Hello my fellow yelpers! I recently watched the 2014 period drama thriller, “Theeb”. Written and directed by Naji Abu Nowar, the film premiered at the 71st Venice International Film Festival. This movie, unlike many shot in a similar area, picturing a similar time period, is completely in Arabic (with the exception of a few English words spoken by the British soldier (played by Jack Fox) sent to blow up the railway). Nowar also only used non-professional actors from the Bedouin community in Southern Jordan. This also differs from the norm in movies about this time period, namely in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) where Prince Feisal (an Arab character) is played by Alec Guinness (random white dude).
The very interesting and very notable aspect of this movie is the absence of women. Originally I came to the conclusion that Nowar was simply a sexist. However, upon further research I discovered that Nowar was planning for there to be women in the movie but none of the Bedouin women in the community they were filming were willing to be in the movie. Nowar didn’t want to lose any authenticity by bringing in professional actors, which led to the whole no women thing.
The plot line is very simple: Theeb and his older brother help guide Edward, a British soldier, through the desert, they are ambushed and Theeb is the only survivor, one of the attackers becomes friends with Theeb, they set off the two of them, and the movie ends with Theeb killing the attacker (“because he killed my brother” as Theeb says to Ottoman guards). The last scene of the movie watches Theeb riding off into the desert on a camel he has now learned how to corral (I always appreciated how Theeb was able to cling onto the back of a camel, FOR HOURS, the strength that he has is astou
nding). Honestly, my biggest issue with the film is that I was worried and am still worried about what happened to Theeb after the movie. How did he survive on his own in the desert? Where did he go? The unfinished ending left
me slightly frustrated.
I would 100% recommend this movie to anyone, especially those who have watched Lawrence of Arabia. It provides a very different perspective to many of the movies that depict the time period. Not only does having the entire movie be spoken in Arabic change it, but using non-professional actors also adds nuance. It takes away the “oriental glow” that surrounds the whole Lawrence of Arabia type of story and allows viewers to actually see the Arab perspective during this time. Nowar alludes to the very real struggles that Arab guides had during the Ottoman Empire with the installation of the Hejaz Railroad. Also, Wadi Rum and Wadi Araba are beautiful and Nowar’s cinematography is excellent. I truly compel you all to watch this, it was a very interesting watch and one that changed the perspective on the time period.
See you next week with the next movie, yelper fam!
I enjoyed reading the “Yelp” voice of the review! I think it would have been useful to say a few words about the fact that Lawrence of Arabia also has no women in it–so what does a viewer make of that? Also–can the film be watched by someone who doesnt know the earlier film? What is a viewer to make of the Lawrence-like character? He is so inept and gets killed off so easily–is this a deliberate attempt to destroy/challenge the myth of Lawrence?