Cinemas in Egypt and Films

We would like to thank our forum members at egyjews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com for providing the following article about movies in Egypt

From: Mary Hooser

Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 7:14 AM

Subject: Cinemas in Egypt and Films.

These cinemas were offering “20^th Century Productions” exclusively. 20^th Century introduced their exclusive Cinemascope concept with the film “The Robe.” We loved the Heckle and Jeckle (magpies) cartoons!

These cinemas ran the good oldies, MGM’s epics, musicals, etc. “Gone with the Wind” was shown every seven years. Do you remember the tear-jerker “Goodbye Mr. Chips” with Greer Garson and Robert Donat? Remember the very sad expressions of the patrons leaving the theatre? As a matter of fact, some moviegoers used to wait outside the exit door just to observe the expressions on the faces or catch few comments. There was always someone asking if the movie was any good.

On the occasion of the movie “King Solomon’s Mine,” the lobby was transformed into a petting zoo.

The classics “Bataan,” “Bathing Beauty” with the famous mermaid Esther Williams, “Mrs. Minniver,” “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” the “Good Earth (I believe an MGM?),” and many other entertaining films were shown at the Metro. The Metro also featured Tom and Jerry and Tweety and Sylvester cartoons, Pete Smith shorts, or the MGM Symphony Orchestra sometimes accompanying the pianist Jose Iturbi or the tenor Lauritz Melchior. On Sundays, there was a special early morning show for children. On Fridays at 1:00 PM, Cine Club Lumiere was hosted by Father Zohrab. On New Year’s eve, there was a special midnight show. In the early days, the one in Cairo offered free amenities such as programs and a cold water dispenser with small paper cups. The Metros had one of the best air-conditioning systems in town. Do you remember how pleasant it was to be near the entrance on very hot days and feel that blast of deliciously frigid air?

Other cinemas were the Radio, Miami, Kasr el Nil, Diana, Kursal, Rivoli, Metropole (the old), Potiniere, Odeon, Lido, Femina, Kleber, Royal (its electric retractable roof added an extra touch during the intermission), Gaumont (before my time), Cosmo, Lux, and Studio Misr. Add to these the ones in Heliopolis (Roxy, Normandy plein air?), and the others in small neighborhoods. These cinemas ran films by Paramount, Warner Bros, Universal, RKO, Columbia, United Artists, French (Gaumont and Pathe), Italian (cinecitta), British (Pinewood/Jos. Arthur Rank), and the occasional Indian, Japanese, and other independent productions. They featured Popeye, Pluto, Mickey Mouse, Mighty Mouse, Donald Duck, Casper, Bugs Bunny, and other great cartoons.

All these theatres had four shows a day, at 10:30 AM, 3:15 PM, 6:30 PM, and 9:30 PM. There were exceptions as in the case of a longer picture. After each show, the theatre was vacated.

In the early days, a musical march (usually a Sousa) signaled the beginning of the features. The first feature was the news, a Fox Movietone Newsreel or Pathe, followed by a cartoon, a short (a travelogue, the Three Stooges, a Big Band orchestra, or the March of Times, etc.). However, I’m not entirely clear about the order. Finally, after short intermission (entre-acte), the main feature started.

I remember the first movie shown at the Radio. It was “Carmen Jones” (a modern version of the opera Carmen).

Of course, there were numerous cinemas plein air (Miami, Metropole, Potiniere, St.James, Rex, Kursal, Regent, Karnak, Paradis, Ezbekieh, Nasr, Rio, Strand, etc.), which operated from around the end of May to the end of September.

What about the enticing posters? Socko in Sirocco was the add for Humphrey Bogart starring in the movie “Sirocco”, the “Perils of Nyoka,” “Invasion from Mars,” “Creatures from Outer Space,” and “Destination Moon.” The poster disclaimed “They live by night...,” “They were made for each other...,” “They had only one life to give...,” “Is it a beast or a man?”

“What is it?” (It’s the shitty Daniel Bernard, the French Ambassador to Britain.)

As a kid, I very much enjoyed all the sci-fi, action, adventure, war, western, Tarzan, Frankenstein, Dracula, Werewolf, and of course, the musical films. Comedies and comedians have a special place in my heart and include the great Charlie Chaplin, Toto, Raimu, Fernandel, Red Skelton, Bob Hope, the Nona Sabella Italian movie series, Vittorio de Sica, the Marx Bros, and Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. One of my favorites was the one and only Danny Kaye. What a talent! Do you remember the “Court Jester?” And who can forget that immortal pair, Laurel and Hardy. Up to this day, they can still make me roll in the aisles laughing.

Remembering some of the old funny movies?

