Omar Khayyam ** (1957, Cornel Wilde, Michael Rennie, Debra Paget, Michael Rennie, Raymond Massey, John Derek) – Classic Movie Review 6,766

Cornel Wilde struggles manfully against his weird casting as the 11th-century Persian genius of letters defending his country from the invading sect of assassins out to kill the Shah, in the engaging 1957 Arabian Nights romantic adventure film Omar Khayyam.

Paramount Pictures serve up a $3 million Technicolor invented biopic of the Persian poet Omar Khayyam, filmed entirely in California, including obviously the Paramount Studio in Hollywood, so mostly on the Paramount lot. Though they do manage to include the key real details of Khayyam’s invention of a new calendar and writing his poems, the accent is on fantasy romance (he loses his true love to the Shah) and adventure (he foils a plot to kill the Shah).

Cornel Wilde struggles manfully against his weird casting as the 11th-century Persian genius of letters Omar Khayyam, defending his country from the invading sect of assassins out to kill the Shah, in director William Dieterle’s engaging if undistinguished 1957 Arabian Nights romantic adventure movie that runs like an enthusiastic end-of-term school play with a cast of talented amateurs.

The tasty cast, lavish production and Ernest Laszlo’s gorgeous widescreen, Technicolor cinematography balance out Barré Lyndon’s solemn, brisk and professional but rather undernourished and simplistic screenplay that often emerges as pretty daft and wrong-headed. The movie is quite fun, though, in its campy, kitsch kind of way.

Top Hollywood golden years director William [Wilhelm] Dieterle ended his distinguished Hollywood career on this fairly low note. Peruvian singer Yma Sumac (1922–2008), who plays Karina, sings divinely, particularly ‘Take My Heart’.

John Derek plays Young Prince Malik in Omar Khayyam.

It also stars Debra Paget as Sharain, Michael Rennie as Hasani Sabah, Raymond Massey as The Shah of Persia, and John Derek as Young Prince Malik. Also in the cast are Sebastian Cabot as the Nizam, Margaret Hayes as Queen Zarada, Joan Taylor as as Yaffa, Perry Lopez as Prince Ahmud, Morris Ankrum as Imam Nowaffak, Abraham Sofaer as Tutush, Edward Platt as Jayhan, James Griffith, Henry Brandon, Paul Picerni and John Abbott.

Omar Khayyam is directed by William Dieterle, runs 101 minutes, is released by Paramount, is written by Barré Lyndon, is shot in widescreen and Technicolor by Ernest Laszlo, is produced by Frank Freeman Jr and scored by Victor Young (1899-1956), with music by Jay Livingston and Moises Vivanco. It is Young’s final film score – the film was released posthumously.

It was also released as The Life, Loves and Adventures of Omar Khayyam, and The Loves of Omar Khayyam.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6,766

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