MovieChat Forums > The Favorite (1989) Discussion > Harem life

Harem life

posted 16 years ago by lacedemonians
5 replies | jump to latest

This is the true(?) legendary story of a 13-year-old French girl, Aimée Dubucq de Rivéry, who was kidnapped and sold into the Turkish Sultan's harem. The movie itself is cheesy and the acting non-existent. And yet, the barbaric oriental richness and cuthroat politics that was the Ottoman harem is surprisingly accurately portrayed. According to the legend, Animée survived and adopted a young orphaned prince, who as last surviving royal male, became Sultan Mahmud II. Historically, Mahmud II ultimately massacred the Janissaries (1826) that had become a veritable praetorian guard, and instituted liberal reforms. The actress who plays Aimée is breathtakingly gorgeous.

Illegitimus!

[–] Miss_October 16 years ago

If you were trying to attract my attention with that subject line, you succeeded!

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] lacedemonians 16 years ago

If you were trying to attract my attention with that subject line, you succeeded!

We know each other all too well!

Illegitimus!

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] cricharddavies 16 years ago

WRT the "true(?)" question: The credits for the film state that it's based on the novel "Sultana", by Prince Michael of Greece. I haven't been able to find a review therof, much less a copy, but the fact that the story behind it was turned into another novel, "Seraglio", by Janet Wallach, is suggestive of the likelihood that, if it's not wholly historically accurate, the film is true to the general outline of events, which is pretty much the best you can expect.

Pull the string! Pull the string!

[–] 16 years ago

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