The Girl with the Red Scarf

Shot on a shoestring in the countryside, SELVI BOYLUM AL YAZMALIM is an acknowledged classic of Turkish cinema. The plot is straightforward enough: village girl Asya (Turkan Sorak) falls in love with itinerant truck-driver Ilyas (Kadir Inanir). They get (unofficially) married and have a child, but Ilyas cannot adjust to life as a husband and seeks solace elsewhere. Asya leaves home for good, and is left alone on the road until Good Samaritan Cemsit (Ahmet Mekin) takes her in. After a whole, during which time Cemsit proves a good father to Asya's son Samet, the two get married. However Ilyas returns quite unexpectedly to the scene, forcing Asya to make a choice between past and present lives. Yilmaz's direction is straightforward; while allowing the plot to unfold at a cracking pace, he uses the shot/reverse strategy to powerful effect, especially at the end. The three central performances are just brilliant: Soray and Inanir were never better during their entire careers as the ill-fated couple, while Mekin has a wonderful talent for showing repressed emotion in a single expression. SELVI BOYLUM AL YAZMALIM has proved highly influential: the 2012 films ARAF and GOZETLEME KULESI both have sequences borrowed from the film.

The composer of the film music proved to be the best one in Turkish film industry and created a unique style which can be even defined as a new genre of his own. The rhythm changes according to the pace of the film, but melody fits to the dramatic or cheerful scenes without changing and loss of continuity.

I suggest a quick search of Cahit Berkay and Husnu Senlendirici (the clarinet) for Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalım.

I love this movie. it is one of my favorite movies. I watch it at least once a year, I love the story, the actors, the film music, everything. And even it hurts myself, I love the moral of the story. In my eyes, this film should be internationally known an recognized.

"Elveda selvi boylum, elveda Asyam. Bitmemis türküm benim...." ( a quoute from the film)

This is one of the best movies in Turkey. Even in Turkey this is so underrated. It deserves so much more. It has not that complex storyline but somehow it is amazingly effective. I don't know how they managed to make that. Of course acting carries the movie, the star Turkan Shoray is so beautiful and she carries the movie actually. But I don't think it's the only reason.

Yes... I almost forgot. I think I found what's the secret. The Scores that composed by Cahit Berkay. The scores are too great, It should be worldwide class scores. Scores also reflects the subject of the movie so good.

True love is the thing people try to find for centuries. But you will question what is "true love" while watching this classic film of Turkey.

Is it a physical attraction or is it a full devotion (sharing the good and bad sides of life). The story is a known one. An innocent girl and a passionate young man... And a third person enters their life. This could be seen as a love triangle. And the girl with the red scarf has to make a decision....

And you will think what you would do if you were Asya. You must think twice.