Customer Reviews

Harem [VHS]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I enjoyed this seemingly made for TV movie when I saw it back in 1990. I discovered afterward there was another movie with the title of Harem made the same year (1985-86) and starring Nastassja Kinski. That one was a bit darker, but also enjoyable.
I had already seen Nancy Travis, the starlet of this Harem, in the Richard Gere cop thriller Internal Affairs, and in a bit part in Married to the Mob, so at the time she was babelicious.
It's become a common plot, in these types of movies, to have a beautiful western woman kidnapped by a lustful or politically-motivated sultan or sheik (I think of the excellent The Wind and the Lion, the surreal The Sheltering Sky, then Sahara and a bunch of lesser movies). But Harem executes this plot well - you sympathize for Jessica, the character played by Nancy Travis, you want her fiance to rescue her, and yet you start rooting for her new Bedouin love interest and even feel for the tyrannical sultan, played by Omar Sharif.
Julian Sands plays Jessica's stiff Brit fiance, a turnabout from the dashing and impetuous young lover he played in A Room with a View. You wish he would be a stronger character, but he is so weak-kneed you understand Jessica's fickle betrayal.

While all of the actors, especially Nancy Travis, were excellent in this film, I noticed that on this web site, the review of the cast does not even mention Art Malik, who played Tarek Pasha (sp?). To me, he was the shining star. His character was the one who won the Jessica's heart and in the process found his own. He was the exquisitely handsome, exciting, element that made this story shine! And he did it so well! Even the sound of his voice could melt the hardest stone. Shame on you! I noticed a couple of inconsistancies in the synopsis and review of this video: The girl was spotted on the train, by one of the revolutionaries during a raid, which had nothing to do with her, but when the revolutionaries were caught and sentenced to death, by the Sutan, the revolutionary leader was told by the man who had seen her that she was the only possible way to free his men, so he had her kidnapped and then traded her into the harem for his mens' lives, she was never actually sold.

This movie is all about love in it's purest form. Unconditional and true. The movie displays beautiful scenery of a land rarely seen or traveled by many. It holds great truth in the government at that time and beliefs of its people. Visually it is stimulating with costume and scenery. It is a beautiful movie, filled with romance and action. The story is very well written. And the length of the movie does not affect you. And ALL the actors play there character so well, you almost believe that you are there and feeling what they feel. It is a movie to lose yourself in. Send it to yourself, grab your favorite snack, place yourself somewhere cozy and light the candles. You are in for a real treat!

Since, I am a former Video Store owner it takes something special to catch my attention. This star studded cast takes you back in time and gives a rainy day sunshine. The love story equals a good Danielle Steele, while Art Malik gives you action and drop dead gorgous. This sleeper movie has the film quality of a Jane Austin made for A&E, not too many woman who love historical romance can turn this one off! It make everyone wonder what was Lawrence doing in Arabia--he could have had a better time!

If you wish to get a glimpse of a Sultan's palace, and his harem of beautiful ladies, and see how they all lived, then this movie is just for you! It is a very romantic, sensual story, with lots of action, and adventure, and drama; men and women both, would like this movie! This movie also, has a all-star cast of outstanding actors: OMAR SHARIF as the Sultan; and AVA GARDNER as the Sultan's first wife!

This is a story about Jessica(NANCY TRAVIS); a innocent young woman, who is very beautiful and headstrong, and very spirited; who travels on a long journey, to the exotic land of the desert sands, with her father and fiance.

While traveling, Jessica is looking out the train window, when she sees this very handsome Turkish, Bedouin (ART MALIK), covered in flowing robes, riding a beautiful stallion, with a group of Turkish, revolutionaries, and they overtake the train, and one of the men sees Jessica, and tells the handsome Bedouin, (who happens to be their leader with a just cause) about how pretty Jessica is, and that they could trade her to the Sultan's harem, to help in their fight for freedom and to help save their men; while everyone knows the Sultan loves pretty women!

The men end up kidnapping Jessica, and the sparks fly when the handsome Bedouin, and Jessica meet. He is strongly attracted to Jessica, but Jessica is placed in the Sultan's harem, and she enters a new world, and the women of the harem teach Jessica how to please the Sultan, and how to behave in this beautiful, but very dangerous place; especially when the Sultan and his first wife hold life or death in the palm of their hand, and your life depends on what mood that they are in, and on whether they like you or not, or especially when they feel that you may be a serious threat to them!

When the Sultan finally sees Jessica, he is smitten, and then rumors start flying that he is ready for another wife! While Jessica's fiance is trying so hard to get her released; he then gets help from a very important lady that helps him find Jessica, and this lady also knows someone that can sneak into the Sultan's palace undetected, and that someone is that handsome Bedouin, who kidnapped Jessica in the first place, and he goes in disguise in the palace and falls in love with Jessica, and he risks his life to save Jessica and his men, Ladies! you will love Tarek's,(the handsome Bedouin's)compelling brown eyes, and his beautiful deep voice! And Guys! you will love Jessica's awesome beauty and courage!

I also loved the lavish beautiful clothes and robes, and the beautiful palace with those pools of water covered in rose petals! The music to this movie was perfect for it, and I highly recommend this movie!

There's nothing more to say- you gotta watch this fairy tale!!

After reading the other reviews of this movie, I realized that either it was beloved or hated; nothing in between. And that's OK! If you love movies with wide, sweeping scenes, storylines that draw you in and keep you there, stories with lead characters who display loyalty, courage, love, and integrity, then this is for you. If you don't, then go watch a mindless action flick. Sure this movie is a bit implausible, but that's how we want it, don't we? That's why movies are escapist fantasies. That's why we go to the movies, isn't it? Otherwise, go watch a documentary. If you want to dream and escape for a while--then this is for you.

I saw this film when I was a young girl. But it always stayed in my head. I bought it here cause I couldn't find it anywhere else!! When I got it at home, I watched it immediately!! Just love the story in this film!!

For any woman who has experienced the love of a distant land and embers that continue to burn, this is a must see! I just wish it was on DVD already! That last scene, her last answer to his question....what woman wouldn't just love to be her in this movie? Been there...done it. Put this on DVD already!

I finally found the movie I had seen on the TV as a child, Harem. I was so phsyched that I'd get to see it that I purchased it right away. I also received it sooner than I had originally expected, but when I opened the DVD & put it in the player, I got a disk error & so I checked it a couple of times. Then I mailed it back to the seller. I got a couple of emails before I sent the video back & haven't heard another word about it. I'm still waiting for either a refund or a copy of the movie without a disk error. I think I'd prefer the movie.