La anam (1957) Online

A masterpiece: directed by the great Salah Abu Seif, written by the Controversial Ehsan Abdel Quoddous, based on his famous novel "sleepless". The story is if full of romance, seduction and revenge. The movie was reproduced recently to be available on DVD's.

The movie introduces 7 famous stars in the Egyptian Cinema led by Faten Hamama and Omar Sharif (after three years of their marriage).

This is a unique movie in Faten Hamama's career where she played the teenager who wants to control the life of her father and destroy his marriage, in an effort to keep her life as it used to be.

Great performance by Faten, Omar and Rushdi Abaza.

No matter how many times i say this movie, i find myself mesmerized in front of the screen if i ever happen to find it while tuning channels. an example of excellent workmanship in cinema industry, interiors, colours and costumes a magnificent cocktail. i find 2 scenes showing the directors ability to express with colour. and 1 scene shows his ability of choosing location.

regarding colour: 1- when Nadia stood up looking jealous and angry watch her father taking (Safeia) his new wife to the bedroom and inside the bedroom a lamps are turned off and replaced with calm red to express the sexual relation between the just married couple, sending a message to Nadia that she is no longer the number 1 female in her father's life.

2- the confrontation scene between Nadia's father and his wife when Nadia framed her mother in law by misguiding her father into beleiving that his wife is having an affair with Omar sharif. take a good look when the father roars :Talqa, Talqa , Talqa ( you are divorced, divorced, divorced) as the camera moves into a close shot to Nadia;'s face a red light spot is casted in her face to express her feeling with guilt towards the horrible sin she has committed.

regarding location: When Nadia went to meet her lover in his flat, the director intentionly chose to locate the lovers flat into a modern apartment building to fit the lover's loose and forethought lifestyle. at that time almost 95% of Cairo's architecture were classic inspired only few years before shooting the movie, a new apertment building was constructed in downtown at the intersection of Sheriff st & Talat Harb street, it was a new office-residentail building owned by Morad Wahaba Basha designed by the 2 young architects at that time ( Salah Zaitoun -Mostafa shawqi) this 16 stories building was a majour event as it was an abstarct expression of modern Architecure ( No moldings -No Murals) just a mass of concrete and volumes inspired by the work of Mies Van DER ROHE and Lu corbesiier . hence it did not miss the jenious director to choose this particular building to host the apartment of the playboy