THE MANLY MOUSTACHE
Iran, 2007, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Javad Ardakani.
The Manly Moustache is an ironic name for a superstition about getting a hair from a manly moustache in order to achieve something. The film focuses on a little girl and a retarded man and their believing in this superstition and their acting on it.
Masume is a six-year-old little girl who wanders around the marketplace, friends with everyone. Her uncle, Khan Amu, is retarded and wants to buy a bicycle. Masume wants to help him. However, her family, the man in the bicycle shop and the other adults around the market are against this. One day, Khan Amu takes a bicycle belonging to a young boy and rides it away. He takes Masume with him. The owner pursues Khan Amu on the back of a motorbike. The police take Khan Amu in.
What happens is that the two decide to get a hair from the beard of a wise old man in order that they might be able to raise the money to buy the bike. The film shows the interactions between the retarded man and the little girl, a precocious and forthright young girl, as well as the reactions of family and all those about. Needless to say, they finally get a hair from a moustache – but they deceive the old man who has the book with the real hair in it and they try to pretend that the one they have taken is the real one. Nevertheless, the bicycle dream comes true.
1.A pleasing and sentimental film? The Tehran setting? The neighbourhood, the people, the families, the market and the buyers and sellers? The musical score?
2.The initial focus on Masume, her talking, meeting everybody, worldly-wise? Her friendship with her uncle? Decision to help him? His putting her on the back of the bike?
3.Khan Amu, his age, size, his mental impairment? Friendship with Masume? The family taking him for granted? His taking the bike, going on the spree, enjoying the ride? Finally crashing? The police taking him in?
4.Masume’s family, the various members, their reaction to the little girl, to Khan Amu, home life, meals? The man in the bicycle shop and his refusal?
5.The dream about the bicycle, the story about the hair from the moustache? Masume getting the book, the hair, the wise man? Losing the hair?
6.All the efforts to find an old man with a moustache, the various requests, refusals? Finally getting the hair – and Masume not being satisfied – with so many attempts?
7.Khan Amu, his personality, cheerful, at home, wanting the bike, the playing with the hairs? His relying on Masume?
8.The owner finally giving in, the bike itself, the gift, happiness?
9.Masume and having to face the old man, pretending to find the hair on the carpet? Having to tell the truth?
10.A genial focus on children and the impaired man? A slice of life, comic and sentimental, in Tehran?
