Alexandria… Why?

views updated

Alexandria… Why? ★★ 1978

Schoolboy (director Chahine uses his adolescent recollections) tries to ignore the war in Alexandria in 1942 by escaping into the movies and his dreams of becoming a star. He also witnesses two love affairs—one between a Muslim man and a Jewish woman and the second betweeen an Arab nationalist and an English soldier. Part 1 of Chahine's Alexandria trilogy, followed by “An Egyptian Story” and “Alexandria Again and Forever.” Arabic with subtitles. 133m/C VHS, DVD . EG Gerry Sundquist, Naglaa Fathi, Farid Shawki, Mohsen Mohiedine; D: Youssef Chahine; W: Youssef Chahine; C: Mohsen Nasr; M: Foad El Zaheri.