Country: Egypt
Year: 1933
Duration: 110'
Mohammad is a young man of poor origins who works as an employee in the office of Isma'il. He is in love with Ragi`, the owner's daughter. Fatima, Ragi`'s stepmother, is opposed to this love story because she would like the girl to marry her brother, Shafiq. One day, Shafiq catches Mohammad and Ragi` kissing and immediately informs Isma'il, who fires Mohammad. The young man goes on to become a famous singer. Shafiq convinces Ragi` that since Mohammad is now famous he has relationships with other women and doesn't think about her anymore. Ragi` is desperate, and agrees to marry Shafiq. But in fact Mohammad still loves Ragi`.
"Al warda al baidh` is a milestone in the history of Arab singing and cinema; its success is also due to the highly talented Mohammad Karim and Mohammad Abdu Al Wahab, who agreed to take part. Mohammad Abdu Al Wahab touched me profoundly as he sang his beautiful songs in this film" (Taha Husain, in the film's first critique, 1933).
Biography
film director
Mohammad Karim
Mohammad Karim (Abdin, Cairo, 1896 - 1972). Actor, director, producer and screenwriter, he followed cinema courses in Italy and Germany. He was the first rector of the Superior Institute of Cinema in 1959. His biography, written by Mahmud Ali, was published in 1972.
FILMOGRAFIA
Hadiqatu al haiwan (Lo zoo, 1927), Awdat al Malik Fu'ad min Awruba (Il ritorno del Re Fu'ad dall'Europa, 1927), Zainab (1930, versione muta), Al ta'awun (La cooperazione, 1931), Awlad al dhawat (I figli di papà, 1932), Al warda al baidhà (La rosa bianca, 1933), Dumu'u al hubb (Le lacrime dell'amore, 1935), Yahia al hubb (Viva l'amore, 1938), Yawm sa'id (Una giornata felice, 1940), Mamnu'e al hubb (L'amore è proibito, 1942), Rassasa fi al qalb (Una pallottola nel cuore, 1944), Duniya (1946), Ass-hab al sa'ada (Vostra eccellenza, 1946), Lastu Malakan (Non sono un angelo, 1946), Al hubbu la yamut (L'amore non muore, 1948), Mit bulbul (Cento usignoli, 1949), Nahed (1952), Zainab (1952, versione sonora), Nashidu al wadi (Il canto della valle, 1953), Kulliyyat al shurtta (La scuola degli ufficiali di polizia, 1954), Giunun al hubb (La follia dell'amore, 1954), Yawm el hanà (La giornata della felicità, 1955), A'assab min fuladh (Nervi di acciaio, 1956), Dalila (1956), Qalb min dahab (Un cuore d'oro, 1959), Tamam ya afandem (Tutto a posto signore, 1967).
Cast
& Credits
Director and editor: Mohammad Karim.
Plot: Mohammad Mitwalli.
Sceneggiatura e dialoghi: Mohammad Karim, Suleiman Nagib, Tawfiq Al Merufli.
Director of photography: Achille Primavera.
Music: Mohammad Abdu Al Wahab.
Songs: Ahmad Rami, Bishara Al Khuri, Ahmad Shawqi (testi), Mohammad Abdu Al Wahab (musica).
Interprete canzoni: Mohammad Abdu Al Wahab.
Cast and characters: Mohammad Abdu Al Wahab (Mohammad), Dawlat Abbiad (Fatma), Suleiman Nagib (Isma'il), Mohammad Abdu Al Quddus (Khalil), Samira Khallussi (Ragi`), Zeki Rustum (Shafiq), Tawfiq Al Maronli, Mohammad Tawfiq.
Production company and Italian distribution: Abdu Al Wahab Film.
Plot: Mohammad Mitwalli.
Sceneggiatura e dialoghi: Mohammad Karim, Suleiman Nagib, Tawfiq Al Merufli.
Director of photography: Achille Primavera.
Music: Mohammad Abdu Al Wahab.
Songs: Ahmad Rami, Bishara Al Khuri, Ahmad Shawqi (testi), Mohammad Abdu Al Wahab (musica).
Interprete canzoni: Mohammad Abdu Al Wahab.
Cast and characters: Mohammad Abdu Al Wahab (Mohammad), Dawlat Abbiad (Fatma), Suleiman Nagib (Isma'il), Mohammad Abdu Al Quddus (Khalil), Samira Khallussi (Ragi`), Zeki Rustum (Shafiq), Tawfiq Al Maronli, Mohammad Tawfiq.
Production company and Italian distribution: Abdu Al Wahab Film.