Tough Guy [al-futuwwah] (1957) - (Farid Shawqi) Style B undated rerelease Egyptian film poster F, NM $35 *

Pictured is an Egyptian promotional poster for the 1957 Salah Abouseif film Tough Guy starring Farid Shawqi.

Size: 27" x 39"
Price: SOLD
Condition: Folded, Near Mint

The star pictured on the poster, the late Farid Shawqi (1919-1998), was one of Egypt's most popular and prolific actors, who appeared in 275 films made in Egypt, Turkey and Syria. This poster shows a familiar Egyptian image of a man wearing the traditional galabiyya and holding it between his teeth to make it easier to run.

The film, directed by Salah Abouseif and with a screenplay by Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, is about a man from a rural area who comes to Cairo looking for work, rises to social prominence as the owner of a successful produce business and then eventually loses most of what he has and almost his life in an altercation with an arch competitor. It is a black-and-white thriller with overtones of an old-time urban gangster film. It also features Egypt's famous dancer, Taheya Cariocca (1919-1980), in her middle years. When she was young Cariocca had been a stunning beauty who is now sometimes compared to Marilyn Monroe, although she looked nothing like her. In this film she plays the wife of Shawqi and in one scene performs a traditional dance. The film is included on critic Ahmad Al-Hadari's 2007 list of Egypt's 100 most important films, and it is also in the top 100 according to film critic Sa'ad al-Din Tawfiq.

Plot Summary: A man from upper Egypt named Haridi was looking for a way to feed himself working in the vegetable market. The market welcomed him with a slap in the face, employing him as a substitute for a sick donkey. However he succeeded in the work with the teacher Abu Zayd, the big market merchant and with the help of the woman teacher Husseinia. Haridi became close to Abu Zayd and learned all his secrets, ways of taking bribes, holding public auctions and using influence. Haridi then separated from Abu Zayd, married Husseinia and became one of the big merchants. Abu Zayd went to prison and Haridi became the big man of the market achieving the rank of Bey using Abu Zayd's methods. He became an oppressor like him. Abu Zayd got out of prison and there was a dispute between him and Haridi over one of the big auctions. The dispute became a hot confrontation in which Abu Zayd died, Haridi was arrested and the market welcomed another newcomer.