The late Turkish comedy giant Kemal Sunal's last feature film before hitting the TV spots...
Kemal Sunal is best remembered for his unique style of wit and humor. Every time we see him in a leading role of a feature film, we always expect that it will be very funny and entertaining. Most of his films are full of half-wit characters in the good side and right-minded characters in the evil side. Very few of his movies are sad and soppy. As an unusual type for him, some of his movies are serious dramas and humor which is only very wise and skit. Varyemez is one of this third type, and it's a serious drama containing significant social criticism with a pearl of wisdom.
Ragip Elibol is a retired industrialist and a family father in his 50s'. He is aware of most of the things happening in the world, in his country, in economy, in technology and such. He is best aware of himself and cares much about his health. Walking on eggshells every day of his life, he always acts with deliberation even everything seems so perfect to others' eyes. Despite being wealthy, he is tight-purse. He never trusts nobody for no reason, he always carry suspect for the people he met. As a secret friend, he has his chauffeur being his confidant. His chauffeur is the only person he trusts. One day once he begins growing suspect about his family not caring much about his health as much as his wealth; he takes a stroll in the park. That's when he is kidnapped by a gang of university students. Because none of the members of the gang is previously convicted, police can't find them for a year. The gang keeps Ragip in a basement apartment unit and takes care of him very good, even better than his family does; just to levy a ransom from them. But the phone calls and messages of threat doesn't even make them believe that Ragip is kidnapped. His family seems so sure of him that he never falls in a danger. After a year of such trials of frightening Ragip's family and co-partners for ransom, the gang finally gives up to captivate him and decides to stay on Ragip's trail for a bit more. Happily going back to home, before ringing the bell of the door; he haphazardly hears that the family and relatives has come together for a meeting to decide the shares of Ragip's heritage. Then very entertaining things start to occur right after Ragip and his chauffeur joined hands to give his family a lesson that they won't be able to forget whole of their lives.
It's a very plain and easy-to-handle storyline. Every incident becomes the root of the next. There are great and remarkable acting by supports. One of them is Cem Davran who plays the funniest member of the gang. He wants to become a scriptwriter after graduation, and he starts reading his foolish non-sense scripts to Ragip every time they come across to each other. No one actually ever likes his scripts nor bear with them. He tortures Ragip with reading his scripts, cross-referencing Jack Lemmon in The Apartment(1960). Ragip's chauffeur has the control of the mood of the movie. The scenes with the chauffeur contains social criticism and the pearl of wisdom.
But the best of all, for the excellent choice of the actors, the accord between them, the accord between the script and the story, good use of camera language, changing the mood of the film where it is necessary, reflecting the message so much effectively ; thanks to such an excellent directing. Varyemez is one of my favourite movies of the director Orhan Aksoy. Watching this film for the second, or the fifth, or the tenth time; I still feel the same enthusiasm like the first time.
