Leila, Daughter of the Desert (1937) - (Bahidja Hafez) Egyptian film program NM $55 *
Size: 8" x 11" 14 pages
Price: $55
Condition: Near Mint
Size: 8" x 11" 14 pages
Price: $55
Condition: Near Mint
The film program gives the following English summary of the film screenplay, written by Laila Afifa: "For a long time war had been raging between the two tribes of Bakr and Teghieb, with short intervals of peace during whihc the tribeal feuds continued to smoulder in the hearts of both sides. Sheikh Lukeiz, who had contracted the enmity of both his brother and his tribe, was constrained to emigrate with his daughter Laila to Abad, on the borders of Persia, whose inhabitants were very loyal to Chosroe.
"But though all relations between Lukeiz and Laila on the one hand, and the two tribes of Bekr and Taghleb on the other hand, had been completely severed, there was a heart whicdh continued to throb at the mere mention of Lailas name. This was the heart of El-Burak, Lailas cousin, for the two had been in love with each other since their childhood, though the3ir parents enmity had separated them. At last El-Barak succeeded in winning his uncles consent to marry Laila, but having refused to live under Persian rule, he incurred his uncles displeasure who drove him away and warned him not to return to him.
"But El-Burak's deadliest enemies were Ziad and Amr of the tribe of Iyad. The first hated El-Burak because he had won Laila's heart; and the second was jealous of him because he excelled him in prowess and horsemanship. These two men resorted to a very mean conspiracy against El-Burak. They visited the Persian king and told him of Lailas beauty, and Chosroe ordered his soldiers to kidnap her.
"But a certain Abla who had been desperately in love El-Burak told him that Laila had been sold to Chosroe as a slave by her father. This enraged El-Burak and he left his tribe and went out roaming in the desert.
"Meanwhile Chosroe was endeavouring by all means to win Laila's heart. He lavished on her all kinds of promises, but seeing that she only turned a deaf ear, he changed his tactics and began to torture her. Laila, however, found in Gullunar and Nadra, two palace slaves, sincere friends who deeply sympathized with her. As to Khatiba, Chosroes mistress, she hated laila at first, but having learnt the truth, she conspired with Gullunar and her fiance, an officer at the palace, to kidnap Laila. But at the last minute, Amr and Ziad discovered the plot, and the latter decided to play his last card. He secretly visited laila and proposed to her to elope with him and marry him. At this very minute Chosroe entered and siscovered Ziads treacher. He ordered that he should be thrown into a dungeon. But Ziad pleaded innocent and explained the conspiracy to the king. A little later, Amr arrived and corroborated Ziads statements. Chosroe was astonished. He partoned Ziad and ordered that preparations should be made for his marriage with Laila.
"Gullunars fiance,, however, lost no time. He traversed the desert in the company of a caravan and succeeded in reaching the place where El-Burak was and told him about Lailas whereabouts. El-Burak was enraged and he incited the Bedouin tribes to march on Persia; and just at the time when the last preparations wehre being made for Chosroes wedding, the Bedouin tribes appeared before the capital. The palace gates were stormed, the royal guard put to death, and Lukeiz was seen creeping into Chosroes chambre where, with his sword, he dealt the Persian monarch a death blow. El-Burak and Ziad were then seen clasping each other in a deadly struggle which ended in the latters death.
"At this moment Laila appeared. She rushed and fell on El-Buraks neck: was then seen falling in Gullunar's arms. The last scene is that in which all joyously join in the Song of the Desert."
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