O Beautiful Istanbul

'Movies, cinema - all is a lie.' So much for swinging Istanbul. Yilmaz's '60s rom-com casts a decidedly acidulous eye over the cosmopolitan lure of fame and fortune, whether sought through acting (beware the pimp in director's clothing) or singing (trust not charlatan pop merchants who 'destroy what they know'). These lessons are learned the hard way by country innocent Ayse (Algan), fresh to the city. Watching over her, both lovestruck and peevish, is garrulous local hero Asmet (Alisik), a 'mobile photographer' fallen from rich stock, who's only too eager to crush dreams. 'Aren't you ashamed?' he twice demands. He's also noticeably perky at the news she's a virgin. At least the man has style: the armour of fedora, coat with upturned collar and dangling cigarette seem to shield him wherever he goes, even to bed. Quite lively, but one hopes [in 2002] these attitudes have dated.