Adapted from Peyami Safa's novel Selma and Her Shadow, the movie tells the story of Selma. Selma (Görkem Yeltan) is the ultimate femme fatale whose alluring and seductive nature and irresistible charms exude an aura of death for men. Apparently, she is characterized by sheer mistrustful scorn for humankind. Selma is simply regarded as the 'ghost' by the residents of the neighborhood. Nevzat (Kaan Çakir)who just feels awkward because of the way Selma makes him feel wants his best friend Halim (Serkan Ercan) to meet her. Halim dabbles in poetry. Without the knowledge of both parts, Nevzat gives Halim's poetry book to Selma. Nevzat just wants to get to know the inner depths of Selma's soul because no matter how he cares about her she never ceases to be a woman of profound,arcane mystery to him. When Halim and Selma meets, Selma manages to tell him secretly to come again. Halim thinks that she is just someone sane by her words and insane by her actions. He realizes this duality is the very thing that enchants his friend. He mentions,albeit hesitatingly,the secret tryst Selma wanted. Nevzat just encourages him to see her on the grounds that he trusts Selma and his friend should know more about the woman he is planning to marry. Upon his first visit, Nevzat decides that this woman, who supposedly pushed two ex husbands into suicide,must be some nympho with a morbid penchant for death but he still can't resist her charms and his friend's insistence on playing that game. The Shadow is not a bad movie but honestly you should love either the book or the genre to like this movie. Selma may be the first character in Turkish literature who displays vivid split personality. She is alluring and beautiful but but she is misanthropic and obsessed with pain and death. Such a character may sound interesting for many but you need more than that to impress that character on the minds of cinema-goers. Actually I'm not blaming the movie for that because it is as loyal to the storyline of the book as it can be . Peyami Sefa does not create engaging,memorable dialogs. The conversation among the characters sound so dull that it loses all the mystery at some point. Besides, Safa never gives you a graphic account of death,pain and sexuality in the book. Maybe he just refrained from giving any details because of the time he lived in, still an author should just rebel against the taboos he live through. Because of the book, the movie refrains from giving any lifelike,vivid portrait either. Still, Görkem Yeltan as the saucy and vivacious lively and unreserved vamp offers a superb performance. The chemistry between Kaan Çakir and Yeltan,portentously gloomy couple is indeed commendable. All in all, whether you will enjoy this movie or not should depend on whether you like slow-paced gloomy dramas. If you have enjoyed reading the book,you may like this even more than the book.If you hated the book, it will be just a waste of time for you.
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