The Flirtation of Girls

Ghazal Al Banat (Arabic: غزل البنات, English: The Flirtation of Girls) is a 1949 Egyptian film.

The film also featured the first on-screen appearance of Hind Rostom, age 18 at the time, in a minor role as one of Laila's friends in the opening scene.

[citation needed] Though there was intent to attach Mohammed Abdel Wahab as a star to the movie, he had retired from acting.

Marzouk Afandy (Abdel Warres Assar), who is one of many servants working for the Pasha proposes to bring his friend, a poor, recently fired Arabic language elementary school teacher to tutor Laila.

Laila flirts with the older teacher in an attempt to avoid studying, however, she is unaware that Mr. Hamam took her advances seriously and fell in love with her.

Mr. Hamam (Naguib Rihani) is a down-on-his-luck teacher, fired from the school he works at after a prank that his students set up for him accidentally blows up in the principal's face.

The next day, Laila is excited to see Mr. Hamam, freshly shaven and dressed in a brand new suit (Abgad Hawaz/Lorem Ipsum).

That night, Laila, on the phone with Anwar, tells him she has not been able to see him due to her Arabic studies, as her father insists on her doing the make-up exam.

The Dada answers the door for Mourad Pasha, telling him she hadn't heard or seen anything, and the Laila is in the bathroom bathing Jimmy the dog.

In the bathroom, Laila is scolding "Jimmy" while Mr. Hamam is in the tub, with an umbrella open, making barking sounds.

The next day, Hamam packs his belongings and is ready to leave, feeling that his love with Laila is too strong for him to be able to continue to tutor her, and in light of the events of the night before.

However, he overhears people talking about Anwar and how he is a gold digger, having recently dumped a rich girl like Laila, after getting a few fancy gifts from her.

Hamam asks Wahid the pilot to enter the cabaret with him and take Laila out of there on the pretense that he is her cousin, and that she has smeared the family name by being here.

After ringing the doorbell, the servant who answers the door drags Laila and Hamam in, threatening to call the police on them for their alleged scam.

However, the master of the house, Egyptian legend Youssef Wahbe, dismisses the servants, fascinated by the pair of Hamam and Laila.

As the pair insist on leaving, they are informed that Mohammed Abdel Wahab is at Wahbe's house as well, working on a song.

Wahbe invites them to stay and listen, as he and Abdel Wahab are working on a piece, in which someone learns that to truly love someone, they must let them go, finding satisfaction and joy in the other person's happiness.

As they drive home, Hamam recalls the song "Soul Mate", having accepted that, in truly loving Laila, he had let her go.