The Unknown Woman (film)

The Unknown Woman (aliases: The Anonymous Woman, Egyptian Arabic: المرأة المجهولة, romanized: al-marʾa al-majhūla, El-Mara'a el-Maghola, El murra el maghoula)[1][2] is a 1959 Egyptian film written and directed by Mahmoud Zulfikar.[3][4]

The Unknown Woman
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMahmoud Zulfikar
Written byMahmoud Zulfikar
Screenplay byMahmoud Zulfikar
Mohamed Othman
Based onMadame X
by Alexandre Bisson
Produced byHassan Ramzy
StarringShadia
Shoukry Sarhan
Kamal El-Shennawi
CinematographyAbdel Halim Nasr
Edited byFekri Rostom
Music byMounir Mourad
Production
company
Al Nasr Films Company
Distributed byAl Nasr Films Company
Release date
  • 7 December 1959 (1959-12-07)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryUnited Arab Republic
LanguageEgyptian Arabic

It is based on the play Madame X.[5] The film features an ensemble cast that includes Shadia, Shoukry Sarhan, Kamal El-Shennawi, Emad Hamdy and Zahrat El-Ola.[6][7][8][9][10] It was the highest-grossing film in the Soviet Union for 1961, the only African film to ever achieve that.[11]

Plot

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Fatima marries Dr. Ahmed and they give birth to Samir. She goes to visit her friend Souad, the police attack the place because it is suspicious and arrest everyone, including Fatima, she gets released but Ahmed divorces her. Fatima is forced to work as a singer in a Cabaret, the thug Abbas asks Fatima for a sum of money (a royalty) in order to protect her. Selling the lottery tickets, her son Samir becomes a famous lawyer, Abbas gets out of prison, and threatens Fatima in order to blackmail her family, so she kills him, then Ahmed is surprised by what she reached and regrets what he did to her, and her son Samir defends her and his father reveals her truth to him in public in court.

Staff

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  • Based on: Madame X
  • Adaptation: Mahmoud Zulfikar
  • Screenplay: Mahmoud Zulfikar and Muhammad Othman
  • Director: Mahmoud Zulfikar
  • Production: Hassan Ramzy
  • Distribution: Al Nasr Films Company
  • Cinematography: Abdel Halim Nasr
  • Score: Mounir Mourad
  • Editing: Fekri Rostom

Cast

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Primary cast

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Supporting cast

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  • Ahmed Lokser
  • Ataouta
  • Fifi Youssef
  • Abdul Moneim Saudi
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References

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  1. ^ "Shadia: Egyptian screen legend and singer". The Independent. 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  2. ^ Leaman, Oliver (2003-12-16). Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-66252-4.
  3. ^ Armes, Roy (2008-07-11). Dictionary of African Filmmakers. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-35116-6.
  4. ^ "Shadia, a divine agent of women empowerment". EgyptToday. 2017-12-04. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  5. ^ "Loading..." www.shadialovely.com. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  6. ^ Ginsberg, Terri; Lippard, Chris (2010-03-11). Historical Dictionary of Middle Eastern Cinema. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7364-3.
  7. ^ "Remembering Shadia: Egypt's golden age actress, singer and female idol - Film - Arts & Culture". Ahram Online. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  8. ^ "The Unknown Woman (1959)". Radio Times. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  9. ^ "Shadia age, hometown, biography". Last.fm. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  10. ^ "StackPath". dailynewsegypt.com. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  11. ^ "«Неизвестная женщина» (El murra el maghoula, 1959)" [The Unknown Woman]. Kinopoisk (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-04-06.