The Emigrant (1994)

Filled with beautiful location shots of Egyptian ruins and lush re-enactments of decadent cult rituals, Youssef Chahine's The Emigrant is a fascinating retelling of the biblical tale of Joseph, told from an Egyptian perspective. Ram ("Joseph"), tired of his family's backward superstitious life and bullying brothers, wants to travel Egypt to study agriculture. His brothers travel with him across the Sinai but suddenly sell him to an Egyptian who works for a regional military leader, who is impressed by Ram's drive and grants him desolate land outside the capital. Ram soon finds himself a pawn in the political and sexual games between Amihar and his wife Simihit, a high priestess of the Cult of Amun.

Travel to the Ancient Lands of the Bible

The problem with sword and sandal epics of the Bible is that they look and feel as if they were produced in Hollywood locations. How about a film which is actually photographed in Egypt and Canaan? This movie recreats very well the feel of that ancient landscape and time. My favorite scenes were the shots of camel riders moving through moon like desert and the fabulous rituals of ancient Egyptian priests chanting inside the actual temples themselves. The film is supposed to be a "creative" reworking of the "Joseph" story in the Book of Genesis. But the actual Bible story can't be improved, particularly the key reconcilation scene between Joseph and the brothers. The director (for unknown reasons) is not faithful to all the parts of the BOOK OF GENESIS. When he changes the plot, he loses the greatness of the story. Surprisingly, the success of the cartoon "Joseph - King of Dreams" arises from the fact that it is faithful to scripture. Therefore, consider the strengths and the weaknesses of the movie when you see this film. Although it is a competent effort by Youssef Chahine, it is not his best work. January 25, 2006

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