Written by a Nobel Prize winner (Naguib Mahfouz for his life work, including this story). Midaq Alley is a remake of the 1963 movie listed on IMDb as: Zouqâq al-Midaqq (1963)...aka Alley of the Pestle (1963) (International: English title) Which was itself an excellent movie. <br /><br />VERY MINOR SPOILERS GOING FORWARD:<br /><br />The characters in both movie stick closely to the story, the Mexican version benefits from freedom of expression in many shots while the Egyptian version had to hint behaviours (homosexuality for example) to avoid censors scissors. <br /><br />It amazes me how a story about characters in Cairo in the 40's could fit so closely in Mexico city half a world away.... tells you something about the similarities in human nature and behaviours...<br /><br />Very minor details had to be changed to suite historical facts. As an example, when the two boys run away to collaborate with the occupying British forces in the Egyptian film, they try to cross the border illegally to the US in the Mexican version. Both give the same effect as socially unacceptable behaviours within their perspective societies.<br /><br />All actors put convincing performances and beautiful Salma Hayek dazzles as usual.