Monday, January 17, 2011

جميل وهناء - Jameel wa Hana

Thankfully, I was born into an arab family.  I would have never seen this, a classic among classics. This is the first Syrian comedy series, I've been introduced to, and hooked to.  I still repeat every so often.  Unlike the other arabic series, Ailet 7(for short) this is compiled into one straight series.  In Ailet 7, each episode had a title and a focus, whereas this show carries the plot.  33 or 34 episodes I believe, from begining to end, and it's all interconnected.  There is not a person who has not seen or heard of it.  Most arabs don't like to repeat things.  Even if its good.  I always get the comment from many of my family members, "You're still watching this old show"  Well, there is nothing like it, and I'll explain to you why.

Plot Synopsis
Saleem, the problematic child, sneaks into his parents room to change the alarm.  Jameel barely wakes up by himself, realizing that his son changed the alarm.  Hana asks her husband, Jameel, to get the boys, Tahre and Saleem, ready for school.  Jameel is not happy with her request, because he says that his work is enough on him, and that she should be doing all this, but he does so any way.  As he is waking the boys, Saleem is stalling purposefully, just to get his father to take him.  Saleem gets what he wants, as he will, most of the time.  Jameel burns the coffee and it overflows, barely getting a cup for his wife.  Her ride comes from her job, in which she runs off to it only to be grabbed by Jameel.  He asks that she back early so that he comes home to find dinner ready. 

At Jameel's offices, we have Amal Jamal, his secretary, doing her makeup. Zooming outwards, we see Darweesh, the coffee maker on the telephone, with one of his wifes.  He starts to deliver coffee and tea to the other employees.  He has a habit of rubbing cologne on everyone.   

Salem, one of the employees, enters with a rose in his hand, to flirt with, Werde, his co-worker in their department.  Werde is not keen at all to his constant flirting, because he is married to Manal.  When Werde throws Salem's rose, he goes to pick it up from the feet of his wife.  Manal is pissed to see him at Werde's desk.  She asks him where he stayed so late, and he replies at his mothers.  Manal asks him that next time he goes, he takes her with him.  He is able to calm her down.  She then goes back to her department, and talks with her co-workers.  She says to them that Salem's story at his mothers is a lie, and calls her to make sure.  Manal's co-workers try to get her off Salme's case, so that she doesn't ruin their marriage over his freedom.

Manal goes back to Salem to find the truth.  Layla tries to stop her, but fails.  Layla says that she never asks her husband about his whereabouts.  Samia tells Layla that they are both wrong and that they need to find the middle.

I'm going to skip synopsis for this series.  It's just too long and I should be paid to do a half-assed translation.  I really recommend watching this, especially if you like comedy.  The technical merit is unsurpassed by any American film or soap opera.  The screenplay, the acting, the music, camera usage, it's just sweet simple harmony. 

Actually, it's going to take pages upon pages to translate a whole scene.  So I'm going change it up.  Since this is my favorite series.  I'm not going to torture myself and write on each episode.  Next post will be character introductions and descriptions.  I will do a brief synopsis of episode 2 and cover some material from this episode.  I have provided a link for you above, so that you can see the brilliant creation.  Every 7 parts is an episode.  The account has the whole season up there.  Video quality is low, and sound may be ahead the picture or not in sync at times.  This is recorded of a VHS anyhow.  Sometimes the sound will only come from one side. 

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