The Yellow Mercedes (1992) User Reviews

Perfect example of both Turkish comedy and diasporic cinema

[yavuztumer · 9/10 · 7 April 2006]

This film, adapted from a novel by well-known Turkish novelist Adalet Agaoglu, is a perfect depiction of Turks living in Germany, their problems of identity, the situation of being in-between, i.e. neither being completely Turkish nor being completely German. Of course, Ilyas Salman's amazing acting, depicting a desperate man and his efforts to protect his beloved yellowish Mercedes (which he calls "Sarikiz"-"blonde girl") from the harsh conditions of Turkey is also something that contributes to this.

All in all, a must see for audiences of Turkish comedy and diasporic cinema.

P.S: If you like this title, I can also highly recommend another Tunc Okan film, called "Otobus".

Congratulations!!!

[enis-basol · 8/10 · 22 May 2020]

Noone could ever reflect the mentality of Anatolian people better which, with the effects of urbanization for the most part, consists of showing-off to the neighbors with the things they own. Besides, I am also stuck with the guy with minibus. Whenever he sees Bayram he smirks as if he was despising him, as if he'd say to Bayram like a slap in the face that your value in life is not determined with the Mercedes you drive. It turns out at the end that he is an archeologist. He comes from the UK, probably, to Bayram's village to dig out an ancient city, the value of which is never to be appreciated by the likes of Bayram. An astonishingly successful movie and definitely worth the time you spend

A heartbreaking story about a man reduced himself to his ownership of a car

[SubutayNoyan · 8/10 · 13 June 2021]

Bayram is the embodiment of rural Inner Anatolian Turk. He's an orphan of an undeveloped village, has no education, no job, no skill, he's been mocked and bullied his entire life, never felt respected, never felt content.

But he managed to join Gastarbeiter program and went to Germany, like so many rural people of Turkey. He works as a street cleaner, doesn't spend a dime if he isn't compelled to, saved all his money and bought a yellow coloured Mercedes saloon, thinking himself now a man of virtue, hard work and success. He drives back to his village, intending to show off with his only significant possession, his identity, Yellow Mercedes.

Only to realise he's losing everything, bit by bit, we see what sort of a man he is, hos pathetic he is, but the pity, slowly turns into disdain as the movie unfolds the true personality of Bayram.

Oppressed people don't just become victims. Oppressed people become heartless, cruel and treacherous.

a true european art movie

[jank123 · 19 July 2001]

If you see movies like this you suddenly understand what people miss by watching so called hollywood movies. You can make the things 1000 times more realistic even if you dont use special effects. And you see that the best movies are those which have no HEROES =)

Yes this movie is real. Its taken from the book of a turkish author. The movie is made by french,german and turkish people. I have seen this movie on a french channel "arte" and i think it won awards in europe. Its about a turkish guy who lives in germany,munich just like lots of other turkish people in germany. He works as a street cleaner just to get his dream car. A yellow colored mercedes. One day he will go back to his small village in the eastern turkey and give himself a good name there with his car. As he goes through turkey lots of bad things happen to him. First some ppl steal the star of his mercedes. Later he breaks one of his lamps... then the front window cracks... lots of bad things happen to his car. At the end he gets to a bad road and his car rolls. His car becomes a wreck. He does not give up and reach his village. He learns that his uncle has died and that his girlfriend is married to another guy. And his small village... it does not exist anymore. VERY GOOD MOVIE. if you are american then watch it you will see the difference.

exile of 1st generation

[mujdatbank · 9/10 · 31 August 2007]

Bayram is a clever Turkish guy goes for work to Germany.There was no job and culture of modernity in Turkey in that time.(It is pretty so now as well..) Being an owner of a yellow Mercedes(Car) is a symbol for him to catch up the modern standards .So he struggles to be selected as a candidate for immigration.He fights to be alive in this wild atmosphere.He spends all his attention and money to grasp the symbolic success of living in Germany for a proletariat. He fails at last .... The movie points out that why the lower class of people can not manage to became successful in the life. P.S. hi Bayram a typical working class hero.

Among my favourite bittersweet films

[lavo-01940 · 10/10 · 3 May 2021]

This is a simple story about Bayram, a Turkish living in Germany, where he works as a street-sweeper. One day, he learns his uncle in Turkey (and only living relative) is very ill, Bayram decides to take some days off and more importantly, he takes all of his savings, so he can buy a brand-new Mercedes car and drive all the way to his very remote town.

Up to this point, we remain unsure about Bayram's initial intentions, as he's so proud of his car (going as far as being pretentious and overprotective to it); however and without spoiling anything, we end up feeling what he feels throughout his journey, to the point we want to see him succeed ! But...

You must totally see the film and understand why it's one of the best representatives of the little known "bittersweet" sub-genre.

my only love balkız

[alperius · 9/10 · 30 May 2015]

entire life lost while chasing childhood dream.A homecoming film. if you see the first part (going away) you ll see " otobüs(1975)" by Tunç Okan.. "workers at Germany" is the most interesting social part in turkey for 40 years. Because of their cultural paradox and identity problem. We find chance to see this on Bayram's character.

Also his fight with himself and his effort to absolve all his sins for years. Yellow Mercedes (balkız) his only proof about his success in his own war(about changing his social class).

his friends, his love, his town , uncle and all others left behind is his only friend on this foreign lands that he born.

What a movie for understanding turks

[zeke_luther-50929 · 6/10 · 12 January 2021]

I'm living in turkey more than 22 years and this movie make me realize the society of turks. In this country we can't earn enough money for have cars or basic stuffs like an iphone, then it becomes a status indicator for people. We can't get enough progress because acting like cool is more important to being cool. This why we still using the most expensive cars on the world. Because end of the day, somebody will buy them for show off their money or rich lifestyle.