Eight classic black-and-white Arab films from the 1950s to watch

From daring dramas to heart-warming love stories, these films have a timeless appeal

Bab El Hadid (Cairo Station), 1958, was directed by Youssef Chahine and stars Farid Shawqi and Hind Rostom. Photo: YouTube

There’s something nostalgic and timeless about black-and-white films.

From thrilling dramas and dramatic love stories, to feel-good classics and comedies, some films from the bygone era are still enjoyed by audiences today.

Egyptian classics, in particular, were incredibly influential. Aside from setting the tone for filmmaking in the Arab world for decades to come, they were also responsible for the successful careers of some of the biggest names in the regional movie industry.

We round up eight classic black-and-white films from the 1950s that should be on your watch list.

Ghazal Al Banat, (The Flirtation of Girls), 1949

Starring renowned stage and film actor Naguib el-Rihani and one of the most prominent Egyptian singers and movie stars of the time, Leila Mourad, Ghazal Al Banat has all the ingredients of a classic musical.

El-Rihan plays Hamam, a modest Arabic teacher who falls in love with the young and energetic Laila (Mourad), who happens to be his pupil and an aristocrat.

He is unsure whether she loves him back and senses that her heart might belong to another, and decides he must choose whether to follow his heart or do what's right.

The film was the actor's last, shown in cinemas after his death aged 60 in 1949, and became one of his most popular roles.

Siraa Fil-Wadi, (The Blazing Sun), 1954

A romance drama directed by the Cannes award-winning director Youssef Chahine, the film launched the career of Omar Sharif, and was the first time he starred alongside Faten Hamama. The two met and fell in love on set, beginning what would become one of the most enduring love stories in Arab pop culture.

The film centres around a wealthy landowner and businessman who purposely floods and destroys a village to prevent the inhabitants from making a profit off their sugarcane crop, which directly competes with his.

Sharif’s character is an educated engineer, whose father is one of the farmers affected. He is also in love and secretly involved with the businessman’s daughter, Amal (Hamama).

With every conceivable obstacle in their way, from their different social classes to Amal’s father trying to putting a stop to their relationship by any means necessary, the couple fight to be together.

Ayyamna El-Hilwah (Our Best Days), 1955

Ayyamna El-Hilwah is an unconventional romantic musical, directed and co-written by Helmy Halim, who also wrote many films that did well at the box office at the time.

This film also stars Hamama and Sharif. Hamama plays Hoda, a poor young woman who grew up in an orphanage and leaves to live in a room on the roof of a building with three young men. The men are Ahmed (Sharif), Ramzy (Ahmed Ramzy) and Ali, played by Abdel Halim Hafez, one of the most highly regarded actors and singers of the time.

The three men are close friends, poor and loyal to each other and Hoda, who they all fall in love with, but she chooses Ahmed.

The story takes a turn when Hoda becomes ill and requires lifesaving surgery, and the three friends work together to make sure she gets the help she needs.

Lahn Al Wafaa (The Melody of Faithfulness), 1955

One of Hafez’s most powerful roles, he plays promising young singer Galal, who was orphaned and raised by a famous musician in this film.

His adoptive father was heartbroken in his youth and raises Galal to be a prodigal singer, but one who will never succumb to the emotions of his heart.

Things change, however, when Galal meets Siham, played by Shadia, who works as a backup dancer.

He is now at a crossroads, confused whether he should stay loyal to the man who raised him and taught him everything he knows, or follow his heart.

Banat El Yom, (Girls of Today), 1957

The romantic drama about friendship, loyalty and true love, also stars Hafez, and was written and directed by Henry Barakat.

The story follows two sisters, the quiet and polite Salwa (Magda Al-Sabahi), and the more extroverted and energetic Laila (Amal Farid).

The sisters meet two best friends, Khaled (Hafez), and Fathy (Ramzy), and trouble ensues.

Khaled is first taken by Laila’s charm and confidence and believes he is in love with her. But when he spends more time with the sisters, he realises that he and Laila aren’t well suited and he has slowly been falling in love with Salwa, who is also secretly harbouring feelings for him.

Bab El Hadid (Cairo Station), 1958

Known as The Iron Gate or Cairo Station in English, this is an incredibly influential Egyptian and Arab film.

The crime drama was directed by Chahine and stars Farid Shawqi and Hind Rostom, both major stars of the time.

The film is a thrilling look into one newspaper salesman’s obsession with a woman who sells refreshments at the Cairo train station.

Considered a neorealist and noir film, Bab El Hadid was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards in 1959.

And while it wasn’t selected as a nominee, the film was significant in depicting the working class of Cairo and highlighting issues around gender-based violence and sexual repression, against a backdrop of a quickly changing Egyptian society in the 1950s.

Sharia El Hub, (Love Street), 1958

Another classic starring Hafez, this time alongside the legendary Lebanese songstress and actress Sabah.

Here the actor plays Abdel Men'em, a recently graduated singer who comes from a poor working class but very supportive community that believes in his talent.

As he struggles to make it as an artist, he is forced to take a job as a teacher in a women’s music university. But in order to get the job, he must disguise himself as an old man and wears a fake beard and moustache.

There, two students, Karimaand her arch nemeses Mervat make a bet to see which of them can prank the “old man” into falling for them and shaving his beard and moustache.

As the two women attempt to outdo each other, Abdel Men'em finds himself developing feelings for Karima, causing his mask to slip and plans for all three go array.

Hikayat Hob (Stories of Love), 1959

Directed by Halim, and starring Hafez, Hikayat Hob is an uplifting and innocent story of love and patience.

Hafez stars as Ahmed Sami, a music teacher who is responsible for his mother and little brother, who has an unidentified illness.

He meets Nadia, played by actress Maryam Fakhruddin, who believes in his talent as a singer. As the two fall in love, her family are opposed to their relationship, which intensifies when they find out Ahmed has only one year to live.

With only a small chance of survival, if he undergoes a dangerous operation in London, Nadia must stand against her family to be with him and support his family.