Propaganda

In 1948, the borderline in Eastern Turkey is drawn right through a small village. Friends and lovers are separated, blind bureaucrats are taking over and everyone - even the bureaucrats - has too deal with this new age they are not yet ready for, in their naive way.

I really loved this movie and in my humble opinion it is one of the best Turkish pictures ever. It depicts the warmth and passion of the Turkish temperament, although it is a sarcastic comment on stubborn bureaucracy, not only in Turkey but everywhere! The cast is great with the beloved Kemal Sunal (died much too early like all good people) and the wonderful Metin Akpinar. They both are comedians who are usually playing funny, often touching parts with a moral-lesson, like to learn what the really important things in life are.

It is indeed a realistic picture, because in the 1940's people who thought they were neighbors were separated this way. Everyone handles this situation in a very naive way; even the officers do not really know what a passport looks like, because everything is so new. As for the pregnant girl who is still accepted by her family although she is not married: I am sure even in those days there were people who were not so dumb and stubborn to put family honor above love for the family members. The father-character portrait by Akpinar is a simple but wise man, who is loyal to his beloved ones.

One last point: This is a modern movie about old Turkey, so you get a bit of both worlds. You find the positive stereotypes as well as the negative ones. Half the Turkish population are modern, western-oriented people, who are aware of their own culture, but also open to others. The fanatic-islamist people are stubborn and intolerant and as such a group you can find anywhere in the world, and they will always be there, as you see in this movie. We should end all prejudices for a better tomorrow! But with each passing day, this feat seems to be more out of reach than ever. What a shame!

I liked this movie in general. It is funny and it mocked of bureaucracy in particular. Anyhow some things were not really realistic. I can't imagine that in a such rural society in west Asia a pregnant girl before marriage would have been so tolerated as in this movie! It shows also some interesting aspects like the arid nature of this region and the nature of its people. I spent a nice time in this movie. I encourage that more movies from that relatively unknown region of the world (middle east- west Asia) should be made

It is a very touching movie that shows how good friends, families are forcefully separated by bureaucracy. As someone mentioned in another comment, it is a bit unrealistic that a pregnant girl especially in a middle eastern country is tolerated by family and friends, but this movie is really worth watching.

Sinan Cetin, on the evidence of this film, seems to be a follower of the Norman Jewison tradition of romantic comedy; I thought of The Russians are coming, The Russians are coming, The Fiddler on the Roof, Moonstruck... Cetin knows how to milk a situation for pathos, and to get good performances from his actors.

Kemal Sunal as Mehdi gives a wonderfully funny and touching performance as the civil servant who can't see where his rigid and unimaginative application of the rules is taking him and the village. When his wife declares that the border runs through their bed from now on, all he can do is sigh fatalistically. Metin Akpinar is splendid as Rahim, the doctor and life-long friend to Mehdi--he reminded me of Topol at times.

The blend of Romeo and Juliet, Kafka and Hollywood formula comedy will not work for all viewers, but I was greatly entertained.

Well another Box-Office Film in Turkey: Propaganda. I think it was one of the films in which you realise that your work is not always so important as your friends. Especially when it's your friend from your childhood and your son is going to marry his daughter. The movie had sacharastic Fun and some Drama in it which is a mark for Sinan Cetin. Well watch the Movie and see it for your self. I give it a rating of 9 points.