The Movie Widad
Widad
Cinematographers : Sami Brill, Ahmad Khurshid
Directors : Ahmad Badr Khan, Fritz Kramp, Jamal Madkur.Studio Misr.
Dialogue/Story : Ahmad Rami
Release: February 10, 1936
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Work begun in 1935. It was produced by the Direcor of the Misr Bank, Tal'at Harb' company, Studio Misr, Ahmad Rami wrote the script based on a story invented by Umm Kulthum.
The male leading role was played by Ahmad 'Allam and Munassa Fahmi. Ohter cast members were : Mukhtar Uthman, Futuh Nashati, Mahmud al-Maliji, Kuka Ibrahim, Abduh al-Suruji.
It was also the first Egyptian entry in an international film festival in London.
Plot:
Set in the Mamluk period (thirteenthcentury Egypt). It depicts the loyalty of a singing slave girl, named Widad (played bu UK) to her master, a wealthy trader. Beloved of her master she was also content in his service. The trader's business failed when one of his caravans was attacked in the desert and its cargo plundered. Seeing her master in dire circumstances, the good slavegirl proposed that he sell her for as much as he could get in order to recoup some of his losses. Widad was then sold to another wealthy man whose palace was far away. There she lived a life of loneliness and desolation. However, fortune smiled on the ruined trader once again. He recovered the riches and the slave girl returned to him, his second master having granted her freedom while on his death bed.
Songs from the film has been reissued on various CD's:
Ya bashir al-uns
Composer: Zakariya Ahmad,
Poet: Ahmad Rami
Maqam: Ajam
Genre: Ughniyah
Released on:
AAA 028, SONO 150, VDLCD 595
Ya layl nujumak
Composer: Zakariya Ahmad
Poet: Ahmad Rami
Maqam: Saba
Genre: Ughniyah
Released on:
AAA 028, SONO 150,
Ya tayr ma 'ayish asir
Composer: al-Qasabji
Poet: Ahmad Rami
Maqam: Rast
Genre: Ughniyah
Released on:
AAA 028, SONO 150, VDLCD 595
Leeh ya zaman
Composer: al-Qasabji
Poet: Ahmad Rami
Maqam: Kurd
Genre: Ughniyah
Released on:
AAA 028, SONO 150, LVdM 82914-2, VDLCD 595
Ayyuha al-ra'ihu al-mujidd
Composer: Zakariya Ahmad
Poet: al-Sharif'al-Rida
Maqam: Hijaz kar
Genre: Qasidah
Released on:
AAA 028, SONO 150, LVdM 82941-2,
Yalli widadi
Composer: al-Qasabji
Poet: Ahmad Rami
Maqam: Bayati
Genre: Ughniyah
Released on:
AAA 028, SONO 150,
Ya bahjit il-'i d
Composer: al-Qasabji
Poet: Ahmad Rami
Maqam: Hijaz kar
Genre: Ughniyah
Released on:
AAA 030, SONO 150, LVdM 82941-2, VDLCD 595
Hayyu il-rabi
Composer: al-Sunbati
Poet: Ahmad Rami
Maqam: X
Genre: Anshudah
No known release
'Ala baladi mahbub
Composer: al-Sunbati
Poet: Ahmad Rami
Maqam: Bayati
Genre: Taqtuqah
Released on:
AAA 028, SONO 150, LVdM 82914-2, VDLCD 595
The movie Widad exists on numerous Videocasettes VHS
As with her other Musical movies the problem is to find a good copy. Many Videos on the market have been copied from several generation copies and the quality is mostly very poor. If anyone have a source for good copys of either Movies or Concerts please let me know.
If you know of any other filmed or videotaped concerts or other live footage on or about Umm Kulthum please let me know.
Please send any comments, errata & addenda by e-mail to: mrfung@nada.kth.se
Latest revision at 971209/LF.