Nacht im Harem

Viewing the film Harem, makes one feel as if one were an actual voyeur peering into an actual Harem. Doorways and mirrors reflect to the eye what appears to be reality rather than an illusion created by a camera. As the Ottoman Empire comes to an end, the women in the Harem are frightened for their future. An old servant spins a tale to entertain and keep the women in the Sultan's harem distracted from what is going on. The story revolves around the Italian woman Safiye, who with the help of the black eunuch, Nadir rises to become the Sultan's favorite wife. The old servant's tale is interwoven with Safiye who weaves her own story to another Italian woman at a train station.

Do we always retell our stories as they happen to others? Stories are interwoven within stories, not only of what happens, but also what it is we would liked to have happened and wished we had done differently. As the Empire finally falls and the Sultan escapes to Europe, leaving all the concubines behind, the stories will unfold. What will happen to the ladies of the Harem, to Safiye, and to Nadir who deeply loved Safiye? The story is intelligent. The film is beautifully photographed. The costumes and interiors are sumptuous and colorful. However, the film is at times a bit hard to follow and there is a certain lack of warmth in the characters.

I appreciated the photography, the textures, the colours and often, unlike one comment, the lighting. What was lacking for me was a coherent storyline.I found it often disjointed, badly edited and at times difficult to follow. My version was 110 minutes, IMDb shows one at 125m. Possibly the cuts and subtitles didn't help. I applaud any films that escape from the Hollywood mould but this left me disappointed. Miss Gillain was luminous and the performances were all fine, I just wanted a little more dialogue. If anyone would like to see another film that has some affinity with this one, try 'Hideous Kinky'with Kate Winslet.

When I think about this movie, all the adjectives that come to mind somehow relate to the physical appreciation of the world. Texture, smell, color, that's how I think this movie should be judged in terms of. See the rich golden tones surrounding the young concubine asleep by the fireplace, or the sweltering turkish bath, and let it flood your senses with impressions of spice, coarse cloth, smooth skin, scented oils, flickering flames, satin rustle. Don't just watch and listen, be absorbed, let the droning voice of the storyteller mesmerize you.

If you are looking for this movie fulfill some of you "Hollywood" desires and expectations as to what a Harem is you will be sorely disappointed. Unlike what a previous reviewer said it is full of sumptuous and colorful costumes. The dull color that the reviewer notes comes from the low key lighting that is accurately used to portray the setting and story. It is lighting that is very appropriate for the tale. This is a tale of one woman's experience in the last Harem of the Ottoman Empire. It is full of relationships between both the occupants of the Harem, and those without. A previous reviewer asks how a eunuch can have sexual relations. Castration serves to make it so that the person cannot reproduce. It does nothing to the need for love or desire, which is what one of the characters in the movie shows. And if the previous reviewer had paid attention the character in question did not use his crippled organ to perform for the member of the Harem. If you are simply looking for titillation, then it would be good for you to look elsewhere. If you are looking for a good story which well thought out and rich background then you should enjoy this one!

I had high expectations when I watched this movie. Being in the Harem I thought there would be extravagant sets and beautiful clothings. Well, I was wrong. Instead the colours used were dark most of the time, The clothings were nice but too plain. The lighting was constantly inadequate, making me very bored.

As for the story, I could not possibly follow the story. To me it seems that there were so many subplots and hence very confusing. I was also confused about how an eunoch could have sex with a woman. This film is not my cup of tea.