Biyografi Dünyası
Zehir Hafiye

Poison Detective (Zehir Hafiye) (translated)

Movie · 1989 · 3 people

Orhan Aksoy directed Zehir Hafiye, a 1989 Turkish comedy. Counted as a comedy, adventure and crime picture, it is in colour, was shot on 35 mm and runs about 85 minutes. Kemal Sunal and Nur Gürkan share the lead roles. The producer is Memduh Ün and the production company is Uğur Film.

Cemal, played by Kemal Sunal, spends his life reading detective novels and sees himself, even in his dreams, as the world's most famous sleuth. A fan of Columbo and Mike Hammer and nicknamed "Zehir Hafiye", he is fired from every job because of his absurd detective games. One day, while hunting for work in his taxi, he picks up the daughter of a mafia boss, Zeynep (Nur Gürkan), and his life changes: he is now the hero of a real case.

The cast also includes Şemsi İnkaya (Necati), Mehmet Ali Akpınar (Kara Şehmuz), Turgut Özatay (Manyak Mahmut), Leman Çıdamlı (Zeynep's aunt), Hakkı Kıvanç (Rıfat) and Ekrem Dümer (the bank manager). Osman F. Seden and Aksoy wrote the screenplay together, and Abdullah Gürek is the cinematographer. The film was later restored in HD and released on DVD by Fanatik Video; Bahadır Tok (Cem), Zafer Atlı (Hakan) and Tuncay Akça (the doorman) are among the other players.

DirectorOrhan Aksoy
Production companyUğur Film

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Cast

Kemal Sunal Kemal Sunal Film actor · died at 55 Turgut Özatay Turgut Özatay Actor · died at 74 Şemsi İnkaya Şemsi İnkaya Actor · 87 years old

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Through different eyes

Family Viewer Asks whether the whole household can watch it; cares about humour and heart.

Say "Kemal Sunal" and nobody at home objects, and this one is no exception. Cemal, obsessed with detective novels and fired from every job he takes, plays at being a sleuth in a way that makes kids laugh too. There is a mafia angle, but above all this is a comedy. At about 85 minutes it ends before little ones get restless. Some of the jokes may feel dated now; still, it is a film grandparents and grandchildren can watch together.

Yeşilçam Nostalgic A viewer raised on the classics, looking for warm storytelling and strong acting.

Another of Kemal Sunal's lovable dreamers: Cemal, who lives on detective novels and even in his sleep believes he is the world's most famous sleuth. His devotion to Columbo and Mike Hammer recalls that sweet Yeşilçam habit of taking something from the West and moving it into the neighbourhood. Memduh Ün as producer and familiar faces such as Şemsi İnkaya and Turgut Özatay give the film a homely warmth. Don't look here for the finesse of Sunal's deepest comedies; even so, it is good-hearted fun that never turns crude.

Cinephile Looks at script, editing and directing choices; keeps a distance from formula films.

Directed by Orhan Aksoy and co-written with Osman F. Seden, Zehir Hafiye rests on a single idea: an ordinary man who daydreams about detective work lands in the middle of a real case. The Columbo and Mike Hammer references are fine ground for parody, but once the script spreads that idea across comedy, adventure and crime, it loses its edge. The taxi, the mafia boss's daughter, the disguises: these elements seem to sit side by side rather than link the scenes together. Kemal Sunal's timing carries the film, and the 85-minute running time keeps the pace from sagging too far. Fanatik Video's HD restoration is a good chance to reassess Abdullah Gürek's 35 mm colour photography.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

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