The White Rose (1933)

Topping the list of 100 Best Egyptian Films, this classic musical melodrama launched the film career of one of Egypt’s greatest singers and composers, Mohamed Abdel Wahhab. Galal Effendi, the son of an impoverished aristocrat, is forced to leave his studies to seek employment. After a short stint as a clerk, however, Galal discovers his musical talents and finds success as a popular singer. Through its story of upward mobility based on merit rather than influence, the film examines the emergence of Egyptian middle-class identity.