Based on the Old Testament story of Joseph, The Emigrant (al-Mohager) was a dream project of the prolific Chahine for decades. A 1984 edict by the Muslim community prohibited the depiction of prophets in human terms or as artistic objects, so Chahine cannily changed the character names to gain approval from the film board. However, conservative factions denounced the film which was banned, then released again, and then permanently banned a second time. A veteran filmmaker educated in France and the United States, Chahine was already a respected name upon the film's release (which was quite profitable during its brief run) but soon found himself the recipient of death threats. Nevertheless, despite the government's order that the film never be exported or shown to the public again, The Emigrant played other countries (mainly in Europe) and Chahine's future projects continued unimpeded.
Seen through Western eyes, the film offers rich, authentic-looking settings and some striking visuals; however, viewers expecting anything volatile based on its reputation will be sorely disappointed. This is basically a straight-ahead Biblical yarn filled with poetic, rambling monologues and overstuffed melodrama, downplaying most of the sensationalist aspects of the story in favor of a meditation on fate and forgiveness. A fairly long haul at over two hours, the story at least pays off with an affecting finale and also features a welcome nod to Chahine's passion for MGM musicals with one eye-pleasing dance sequence. As with many of his other films, Europe is represented by a token foreign actor - in this case French cinema vet Michel Piccoli, nearly unrecognizable under heavy robes and a thick beard.
Viewers accustomed to the King James Old Testament will find almost all of the brutality from the story jettisoned in favor of a humanist approach, charting one man's journey from downtrodden optimist to a respected member of a society all too capable of caprice and prejudice. Even the adultery aspect of the story is kept relatively coy, relying mainly on furtive glances and Yousra's incredibly sensual presence (those lips, those eyes!) to convey what otherwise remains a tantalizing subtext.
Kim Stim's moderately letterboxed release is a tremendous visual improvement over their companion Chahine release, The Other, which is fortunate considering the visual gloss on display. The desert vistas and authentic ruins used for sets look excellent, and the optional English subtitles are well-written and easy to follow. Extras are minimal, consisting of bios and a director filmography as well as a written "director's statement."
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by Nathaniel Thompson
