During the World War II years, maybe because the beginning of American involvement in the European theater was in North Africa, land of the Bedouins, movies with that exotic location became popular. Universal Pictures developed a star named Maria Montez who made a bundle for them in Arabian Nights and others.
They built these sets on the back-lot for Maria and her Arabia exotica and rather than let them go to waste, Unviersal cranked out these things set in Africa/Arabia/Near East with increasing rapidity and diminishing credibility.
Case in point Bagdad with it's leads being a redheaded colleen, a Swiss import, and a couple of classically trained actors both American and English.
Maureen O'Hara knew what garbage she was making and overacts to the hilt. Her leading man was Swiss named Paul Hubschmid who had a successful career in Europe. They billed him in America for this Arabian picture as Paul Christian. His most notable film on this side of the Atlantic was The Beast from 20,000 fathoms.
All I can say is that with his Viennese accent, Paul Christian SOUNDS as authentically Arabian as Maureen O'Hara looks with her red hair.
Vincent Price also knows he's in something his descendants would cringe at if they saw it and he overacts outrageously as the corrupt Turkish Pasha of Bagdad.
John Sutton was a fine player who was one of the slimiest villains ever put on the screen in Captain from Castile opposite Tyrone Power. Here, he like Price, knows that this Thanksgiving delicacy of a film will not be something he wants to be known for and he goes to town with scenery chewing.
This is a camp classic to beat the Boys in that Band.
They built these sets on the back-lot for Maria and her Arabia exotica and rather than let them go to waste, Unviersal cranked out these things set in Africa/Arabia/Near East with increasing rapidity and diminishing credibility.
Case in point Bagdad with it's leads being a redheaded colleen, a Swiss import, and a couple of classically trained actors both American and English.
Maureen O'Hara knew what garbage she was making and overacts to the hilt. Her leading man was Swiss named Paul Hubschmid who had a successful career in Europe. They billed him in America for this Arabian picture as Paul Christian. His most notable film on this side of the Atlantic was The Beast from 20,000 fathoms.
All I can say is that with his Viennese accent, Paul Christian SOUNDS as authentically Arabian as Maureen O'Hara looks with her red hair.
Vincent Price also knows he's in something his descendants would cringe at if they saw it and he overacts outrageously as the corrupt Turkish Pasha of Bagdad.
John Sutton was a fine player who was one of the slimiest villains ever put on the screen in Captain from Castile opposite Tyrone Power. Here, he like Price, knows that this Thanksgiving delicacy of a film will not be something he wants to be known for and he goes to town with scenery chewing.
This is a camp classic to beat the Boys in that Band.