Kingsley and Kinski in harem romance

Press, 26 February 1987, Page 10

Kingsley and Kinski in harem romance

“Harem,” which will start at the Academy tomorrow, stars Nastassja Kinski and Ben Kingsley in a modem tale bringing together a man and a woman from the most diametrically opposed cultures existing today. Prince Selim (Kingsley), bora into the royal family of a nameless Arabian Gulf country, inherits a palace where he atempts to maintain the Orient which no longer exists — except in memory. His harem is graced by beautiful girls who help him to believe these traditions still exist Prisoner of this family, chained to his past Selim dreams of freedom. During one of his frequejptrips to New York, he decides to kidnap a young woman, Diane

(Kinski), whom he has been desperately yearning for. Diane suddenly finds herself brutally plunged into the heart of a harem, a closed and sacred place where she soon discovers another world with its rites and its traditions. Her presence will be a catalyst that will destroy this archaic institution. Her natural energy, her desire to escape, and her sensuality make her rebel against the situation, but to no avail. When she discovers the intensity of the passion the distant Selim has for her, Diane is terrified and uses the classic seduction arms to free hereself. A strange duel, starts between the two lovers — a duel that unfolds simultaneously to theJ&low death of the last W the harems.