Awlad el zawat: A Relic of Old-School Paranoia

Is it worth the time?

If you have an interest in early Egyptian cinema history or Youssef Wahbi, sure, give it a go. But if you're looking for a nuanced take on cultural blending or relationships, stay far away. You will probably find it exhausting if you don't like movies that hammer their point into the ground for ninety minutes straight.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Awlad el zawat (1932) through its definitive frames.

It’s a loud, judgmental film. It feels like watching someone’s grandfather rant about 'the good old days' while pointing a finger at a screen. None of the foreign women here are allowed to be human. They are just props designed to act badly and break hearts.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Awlad el zawat (1932) through its definitive frames.

The melodrama dial is turned to eleven

The acting is so theatrical it’s almost distracting. You’ve got people weeping and throwing fits in ways that just don't happen in real life. It reminded me a bit of the heavy-handed moralizing in The Primrose Path, where every character is just a pawn for the filmmaker's specific agenda.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Awlad el zawat (1932) through its definitive frames.

There is this one scene where a wife is scheming, and the camera just lingers on her face for an eternity. It’s supposed to be menacing, I think? Honestly, it just looks like she forgot her next line. 🙄

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Awlad el zawat (1932) through its definitive frames.

I found myself zoning out during the long, winding speeches. The movie really loves the sound of its own voice. It makes Her Social Value look subtle by comparison.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Awlad el zawat (1932) through its definitive frames.

Oddly specific observations

• The lighting in the indoor scenes is strangely flat. It’s like they were afraid of shadows.
• Oum Kalthoum is in this, which is a trip. Her presence definitely elevates things, even if the script is trying its best to drag everything down.
• The fashion is fantastic, though. Even if the characters are acting like villains, they look sharp doing it.

I kept waiting for someone to actually talk to their partner instead of just plotting. But no. Everyone is too busy being morally superior. It’s exhausting.

At one point, the movie feels like it’s trying to be a cautionary tale, but it lacks any real heart. It’s all cold, calculated spite. I’ve seen better depictions of internal conflict in films like The Wreck of the Hesperus, where at least the characters seem to have a pulse.

It’s not a film I’d watch twice. Once you get the gist of 'foreigners are trouble,' there’s really nothing left to chew on. It’s just a shiny, bitter antique.