The Sob (Hıçkırık)

Hıçkırık (The Sob) is a 1953 black-and-white Turkish drama film written and directed by Atıf Yılmaz and produced by Erman Film. It is the first screen adaptation of Kerime Nadir's 1938 novel of the same name, which was filmed again in 1965. Muzaffer Tema stars as Kenan opposite Nedret Güvenç as Nalan, with Reşit Gürzap, Settar Körmükçü, Muazzez Arçay and, as a schoolteacher, Nejat Saydam in supporting roles.

The story opens in Adapazarı, where young Kenan loses his mother and suffers under a harsh stepmother and stepfather. Through his teacher's intervention he is adopted by Muhip Azmi Bey of Istanbul and raised alongside the man's fragile, often ailing daughter Nalan. Over the years a deep but unspoken love grows between them, yet Nalan marries Dr. İlhami and has a daughter, Handan. After passing the foreign ministry exams, Kenan is posted to Rome, where a heartfelt letter he sends by mistake falls into İlhami's hands. Consumed by jealousy, İlhami takes the child away; the dying Nalan spends her final moments in Kenan's arms.