltz in lead roles. The film is directed by Richard Trank and presents an account of Israeli politics through the memoirs of Yehuda Avner, a British-born diplomat who served as speechwriter for various Israeli prime ministers. The documentary is based on Avner's book, The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership.

The film takes the audience on a political journey starting from the establishment of Israeli state to the present time, through the eyes of Yehuda Avner. He recounts his experiences with the various prime ministers he worked for, including Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin and Menachem Begin. The documentary highlights the political and social issues that shaped the Israeli political landscape, and how different prime ministers dealt with them in their own ways.

The film is divided into several chapters, each dedicated to a particular prime minister and their contributions to Israel's political history. The first chapter, for example, recounts the establishment of Israel in 1948 under David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister. The film then moves to the 1967 Six-Day War, which was led by Levi Eshkol. Eshkol was a skilled negotiator who managed to transform Israel into a military superpower while maintaining diplomatic relations with other nations.

Another important chapter is dedicated to Golda Meir, Israel's fourth prime minister, and the first female prime minister in the world. The documentary explores her influence on world politics, including her role in the Munich massacre, her relationship with Henry Kissinger, and her efforts to maintain peace in the Middle East.

The film also covers the contribution of Yitzhak Rabin, the Prime Minister who signed the Oslo Accords with the PLO, and who was assassinated in 1995 by a Jewish extremist. Rabin's death was a turning point in Israeli politics, and the film presents different perspectives on how this event affected the peace process in the region.

Menachem Begin, who signed the peace deal with Egypt which led to the famous Camp David Peace Accords, is another prominent figure portrayed in the film. Begin was a charismatic leader who is credited with changing the political landscape of Israel by introducing a more conservative and nationalist agenda.

One of the film's strengths is its ability to bring to life the stories of these leaders through archival footage, interviews with experts and insiders, and the narration of Yehuda Avner's own experiences. The documentary also offers a window into the personal lives of these leaders, including their personal relationships, cinematic moments, and historic events.

Both Michael Douglas and Christoph Waltz narrate different parts of the film, lending gravitas and depth to the story. Their voices blend well with the archival footage, the interviews, and the memorable score by Lee Holdridge.

Overall, The Prime Ministers: Soldiers and Peacemakers is a well-crafted documentary that provides a comprehensive view of Israeli politics, and the challenges that the country has faced over the years. It presents different perspectives on how the Israeli political landscape evolved, and how different prime ministers contributed towards shaping the country's destiny. The film is a fitting tribute to Yehuda Avner, a gifted and insightful diplomat who served Israel with distinction, and whose memoirs offer a unique perspective on Israel's political history.

The Prime Ministers: Soldiers and Peacemakers is a 2015 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 51 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.3.