The Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center screened the colored and restored
version of legendary Azerbaijani movie "Arshin mal alan" (The Cloth
Peddler) on December 10.
New screen life was given to the popular movie on the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
Before
the film was shown, the audience watched video of a speech of National
leader Heydar Aliyev made in 2001 about the film and the importance of
its restoring.
"Modern technology allows us to restore the film in its original form," Aliyev said.
"This
needs to be done by all means. The film "Arshin Mal Alan" is one of the
greatest achievements in the history of Azerbaijani culture. Therefore,
it should live forever. This film should live so that future
generations understand how a great man was Uzeyir Hajibeyov, how a great
director was Reza Tahmasib, and how a talented singer was Rashid
Behbudov."
The film shot in 1945, is based on the same-name
operetta, which is the third and last operetta of Uzeyir Hajibeyli, the
great Azerbaijani composer. It was composed and staged in Baku one
century ago, in 1913.
Over 16 million viewers have seen the movie
since its first release, and until today, the film "Arshin mal alan"
was shown in 136 countries and dubbed in 86 languages.
A number
of versions of the movie have been made. The first version, a silent
comedy film, directed by Boris Svetlov appeared in 1917, the second
black and white version, produced during the Soviet period, was directed
by Reza Tahmasib and Nikolai Leshenko. This version is considered the
most successful one.
Famous singer Rashid Behbudov launched his
acting career with this film starring as Askar. In 1965, a colored
version of the film was also directed by Tofig Taghizade.
The
movie satirizes social practices and traditions, particularly those
related to the cumbersome practice of women wearing veils, and the
consequences this practice had on the relationships between men and
women.
The plot is centered on a young man named Asker who wants
to see and choose his bride himself before marriage. Doing so, however,
was difficult at that time because women were traditionally kept at
home, and were heavily covered in hijabs when they went outside.
Asker's
friend Suleyman suggests that he should dress up as a fabric peddler
and go door-to-door, selling fabrics in order to meet women.
Asker
falls in love with Gulchohra and asks her father, the wealthy Sultan
bey, for her hand in marriage. Sultan bey agrees, but Gulchohra objects,
because she is in love with the peddler. Eventually, she realizes that
the rich businessman Asker is actually her beloved peddler and they get
married.
Photos by AzerTAc