This is the kind of story you might be used to seeing in an old Hollywood epic, a swashbuckler set in an "exotic" location and complete with actors in brownface, but here it's refreshingly made by Egyptian director Youssef Chahine, and stars Omar Sharif in just his second film. Sharif is a magnetic screen presence and no slouch compared to Douglas Fairbanks or Errol Flynn, riding hard through the desert and engaging in swordplay. The story has Bedouin tribes at the mercy of a sadistic ruler who has a habit of kidnapping and raping their women, and who also has no qualms about lopping the hands off of his enemies at the dinner table. Sharif's character engages in a form of guerilla warfare before infiltrating the king's army, all while juggling a love triangle between a "gypsy" (the film's word, Lola Sedki) and a princess (Maryam Fakhruddin).
If there was meant to be a parallel in this story to the autocratic rule of King Farouk who was overthrown a couple of years earlier, it's not obvious, though it was interesting to hear the private lament of a nobleman, that "All these wars, raids, killings, and stealing. Just for the money. But where does the money go?" and to see how the king without his army was quickly reduced, as tyrants everywhere are. But this plays more like a popcorn film, 1954 Egypt style, and aside from various battles between individuals and whole armies, there are three musical numbers and quite a bit of skin.
The film has a lot of life to it, but there are several things which held it back. The first is that as the story plays out, the king is played too much like a clown. There was quite a bit of dark potential with this character, but it wasn't fully realized. Another is the love triangle, which seemed unnecessary, especially as we get the idea that Lola Sedki's wonderfully feisty character will end up the loser. As I've delved in to Chahine's films I've really been loving his leading ladies who crackle with life, and in this film it's Sedki's character who is the most fun, so much so that she gets spanked a couple of times by Sharif. I would have preferred the princess character to have been written out of the script and Sedki to have wound up with him, but alas (and this is hardly a spoiler).
The production quality also leaves a little bit to be desired, including the audio track which lacks dynamic range. The editing is often too abrupt as well, and Chahine almost certainly should have held some of his beautiful shots longer and transitioned more smoothly. Lastly, the fight scenes between individuals don't seem all that realistic, and include things like the old sand in the face trick and a kick in the butt after sneaking up on a guard, though it must be said that the fights between the armies are thrilling in their chaotic energy. Oh, and for those sensitive to animal violence, beware, there is also a brief cockfight on the screen as well.
All in all, if you're in the mood for a classic adventure film and want to see one from a very different part of the world, this is worth checking out.
