The Apartment Belongs to the Wife (1985)

Original title

الشقة من حق الزوجة

Directed by

Omar Abdel Aziz

Genre

comedy film, comedy drama, romantic comedy film

Country

Egypt

Runtime

1h 36m

Rated

PG-13

Rating

5.6 of 10 from 7 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A young Egyptian couple faces financial and family pressures after marriage. The husband struggles with his wife and her controlling mother while navigating their different backgrounds.

fast-pacedhumorousdramaticemotionalthought-provokingrelatablelively

What happens

The Apartment Belongs to the Wife (Arabic: الشقة من حق الزوجة, romanized: al-shaqqa min ḥaqq al-zawga) is a 1985 Egyptian comedy-drama film directed by Omar Abdel Aziz and starring Mahmoud Abdel Aziz and Ma'ali Zayed. The film, known for its unique blend of humor and drama, addresses critical societal issues in Egypt, including the socio-economic struggles faced by young couples. It also tackles issues related to marriage, divorce and family dynamics realities. All of them were conveyed in Sameer's struggles with his wife, Karima, and her controlling mother. The movie remains a beloved classic in Egyptian cinema. It was released on January 7, 1985, and written by Farag Ismail. The movie also features George Sidhom. The film also presented, in addition, two types of environment and the way of life in them: the urban environment represented by the setting of Samir and Karima, and the rural environment of Abdul Raheem and his wife. Furthermore, the pace of the film was fast, which allowed it to present a vast amount of collective viewpoints. This, in turn, reflects the screenplay's plot and depth, as well as the naturalness of the actors' performances. Moreover, the director's skill in using them contributed significantly to portraying the Egyptian society of that time. Despite its simplicity, the film carried profound and powerful hidden meanings. The enjoyment, laughter, and sense of kindness mixed with value were, without a doubt, the emotional impact the film left on the viewer. Finally, the film is similar to the French phenomenon of the 'classical play' from 1630. It is a play with a specific course that involves complex dramatic tension; however, overcoming it is possible, ultimately leading to a happy ending. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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