The Black Angel (Siyah Melek)

Sami Ayanoğlu directed the black-and-white Yeşilçam film Siyah Melek from 1961, also titled Zincirler Kırılırken and known in English as The Black Angel. Blending drama, romance and history, it is set in Istanbul during the War of Independence and tells the nationalists' struggle through a masked hero.

The Sultan's forces try to crush a secret network that moves weapons and ammunition to Anatolia. Its boldest figure is the Black Horseman, a masked rider on a white horse who turns up wherever danger gathers; he sends warnings as notes wrapped around stones and hurled through windows, signed with the letters K. S. The palace guard officer Cafer, played by Öztürk Serengil, makes it his mission to catch him. Orhan Günşiray plays the Black Horseman and Türkân Şoray plays Nesrin, the daughter of Colonel Rauf Bey. Nesrin is eager to learn who the hero is, but his identity hides behind a young man back from France who seems thoroughly spoiled. Cafer's passion for Nesrin turns the story into a tense triangle. The cast also includes Ahmet Tarık Tekçe, Boğadır Ayanoğlu, Eşref Vural and Mustafa Dağhan.

The screenplay is by Yılmaz Tümtürk, with Nevzat Pesen producing for Pesen Film. Metin Bükey composed the music and Menasi Filmeridis handled the photography. It runs about 103 minutes.