Memed My Hawk is a 1984 British-Yugoslav drama film directed by and starring Peter Ustinov, with Herbert Lom, Denis Quilley and Michael Elphick. The film's cinematographer was Freddie Francis and featured music by Manos Hadjidakis. ^[1] It is an adaptation of the 1955 Turkish novel Memed, My Hawk, the debut novel of Yaşar Kemal, nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Memed My Hawk had to be filmed in Croatia, because the Turkish government of the day withheld permission to film in Turkey.^{[citation needed]} Although, in 1984, Memed My Hawk had a Royal Première in London, to this day its exhibition remains banned in Turkey- as communist propaganda.^{[citation needed]}

Plot

In 1920s Turkey, Memed, a young peasant, and his childhood sweetheart are in love. However, a feudal landlord wants the girl for his own son. Consequently, the young lovers elope, and Memed becomes a brigand, now waging war against feudal landlords.

Cast

• Peter Ustinov – Abdi Aga
• Herbert Lom – Ali Safa Bey
• Denis Quilley – Recep
• Michael Elphick – Cabbar
• Simon Dutton – Memed
• Leonie Mellinger – Hatche
• Siobhán McKenna – Iroz
• Marne Maitland – Süleyman
• Michael Gough – Kerimoglu
• T. P. McKenna – Dursan
• Jeffry Wickham – Captain Faruk

Editor PETER HONESS Music MANOS HADJIDAKIS Cinematographer FREDDIE FRANCIS Producer FUAD KAVUR Writer/Director PETER USTINOV