Viva Zalata

At a glance

Viva Zalata, is a 1976 Egyptian movie, directed by Hassan Hafez, and starring Fouad Al-Mohandes, Shwikar, Samir Ghanem. with a runtime of 124 minutes.

Overview

Viva Zalata is an Egyptian comedy western that playfully riffs on the classic Viva Zapata! tradition. The story begins with Zalata, an Egyptian immigrant who rises to become a legendary outlaw leader in the border town of Texaco — ruling over a gang of Mexican desperados before meeting his end. His daughter Nagma returns to Egypt in search of Metwali, her father's nephew, hoping he will avenge Zalata's death at the hands of the reckless gunslinger Billy the Kid. The problem: Metwali is a gentle, peaceable man with no appetite for vengeance. His reluctant trip to Mexico, however, transforms him in ways he never expected — a witty, affectionate send-up of the western genre with an Egyptian twist.

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