Directed by S. Ramanathan
Written by S. Ramanathan (story), W. H. Barat (dialogue)
Songs by Ahmad Jaafar, with gurindam by S. Sudarmadji
Produced by Malay Film Productions (Shaw Brothers)
In Malay
Cast: P. Ramlee, A. Rahim, Rosnani, Haji Mahadi, Siti Tanjong Perak, Saadiah, Salleh Kamil
, S. Shamsuddin
Hassan is offered a job as a sailor on a ship and has to leave his pregnant wife Rubiah behind. During Hassan’s absence, a huge fire burns down their kampong. When he returns, Hassan is told that his wife has perished in the fire. Devastated, Hassan departs to Singapore where he tries to build a new life as a sojourner. In Jakarta, he falls in love again and marries Laila, a Javanese woman. However, Hassan’s first wife Rubiah had in fact survived the fire and was saved by a family who took her to Penang, where she gave birth to a boy, Harun.
Hassan brings Laila back to Singapore where she gives birth to Hashim, but she passes away during childbirth. Hassan’s two boys by separate mothers, Harun and Hashim, grow up not knowing of each other’s existence, but they both end up working in the Singapore Navigation Company owned by Hassan. Harun is employed as a sailor on S.S. Juwita, while Hashim is the scion who is set to take over Hassan’s captaincy of the ship. After an incident at sea, Harun and Hashim are washed ashore on a faraway place where they both take an interest in Asiah, a village girl who nurses Hashim back to health but falls in love with Harun. A struggle of jealousy and wits over Asiah plays out between the two brothers, with them realising their blood relations only when tragedy strikes.
“A soul-stirring story of a man who turned criminal little realising that the man he killed is his own blood!” (‘Sedarah’ publicity leaflet for Rex Cinema screening, 30 August 1952)
'Sailors Object to Song' (The Straits Times, 20 September 1952, page 4):
"Another Malayan song is causing trouble. This time it is 'Kelasi' (Sailor) [1:15:05], sung by the popular Malay film star P. Ramlee in the film 'Sedarah' (Blood Brothers). Capt. Mohamed Said Elias, president of the Malay Marine Officers' Association of Singapore, said yesterday that his Association and the Malay Seamen's Union were to draft a protest to Malay Film Productions objecting to the song which 'insults our seamen'. The captain said the song mentioned that sailors eat 'boiled fish, over-cooked rice and stale pulot (glutinous rice). 'We seamen are never supplied with such bad food as suggested in the song.' The letter of protest will be drawn up by the two unions tomorrow. Because of Tamil objections the song 'A-yo Ramasamy' has been withdrawn and barred from Malayan Radio broadcasting."
“Another point of contention was the reference to sailors who arrive in port, dress in style and hang around with girls. Worst of all, in the Union’s opinion, was the line: ‘masuk depan, keluar belakang/lalu lalang, go-hed go-stan’. (‘Enter from the front, exit from behind/To and fro, go ahead go astern.’) It was both insulting and capable of vulgar connotations. There were two possible meanings. The first might be taken as referring to the rolling, unsteady gait of sailors when walking on land. The other reinforced the landlubber’s popular misconception that sailors actually behaved in such a bold and swaggering manner. Other protests were inspired by the song ‘Ayo-yo Ramasamy’, which, said a critic, belittled Hindus. The lyric of ‘wal hasil balik asal’ was also criticised as mocking the Arab community. Could not the phrase ‘Bald Arab’ be changed to ‘Bald Alim’? It was asked. A spokesman for the Malay Film Productions explained that the songs were written to fit the humourous situations in the film and were not meant to hurt the feelings of any particular group. He indicated that the lyrics of ‘Kelasi’ could be changed to something more satisfactory.” [1:24:28] (James Harding and Ahmad Sarji, ‘P. Ramlee: The Bright Star’, 2002, pages 51-52)
Film locations (in Singapore):
Keppel Harbour (Singapore Harbour Board) [12:53, 14:17, 56:45, 1:02:54, 1:31:30, 1:40:50]
The film also features shots of George Town, Penang [21:13].
