Siren of Bagdad
| Siren of Bagdad | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Richard Quine |
| Written by | Robert E. Kent Larry Rhine |
| Produced by | Sam Katzman |
| Starring | Paul Henreid Patricia Medina Hans Conried |
| Cinematography | Henry Freulich |
| Edited by | Jerome Thoms |
| Music by | John Leipold |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 73 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Siren of Bagdad is a 1953 Technicolor fantasy adventure film produced by Sam Katzman and directed by Richard Quine set in the medieval Iraq. It stars Paul Henreid as a travelling Master magician who seeks to recover his troop of beautiful dancing girls who are to be sold into slavery. Patricia Medina portrays his love interest who seeks to overthrow the corrupt Grand Vizier with the magician's help.[1] Hans Conried plays the sidekick to Quine's magician, who is transformed into a beautiful blonde woman who spies and distracts the Grand Vizier while retaining Conried's voice.
Plot
[edit] | This article needs an improved plot summary. (November 2014) |
Kazah the Great, a magician is traveling in Arabia with a circus.
Cast
[edit]
- Paul Henreid as Kazah the Great
- Patricia Medina as Princess Zandi
- Hans Conried as Ben Ali
- Charles Lung as Sultan El Malid
- Laurette Luez as Orena
- Anne Dore as Leda
- George Keymas as Soradin
- Michael Fox as Telar
- Karl Davis as Morab
- Carl Milletaire as Hamid
Production
[edit]Patricia Medina signed a three-picture contract with Sam Katzman, of which this was the first.[2]
Filming started 3 September 1952.[3]
It was Henreid's third swashbuckler for Katzman. The actor later recalled that Quine "wanted to do the film as a satire, a Chaplinesque burlesque of pirate films."[4]
Reception
[edit]The movie had a successful preview which Henreid said "Every situation joke worked; the audience howled. I came out beaming, and producer Sam Katzman, Quine and I congratulated one another on the very funny picture."[5]
He said Katzman's wife was the only one who did not think the film would be a success, saying "People who go to pirate pictures want just that, a pirate picture. They aren’t as sophisticated as this preview audience. They want their pictures to follow a strict formula. This picture pokes fun at the sacred formula—and I don’t think they’ll accept that." Henreid said "she was absolutely right. The picture was a flop! "[6][7]
Comic book adaptation
[edit]- Eastern Color Movie Love #21 (June 1953)[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Siren of Bagdad (1953) - Richard Quine | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
- ^ THOMAS M. PRYOR (Sep 8, 1952). "MISS MEDINA SIGNS 3-YEAR CONTRACT: Actress to Make Three Films Annually for Katzman -- 'Siren of Baghdad' Will Be First". New York Times. p. 18.
- ^ "FREDRIC MARCH SET FOR FOX FILM LEAD: Signs for Top Role in 'Man on a Tightrope,' Anti-Communist Story to Be Made Abroad". New York Times. Aug 2, 1952. p. 7.
- ^ Henreid, Paul; Fast, Julius (1984). Ladies man : an autobiography. St. Martin's Press. p. 203.
- ^ Henreid p 203
- ^ McClelland, Doug (1989). Hollywood Talks Turkey – The Screen's Greatest Flops. Starbrite.
- ^ Henreid p 204
- ^ "Movie Love #21". Grand Comics Database.
External links
[edit]
- Siren of Bagdad at IMDb
- review of film at Variety
- Siren of Bagdad at the TCM Movie Database
- Siren of Bagdad at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- 1953 films
- 1950s adventure comedy films
- 1950s historical comedy films
- American adventure comedy films
- American historical comedy films
- Films directed by Richard Quine
- Columbia Pictures films
- Films set in Baghdad
- Films adapted into comics
- 1953 comedy films
- 1950s English-language films
- 1950s American films
- English-language adventure comedy films
- Films produced by Sam Katzman
- English-language historical comedy films