Colourful Cairo: A Quick Trip to the 1930s

Is this for you?

If you like old-school travel logs or just want to see what Cairo looked like before the world went sideways in the 40s, you’ll probably dig this. If you need a plot or characters, steer clear. You’ll be bored to tears within five minutes.

There is something inherently strange about watching footage from 1939. You know what's coming, even if the people on screen are just trying to sell rugs or pose by the Sphinx.

André de la Varre has this very specific, slightly stiff way of framing things. It’s not poetic, but it’s honest. You get the sense he was just trying to get the shot before the sun moved too far.

The markets in Cairo look absolutely chaotic. People are everywhere. There’s this one guy in the background of a wide shot who just stares directly into the lens for a solid ten seconds. He probably had no idea we’d be watching him nearly a century later. It’s a bit eerie.

Bits and bobs

• The transition between the busy streets and the desert is jarring.
• The narration is very “mid-Atlantic” and authoritative, which is exactly what you expect.
• The pyramids look exactly like they do today, which makes the cars driving by look even more like toys.
• It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy found in Mein Persienflug, though far less intense.

The film doesn't try to hide the modernization of the city. It actually leans into it. There are shots of traffic that feel like a nervous breakdown compared to the silence of the desert scenes.

It’s short. Thank goodness. Any longer and the charm of the grainy film stock would start to wear thin. Sometimes, a quick glance at the past is all you need.

It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a record. And sometimes, that’s enough. 🐪