I really felt sad when I learned this old house in Ain El Mraisseh is being demolished as I know some of its previous owner (The Nsouli’s), and I know how beautiful it was from the inside.
But then again, at a time when the government has no plans to acquire these old houses and protect them, you just can’t expect people to keep preserving heritage buildings while the real estate market in the country is booming.
I just stumbled upon this old German movie called “Agent 505 – Todesfalle Beirut” (also known as “Agent 505 – The Trap Door Falls in Beirut”) that was shot in Beirut back in 1966.
The part below has some scenes from Raouche, Ain El Mraisseh, and the airport of Beirut. I wish I can find some other parts or even the full movie somewhere online!
A dastardly villain known as The Sheikh threatens to wipe out the city of Beirut (and all 650,000 of its citizens) in this reasonably entertaining West German thriller from director Manfred Kohler, perhaps best known today for co-writing Harry Kumel’s erotic vampire epic Daughters of Darkness. Frederick Stafford plays suave secret agent Richard Blake, on the trail of The Sheikh with the assistance of gorgeous reporter Denise DuPree (Genevieve Cluny). A philanthropist named Omar Abdullah (Willy Birgel), whose cause is rehabilitating criminals, attracts the attention of Blake, and we’re off to the races. Babes, bullets, and gadgets–they’re all here and shot on location in mod, mod Beirut, at the time an ‘international city’ and a popular spot for European co-productions.
Music lovers should note that Ennio Morricone’s score echoes his spaghetti western work but fits nicely into the proceedings, whilst anticipating Theodorakis’ percussive Z score by a full year. The English language print misspells his name ‘Morricono’, though!
