The Cloth Peddler (1945 film)

The Cloth Peddler
Photocollage
Directed by	Rza Tahmasib
Written by	Uzeyir Hajibeyov
Starring	Rashid Behbudov, Leyla Badirbayli, Lutfali Abdullayev
Cinematography	Alisattar Atakishiyev, Mukhtar Dadashov
Distributed by	Baku Studio
Country	Azerbaijan
Language	Azerbaijani

The Cloth Peddler (Azerbaijani: Arşın Mal Alan) was a full-length Azerbaijani comedy film made in Baku in 1945, based on the Arshin Mal Alan (operetta) by the famous Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov.

Plot

Set in Baku at the turn of the 20th century, a young successful businessman Asgar (Rashid Behbudov) wishes to marry. He wants his bride to be the choice of his heart, however, Azerbaijani tradition restricted him from communicating with the lady as a lover before marriage. So Asgar decides to disguise himself as a mere cloth peddler and the young woman Gulchoehra (Leyla Badirbayli) falls in love with him. However, she is concerned that her father, Soltan bey (Alakbar Huseynzade) will not allow her to marry a cloth peddler. Young Asgar then reveals himself to her father and asks for her hand in marriage. Seeing that he is indeed a wealthy young man, the father agrees and the two are permitted to marry.^[1]

Cast

Rashid Behbudov (Asgar),
Leyla Badirbayli (Guelchohra),
Alakbar Huseynzade (Soltan bey)
Munavvar Kalantarli (Jahan khala)
Ismayil Afandiyev (Suleyman)
Rahila Mustafayeva (Asya)
Lutfali Abdullayev (Vali)
Mirzaagha Aliyev

About movie

The movie has already been shown in 136 countries in 86 languages.^[2]
Film was re-mastered and colorized in 2013 in Los Angeles at the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation of Azerbaijan.
The 1945 film was shot in black-and-white in the midst of Soviet engagement in World War II^[3]

Colorization

Premiere of the colorized version in Baku (2013)

At the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the film was colorized and remastered in Los Angeles in 2012-2013. Its colorized version premiered in Baku, Azerbaijan in December 2013. ^[4]

Premiere in Hollywood

The colorized version of *Arshin Mal Alan (The Cloth Peddler), was shown on September 19, 2015 in Hollywood, US by the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles^[5]