When Youssef Chahine directed Omar Sharif and Faten Hamama in The Blazing Sun, it marked the beginning of their off-screen romance as well: the two got married not long after shooting wrapped. In Dark Waters, Chahine has once again teamed up with Sharif and Hamama, in a film that recognizes and utilizes their chemistry both on screen and off.

In the film we meet Ragab (Sharif), a sailor who returns home to Alexandria after three years at sea to marry his childhood sweetheart, Hamedah (Hamama). However, upon his return, their reunion is soured as Ragab runs into an old friend that also aims to win Hamedah's affection. This is a film fraught with jealousy and misunderstandings, where the romantic tension is only exacerbated by the real connection between Sharif and Hamama.