The Great Danny Kaye (Hawkins) in the movie the “Court Jester”. He was about to enter a challenge and fight against a formidable opponent (Sir Griswald).

Griselda trying to help him, spiked one of the vessel with poison. He was having a very hard time remembering which vessel to avoid for the traditional toast before the tournament.

According to the critics, aficionados and by everyone involved in the movie industry, this classic scene is considered to be one of the best ever made.

Hawkins: I’ve got it! I’ve got it! The pellet with the poison’s in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true! Right?

Griselda: Right. But there’s been a change: they broke the chalice from the palace!

Hawkins: But did you put the pellet with the poison in the vessel with the pestle?

The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true! Hawkins: The pellet with the poison’s in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true. Griselda: Just remember that.

Many of you may be big fans of the comedy team of Stan Laurel and Oliver “Ollie” Hardy. Below are brief descriptions of my favorite films they made.

How about “Sons of the Desert”? They wanted to go to their Sons of the Desert lodge convention in Chicago, but they knew their wives wouldn’t let them go because they wanted to go to somewhere else. The duo hatched a plot to feign a sudden health crisis for Ollie. To pull off the scam, they needed the help of a doctor. The idea was to get the doctor to prescribe a trip to Hawaii so Oliver could recuperate. But Stan came back with a veterinarian. Ollie was very put out when he found out that the doc was a vet, but even more so when the vet pried open his mouth, popped a huge horse pill down his throat, and held his nose until he swallowed it! Instead of going to Hawaii, the “two peas in a pod” went to the convention. Of course they got caught but when confronted by their wives, kept on lying. The wives made a bet between themselves as to which husband would be more truthful to his wife. Ollie’s wife kept asking him to be big, bigger than he had ever been, but he kept on lying. Then Stan spilled the beans, which gave the bet to his wife. As a result, she treated him like a prince, massaging his head and even allowing him to smoke. Meanwhile, terrible noises were coming from Ollie’s house next door. Stan thought that Ollie was rearranging the furniture and accidentally dropping dishes. When Stan went to check, he found Ollie sitting on the floor being bombarded with all sorts of flying objects, pots, pans, dishes, etc. Stan’s final advice to poor Ollie was “honesty pays.”

Stanley was visiting Ollie at the hospital. Ollie was lying on his bed with his broken and plastered leg suspended in traction. “It’s mighty nice of you to come visit me, Stan.” Stan replied: “I didn’t have anything else to do...I brought you some boiled eggs.” Ollie made the mistake of asking Stan to adjust his leg in the traction contraption, but Stan managed to get Ollie upside down and dangling outside the upstairs window with Ollie and his doctor holding on for dear life. At the end, poor Ollie’s classic comment was: “This is ANOTHER fine mess you got me into!”

Before a charge against enemy lines, the commander told Stan that he had to stay behind and hold the trench till they get back. But they forgot to come back for Stan. Then, in 1929, someone discovered Stan still defending that trench. When Ollie read about Stan in the newspaper, he told his wife:

“This is my buddy. He saved my life during WWI. I must go to the hospital and bring him home to have dinner with us.” When Ollie got to the hospital, Stan was sitting in a wheelchair with his leg folded up under him. That was a terrible shock for Ollie because he thought Stan had lost a leg. Without a word and no protest from Stan, Ollie picked Stan up and carried him to his car to take him home for a good steak dinner. Ollie swayed under the heavy load, and when he got to the car, he put Stan down to open the car door.

When he turned to pick up Stan again, he saw that Stan was standing perfectly well on both his legs! “Why didn’t you tell me you can walk!” the exasperated Ollie blurted out. “You never asked me” was Stan’s reply.

Finally, there’s the one where they we building a house together. Stan not only caused a lot of grief for Ollie, but also they managed to destroy the entire building. It was “another fine mess” indeed!

Was I the only one laughing watching Mel Brooks’movies?

The greatest comedian and one of a kind, Madeleine Kahn, singing “Oh! sweet mysteries of life at last I find you” to the monster. The movie also featured Cloris Leachman as Frau Blucher (the horses neighed every time her name was spoken) and Marty Feldman as Igor (or Aygor) with the hump on his back that kept moving from one shoulder to the other.

“Blazing Saddles”

After a night of passionate tête-à-tête and the sheriff left, Madeleine Kahn closed the door and gushed “What a nice guy!” How about the noisy fire camp scene?

“High Anxiety”

Nurse Diesel (Cloris Leachman) punished anyone who was late at the dinner table by depriving him of their “fruit cup” dessert.

Did you find yourselves with tears in your eyes at the end of the movies “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Exodus”?

Remembering some of the old funny movies?

Was I the only one laughing watching Mel Brooks’movies?

“Blazing Saddles”

“High Anxiety”

Joe Rossano