Educational Media Reviews Online

In A Man in Our House (otherwise known Fi baitouna rajol or Fi baitina rajul) a fiery eyed Omar Sharif plays Ibrahim, a radical leader of the postwar resistance to the British protectorate government in Egypt. After watching his brother die during a student demonstration that turns violent when police fire guns into the crowd, he assassinates the Prime Minister. Escaping the law, he seeks refuge at the house of a friend who has no record of political activism. The friend's family is sympathetic to the action and agrees to hide him. The film then meanders through much hand-wringing due to the guilt both men have at endangering the friend's parents, sisters, and a despised cousin. A romance between Ibrahim and the younger sister becomes a major sub-plot. Eventually, Ibrahim refuses to flee to Europe, preferring a final action, in which he blows up a huge munitions storehouse.

The acting, and particularly the script, based on a popular novel, are weak, leaving many bits and events telegraphed or redundant, and the almost three hour length unjustified. Hazy on the specifics of its historical basis, this film is primarily of interest for its romantic illustration of Arab nationalism, Egyptian resistance to imperialism, and the day-to-day erosion of privacy laws and civil right in a time of crisis.

The digital restoration is good and the DVD includes access to 21 sections within the film, English and French subtitles, and press materials. The quality of the DVD reviewed was unreliable; it did not always respond as commanded and image and sound bits sometimes skipped. Recommended for public or academic libraries with an interest in Middle Eastern Studies, Egyptian cinema, or world cinema, as there are so few titles from this significant regional cinema available.