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Idiot Şaban (Gerzek Şaban)

Idiot Şaban (Gerzek Şaban) (translated)

Movie · 1980 · 12 people

Natuk Baytan directed Gerzek Şaban, a 1980 Turkish adventure comedy, from a screenplay by Erdoğan Tünaş. It blends the mafia film with comedy and is a mistaken-identity story in which Kemal Sunal plays two different characters. Shot in colour on 35 mm, it runs about 77 minutes. Yahya Kılıç produced it, and Cem Film made it.

At its centre are two strikingly similar men: a famous, feared mob boss and a poor man who scrapes by as an extra on film sets. Sunal plays the extra, Osman, and a character named Seyfi. The mix-ups that follow their resemblance drag the ordinary man into a world of gangsters, police, casinos and nightclubs, among fights and beatings. Stunt work, a film set and a fake night watchman also feature in the story.

The cast includes Ülkü Özen (Lale), Reha Yurdakul (mob boss Abbas), Yadigar Ejder (coffeehouse owner Hamza), Muharrem Gürses, Nejat Gürçen, Rıza Pekkutsal, Ahmet Turgutlu, Muhteşem Durukan and Arap Celal. The cinematographers are Mehmet Gün and Rafet Şiriner. The film was later released on DVD and restored in high definition.

DirectorNatuk Baytan
Production companyCem Film

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Cast

Kemal Sunal Kemal Sunal Film actor · died at 55 Osman / Seyfi Yadigar Ejder Actor · died at 43 Kahveci Hamza Celal Yonat Celal Yonat Actor · 1922 – 1993 Arap Celal Muhteşem Durukan Actor · died at 64 Konyakçı Muharrem Gürses Muharrem Gürses Actor · died at 85 Muharrem Natuk Baytan Natuk Baytan Film director · died at 61 Man at the Tavern Süheyl Eğriboz Süheyl Eğriboz Actor · died at 86 Mahalleli Çetin Başaran Çetin Başaran Actor · born 1940 Hamdi's Man Ekrem Dümer Ekrem Dümer Actor · died at 71 Police Chief Ahmet Kostarika Ahmet Kostarika Actor · 1927 – 1994 Inspector Ahmet Hakkı Kıvanç Hakkı Kıvanç Actor · died at 83 Mahalleli Coşkun Göğen Coşkun Göğen Actor · 80 years old Hired Killer

Also in the cast: Ülkü Özen, Reha Yurdakul, Nejat Gürçen, Rıza Pekkutsal, Ahmet Turgutlu, Arap Celal

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Through different eyes

Yeşilçam Nostalgic A viewer raised on the classics, looking for warm storytelling and strong acting.

Gerzek Şaban, in which Kemal Sunal appears in a double role, is one of the endearing examples of his naive but pure-hearted little-man type. A poor man scraping by as a film extra finds himself among gangsters, casinos and nightclubs because he resembles a feared mob boss, and the story has all the flavour of Yeşilçam's look-alike comedies. Sunal's sheepish glances still touch the heart, and the short running time keeps things moving. Still, I can't help saying that the fights and beatings sometimes crowd out the humour.

Family Viewer Asks whether the whole household can watch it; cares about humour and heart.

Mention a Kemal Sunal film and viewers of every age gather round the screen, and Gerzek Şaban is that kind of film. Do note, though, that it has plenty of fights and beatings, as well as casino and nightclub settings. It may be a bit rough for very young children. Older kids, parents and grandparents can enjoy a good laugh at it together.

Action & Thriller Fan Puts pace, tension and set pieces first; little patience for slow drama.

A film extra who looks exactly like a feared mob boss: a great set-up for an action comedy. The chaos between gangsters and police, the fights and the stunt work keep the pace lively, and the short running time means it never wears you out. But by today's standards the fights are pretty rough around the edges, and the tension never gets serious. Watch it for Kemal Sunal's comedy, not for real suspense.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

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