Gamil Ratib Movies

In this comic parable of social and political dysfunction, a plane load of roughly a dozen people crash in the desert and find refuge in an oasis. One of the survivors, a businessman (Gamil Ratib), cajoles, cons, and connives his way to power, and once in control, has them do his bidding. He pays his "workers" -- who build his house for him -- as little as he can and punishes them with diminished wages (dates) when they are not producing up to speed. An artist (Ahmed Zaki) tries to organize the workers/passengers into a rebellion but he comes up against a peasant (Hamdi Ahmed) and others who cannot see his point. Revolution appears to be a certainty though, even if the artist initially fails. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

This thriller about a mysterious psychopath was based on a novel by Georges Simenon. Edouard Binet (Philippe Noiret), an aimless Frenchman who has spent several years travelling in Northern Africa, is sailing to Belgium when he meets an attractive woman named Sylvie Baron (Fanny Cottencon). Edouard introduces Sylvie to Nemrod (Gamil Ratib), a wealthy Egyptian who is traveling with a cache of valuable jewelry. Sylvie and Nemrod hit it off and soon become lovers, which stirs an insane jealousy inside Edouard. Days later, Edouard arrives in blood-stained clothes at a rooming house owned by Mme. Baron (Simone Signoret), Sylvie's mother. It seems that Nemrod was killed aboard a train after his ship arrived in France, though Edouard claims no knowledge of the events. Sylvie suspects that Edouard is responsible for Nemrod's death, but the enigmatic Edouard has gained a trusted ally in Mme. Baron. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This sweeping, highly literate historical epic covers the Allies' mideastern campaign during World War I as seen through the eyes of the enigmatic T. E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole, in the role that made him a star). After a prologue showing us Lawrence's ultimate fate, we flash back to Cairo in 1917. A bored general staffer, Lawrence talks his way into a transfer to Arabia. Once in the desert, he befriends Sherif Ali Ben El Kharish (Omar Sharif, making one of the most spectacular entrances in movie history) and draws up plans to aid the Arabs in their rebellion against the Turks. No one is ever able to discern Lawrence's motives in this matter: Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness) dismisses him as yet another "desert-loving Englishman," and his British superiors assume that he's either arrogant or mad. Using a combination of diplomacy and bribery, Lawrence unites the rival Arab factions of Feisal and Auda Abu Tayi (Anthony Quinn). After successfully completing his mission, Lawrence becomes an unwitting pawn of the Allies, as represented by Gen. Allenby (Jack Hawkins) and Dryden (Claude Rains), who decide to keep using Lawrence to secure Arab cooperation against the Imperial Powers. While on a spying mission to Deraa, Lawrence is captured and tortured by a sadistic Turkish Bey (Jose Ferrer). In the heat of the next battle, a wild-eyed Lawrence screams "No prisoners!" and fights more ruthlessly than ever. Screenwriters Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson used T. E. Lawrence's own self-published memoir The Seven Pillars of Wisdom as their principal source, although some of the characters are composites, and many of the "historical" incidents are of unconfirmed origin. Two years in the making (you can see O'Toole's weight fluctuate from scene to scene), the movie, lensed in Spain and Jordan, ended up costing a then-staggering $13 million and won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The 1962 Royal Premiere in London was virtually the last time that David Lean's director's cut was seen: 20 minutes were edited from the film's general release, and 15 more from the 1971 reissue. This abbreviated version was all that was available for public exhibition until a massive 1989 restoration, at 216 minutes that returned several of Lean's favorite scenes while removing others with which he had never been satisfied. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Charles (Louis Jourdan) is a writer who falls for Sandra (Senta Berger) in this routine spy story. Sandra talks the writer into helping her stop her husband from kidnapping a nuclear scientist and delivering him to the Chinese. (Edmond O'Brien) gives the standout performance in this otherwise forgettable film. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Set in a Tunisian melting-pot town in 1967 and loosely based on the reminiscences of filmmaker Ferid Boughedir, this bittersweet comedy-drama tells the tale of how the secret conspiracy between three teen girls to lose their virginity before they turn seventeen wreaks havoc on the lives and friendships between their disparate families. The fathers have known each other many years, but underneath their friendship lies a silent but strong undercurrent of tension that relates to their different religions and ethnic origins. One family is Muslim, one is Jewish and the last is Roman Catholic. The trouble erupts because each of the girls choose to dally with men outside their religions. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide