Inclubabu Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Griff Lees Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Roxie The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

jessicacoco2005 Viewing the film Harem, makes one feel as if one were an actual voyeur peering into an actual Harem. Doorways and mirrors reflect to the eye what appears to be reality rather than an illusion created by a camera. As the Ottoman Empire comes to an end, the women in the Harem are frightened for their future. An old servant spins a tale to entertain and keep the women in the Sultan's harem distracted from what is going on. The story revolves around the Italian woman Safiye, who with the help of the black eunuch, Nadir rises to become the Sultan's favorite wife. The old servant's tale is interwoven with Safiye who weaves her own story to another Italian woman at a train station.Do we always retell our stories as they happen to others? Stories are interwoven within stories, not only of what happens, but also what it is we would liked to have happened and wished we had done differently. As the Empire finally falls and the Sultan escapes to Europe, leaving all the concubines behind, the stories will unfold. What will happen to the ladies of the Harem, to Safiye, and to Nadir who deeply loved Safiye? The story is intelligent. The film is beautifully photographed. The costumes and interiors are sumptuous and colorful. However, the film is at times a bit hard to follow and there is a certain lack of warmth in the characters.

info-5402 This story is a complex and wonderful tale of the last Harem of the Ottoman empire, well told and provoking we see the inner workings of a world now gone, and learn about the people who lived there.I enjoyed the story, characters, acting and scenes. A few scenes suffered from quick editing and the sub titles sometimes disappeared too quickly, otherwise a wonderful piece.The main character Safiya is played wonderfully by Marie Gillain who I am pleased to say did a fantastic job without over doing it. The scenes with her and Alex Descas (Nadir) are charming and lovely.I recommend this film for anybody looking to watch something less Hollywood and more authentic to the world they are emulating.

lcr When I think about this movie, all the adjectives that come to mind somehow relate to the physical appreciation of the world. Texture, smell, color, that's how I think this movie should be judged in terms of. See the rich golden tones surrounding the young concubine asleep by the fireplace, or the sweltering turkish bath, and let it flood your senses with impressions of spice, coarse cloth, smooth skin, scented oils, flickering flames, satin rustle. Don't just watch and listen, be absorbed, let the droning voice of the storyteller mesmerize you.

Gordon-11 I had high expectations when I watched this movie. Being in the Harem I thought there would be extravagant sets and beautiful clothings. Well, I was wrong. Instead the colours used were dark most of the time, The clothings were nice but too plain. The lighting was constantly inadequate, making me very bored.As for the story, I could not possibly follow the story. To me it seems that there were so many subplots and hence very confusing. I was also confused about how an eunoch could have sex with a woman. This film is not my cup of tea.