HAREM

France, 1985, 113 minutes, Colour.
Ben Kingsley, Nastassja Kinski.
Directed by Arthur Joffe.

Harem is an exotic oddity. A French production, co-written and directed by Arthur Joffe, with design by Alexandre Trauner and a musical score by Philippe Sarde, the film, nevertheless, looks like a throwback to the desert films of the '30s and '40s.

However, the film has a strong cast led by Ben Kingsley as Selim and by Nastassja Kinski as the New York heroine, Diane.

While there are exotic and erotic touches, the film is rather more moralising about the West and Islam as well as the values of the harem and the status of men and women.

While the film has an exotic look and the cast is interesting, the overall momentum of the film is less than intended.

1. Interesting and enjoyable film? Romance? The exotic?

2. Technical production: the Moroccan locations? The East, the city, palace? The contrast with the familiar American and New York landscapes? Costumes and decor, set design? Musical score - and the use of the Beethoven symphony?

3. The title and audience expectations? The exotic Arab? The atmosphere of the oil sheikhdoms? The women in the harem? The western oil workers? The harem as perceived by the western Diane?

4. The introduction to Diane: New York, her work as a stockbroker? her cat, her visit to the fortune teller? Moving apartments? The finding of the gift of the sunflower? The wedding reception, her experience of it, left behind, her decision to go on the other boat? Drugged, taken to the desert palace? Awaking and finding herself in the harem? Her presence with the women, bathing, the video, the oil workers coming in at night? her decision to escape? The encounter with M'sieur Raoul? The meeting with Selim? Her attempt to kill him with the sword? The photos, his obsession, his knowledge of her? The sexual encounter? His not going to Geneva because of her? The desert hotel? Her decision to escape, the reasons for her return? Her learning the truth about the harem? The debauchery? Diane's advice about his taking a wife? The death of Selim? Her return to New York? The visit to the fortune teller? Her seeing the Arab women on the street? Reality, dream fantasy?

5. Ben Kingsley as Selim, the oil sheikh? His wealth, power? the harem and the western workers? Diane's attacking him? The photographs, the men trailing her and getting the photographs? His love for her? His decision not to go to Geneva? His spending, the time with her? His reaction to the debauchery in the palace? Shooting the oil man? His decision to go? The wife? The disbanding of the harem? His being shot by the guard? Portrait of an exotic sheikh (in the old film tradition)?

6. The presentation of the sheikh's court, the advisers? The women in the harem and their status? The occupying of their time? The guards? The western oil workers? Violence?

7. The contrast with the Americans in New York, the fortune teller, the friends at the wedding reception?

8. The blend of old-fashioned Valentino-like stories with contemporary battle of the sexes elements, the professional woman from the west? Women and such old-fashioned traditions as the harem?