Princess of the Nile ** (1954, Debra Paget, Jeffrey Hunter, Michael Rennie, Dona Drake) – Classic Movie Review 7592

‘Shalimar THE FLAME THAT IGNITED EGYPT!’ With a silly story and unimaginative handling, director Harmon Jones’s amusingly campy 1954 adventure Princess of the Nile is little more than a brainless escapist adventure that never for a moment even tries to be witty, provocative or intelligent.

Debra Paget stars as Shalimar, a 13th-century Egyptian princess who joins forces with the caliph of Baghdad’s son, Prince Haidi (Jeffrey Hunter), to protect the Egyptian people from the grip of the greedy chief of the Bedouin, Rama Khan (Michael Rennie).

Brainless it may be, but nevertheless, thanks to 20th Century Fox’s sparkling production,  Addison Hehr’s set designs, Travilla’s costume designs, Chester L Bayhi’s set decorations and the wondrous Technicolor cinematography by Lloyd Ahern Sr, it does looks extremely gorgeous throughout. Some sets were left-overs from Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954). It was made at 20th Century Fox Studios, Century City, Los Angeles, and RKO-Pathé Studios, Culver City, California.

The exotic beauty of Paget is well showcased, and she is certainly mighty bright and attractive as she dances and joins in the swashbuckling action. Paget is a real charmer. In contrast, Hunter and Rennie seem wooden and embarrassed, but it is not really their fault when Gerald Drayson Adams’s screenplay is so vacuous. And there are always Edgar Barrier (Shaman), Michael Ansara (Captain Kral), Jack Elam (Basra), Wally Cassell (Goghi), Lee Van Cleef (as Hakar) to look forward to when all else fails.

Merry Anders, Lisa Daniels, Phyllis Winger, Honey Harlow [Honey Bruce Friedman], Suzanne Alexander, Genice Grayson, Jeanne Vaughn, Cheryll Clarke, Kitty London and Bobette Bentley all play handmaidens, which is something else to look forward to.

Also in the cast are Dona Drake, Lester Sharpe, Billy Curtis, Robert Roark, George Barrows, A Cameron Grant, Dayton Lummis, Jeanne Thompson and Charles Wagenheim.

Princess of the Nile is directed by Harmon Jones, runs 73 minutes, is made by Panoramic Productions and released by 20th Century Fox, is written by Gerald Drayson Adams, shot in Technicolor by Lloyd Ahern Sr, produced by Robert L Jacks, is scored by Lionel Newman (musical director) and is designed by Addison Hehr.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7592

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com