The Image of the Jew in Early Egyptian Cinema:
Anti-Semitism or Egyptian Humor?

Eyal Sagui Bizawe

The comedy film “Hasan wa-Murqus wa-Cohin” was released in Egypt in 1954. It tells the story of three partners – a Muslim, a Copt and a Jew – who jointly run a pharmacy. The representation of Jews in this comedy disturbingly reminds us of European anti-Semitic cultural products. The stereotypes ascribed to Jews are miserliness, greed and cunning. Accordingly, Viola Shafik, the cinema researcher, maintains that this representation is influenced by Western anti-Semitism.
This article challenges Shafik's assumption and suggests a new interpretation for the representation of Jews in the film. Based on humor theories, and taking into account the social-historical context of Egyptian Jewry in those years, the article argues that the motivation underlying this representation was not anti-Semitic, but rather an attempt to present the Jews as an integral part of Egyptian society.