The Messiah on Mott Street - Recap

It’s Christmas Eve, and Dr. Levine pays a house call on an elderly patient, Abraham Goldman, who lives in a tenement on Mott Street. He starts to warn Goldman about his condition, and Goldman talks about how he grew up with Levine’s father. The old man talks about his brother, Sam, who lives in California and has sent a letter saying that he’s selling off his land for a million dollars and will then send the money he owes. Levine says that Goldman’s health is an issue and recommends hospitalization. Goldman refuses to leave and abandon his nine-year-old grandson Mikey, whose parents are dead. Levine asks what to tell the Angel of Death, saying that he’s just outside. Goldman says that he’ll spit in the Angel’s eye because Mikey is all he has, and proclaims that the Messiah will come.



As Levine leaves, he runs into Miss Moretti of the Bureau of Public Assistance. She is there to take Mikey away, and Levine explains that Goldman is expecting the Messiah and money from his brother. Moretti explains that Sam is in a convalescence home in California and flat broke. Levine asks her to hold off for one more day before taking Mikey away.

Mikey brings Goldman tomato soup and the old man talks about the Messiah, a big black figure looming against the sky, and how he will come and bring contentment and fulfillment to all. Clearly ill, Goldman is unable to eat anything and sends the boy away, promising to eat later. Once Mikey goes, a dark shadow falls across the room. Goldman believes that it’s the Angel of Death and defies it, saying that he doesn’t want the peace of the grave if it means he loses Mikey. Mikey comes in and the shadow disappears, and Goldman claims that it was the Messiah, promising to arrive shortly on Mott Street with presents for the boy. The grandson says that the only thing he wants is for Goldman to be well.



The boy runs out into the street to find the Messiah. First he encounters a sidewalk Santa who tells him that he’s in the wrong neighborhood, and advises him to go home. Next, Mike finds a street fanatic who says that he is the Messiah, and that Goldman is soon to die. A black man, Buckner, shoves the fanatic away and Mikes mistakes him for the big black figure of the Messiah. Mikey explains his problem to the “Messiah,” and asks him to come and heal his grandfather. He pulls Buckner along with him to the apartment, and they find a police car parked outside. Goldman has had an attack and is in too bad a condition to be moved.



Mikey takes Buckner upstairs where Dr. Levine is outside. The boy explains who Buckner is and the doctor sends him to bed. Levine then checks on Goldman and explains that he came back to look in on him and found him dying. He goes to get Mikey, but Goldman says that the Angel of Death came and left him a message: that he’d be back at midnight to take Goldman.

Levine goes out into the living room and Buckner introduces himself. Despairing, the doctor says that Goldman needs a miracle because the Angel of Death is coming. Levine admits that as a Jew, he believes in the Angel of Death, and the Messiah, and miracles. Mikey comes to say goodbye to Goldman, insisting that Buckner, the Messiah, will handle everything. As the boy goes into his grandfather’s room, a wind blows through the window. Buckner asks if it was just the wind, and points out that Goldman is expecting someone. Mikey comes out and says that his grandfather looks sick, and Levine says that there’s not much anyone can do. When Mikey insists that Buckner can heal him, Levine tries to convince him that Buckner is just a man. The wind starts up again and all of the doors blow open. Mikey runs into Goldman’s room and sees a shadow looming over him. Buckner tells Levine to leave grandson and grandfather alone. The wind dies down and the doors close.



Mikey opens the door and calls in Levine, who is surprised to find Goldman alive and well. Goldman says that he had a dream of Mikey and Levine and someone in the living room, but none of them remember Buckner. The church bells ring outside as Christmas Day dawns, and Levine assures Goldman that he’s a testimonial to his professional know-how. The old man shows him the letter from Sam promising money, but then admits that he knows Sam would never send money. There’s a knock on the door and a postman delivers a special delivery. The postman is Buckner. The letter is from California, and contains a check from Sam for $10,000.

As Levine leaves the tenement, he finds Buckner outside. Levine still has no memory of their earlier encounter, and thanks him for delivering the letter. Buckner wishes him a happy holidays to him and to the whole earth, and they go their separate ways.



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