Remembering beauty of Egyptian screen, Mariam Fakhr Eddine, one decade after her passing

Ahram Online , Sunday 3 Nov 2024

Egypt's romantic cinema icon Mariam Fakhr Eddine died on 3 November 2014, aged 81.

Fakhr Eddine

 

Born on 8 January 1933 in Fayoum, south of Cairo, to an Egyptian father and a Hungarian mother, Fakhr Eddine was considered one of the most beautiful Egyptian actresses of all times and was labelled by the media Hassna Al-Shasha (The Screen's Beautiful Woman)

Her big break came when she was cast in A Passionate Night (1951), a film based on a novel by Mohammed Abdel-Halim Abdullah. 

Following this, her talent was further recognized when she starred alongside Farid Al-Atrash in Love Letter (1954) and Ezzel Dine Zulficar's Rudda Kalbi (1958), in which she reprised her iconic role as Princess Ingy. The film's love story, adapted from a novel by Youssef Al-Sibai, became a hallmark of Egyptian cinema. She continued to shine in romantic movies alongside stars such as Abdel-Halim Hafez and Rushdy Abaza.

The social and psychological shifts following the 1952 Revolution began to alter audience preferences. The once-popular archetype of the helpless girl fell out of favour, making way for stronger female characters. Unlike her contemporaries who successfully adapted, Fakhr Eddine struggled to transition. Her notable works from the early 1960s included A Groom for My Sister (1963) and Soft Hands (1963). But by the late 1960s, she had largely withdrawn from the screen, spending time in Lebanon.

Upon her return to Egypt, she reinvented herself by taking on maternal roles, starting with The Well of Deprivation (1969), where she played Soad Hosni's mother despite their minimal age difference. This shift proved successful, and she continued to thrive in this new domain, featuring in films like The Beggar (1973) and Barefoot on a Golden Bridge (1976).

In the 1990s, she experimented with comedic roles but ultimately returned to drama, moving to television in her later years.

Fakhr Eddine remained a respected figure in the industry until her passing on 3 November 2014 at 81, leaving behind a legacy marked by her romantic charm and adaptability in a changing cinematic landscape.

She married filmmaker Mahmoud Zulficar (1914–1970), with whom she had one daughter, Iman, and Syrian singer and actor Fahd Ballan.

She was also the sister of prominent actor Youssef Fakhr Eddine.

Short link: