THE WIZARD OF BAGHDAD (1960)

PHENOMENALITY: *marvelous*
MYTHICITY: *poor*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *comedy*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTIONS: *metaphysical*


Here's another "Arabian knockwurst" that I watched purely to determine whether or not it fit into my category of combative films. "Not" turns out to be the case.

American versions of Old Araby are probably at their best when they simply admit that they're superficial, colorful trifles, given to any number of anachronisms. That said, WIZARD OF BAGHDAD doesn't provide any support for that generalization.

The wizard of the title is none other than low-class genie Ali Mahmud (Dick Shawn). Despite living in some roughly medieval era of Baghdad, Ali constantly spouts all sorts of anachronistic jokes, my favorite (so to speak) being a line that uses the term "snafu." Shawn plays the part as if he were a Borscht-belt comedian who'd been transformed into a genie, and after warbling a nonsense-song over the credits, Ali reports to Asmodeus, the chief genie of all genies. This scene sports one curious if inept attempt at conjuring up a fantasy-atmosphere. As Ali enters the palace of the genie with the weirdly Greek name, he's confronted by floating heads, like a skull and various animal-heads. The heads look terrible, but I have to assume someone thought they would give the fantasy-palace some atmosphere.

Asmodeus seems to have a position not unlike a military general, for he reams Ali for being a hard-drinking, hard-loving slacker who hasn't advanced to a higher state of geniedom during his years in the business. Asmodeus decides to give the goof-off a last chance: he's charged with making sure that Baghdad fulfills its potential to be the greatest city in Old Araby. Ali doesn't want the assignment, and he cavils at being forced to give up his flying carpet for a mere flying horse, but he descends to Earth anyway. Around the same time, aging sultan Rashid consults a female oracle who counsels him to sign over his kingdom to his daughter and her future husband, the son of another powerful lord, though both offspring are still children.

Ali can't resist indulging in wine and women, and so he's drunk as a skunk when an evil invader, Julnar, infilitrates Baghdad with his men, kills Rashid and opens the city's gates to an invading force. The sultan's girl-child Yasmin is too young for marriage, so Julnar simply keeps her prisoner for a future wedding. Husan, Yasmin's intended, flees the invaders and is taken in by a tribe of desert-bandits, who raise him as their own. Meanwhile, Asmodeous waxes wroth and takes Ali's powers from him, so that he's forced to get a job as a court jester. (Given how unfunny Shawn is in this film, it's hard to believe Ali doesn't starve to death.)

Seven years later, Yasmin's old enough to marry, and Julnar begins making wedding plans. By happenstance the princess crosses paths with Husan, takes a fancy to him, and inducts him into her personal guard. The scenes between princess (Diane Baker) and unknown prince (Barry Coe) are the only halfway entertaining parts of the film, particularly given Yasmin's attempts to make Husan fall for her.

Ali more or less hovers on the edge of the action, having conversations with his horse, who can't fly any more but who can talk to Ali, though no one else understands the equine. Ali finds himself moved by the plight of the imperiled lovers. He finally gets invested enough to seek out Asmodeus again and to demand his powers back. And the head genie is so pleased by the young sprout's gumption that, well, he just gives Ali back all of his magic mojo. Ali returns to Earth in time to save Husan from the headsman and to thwart Julnar's army, all with the cheapest possible FX. There's are a couple of mild fights at the conclusion, but since Ali is the star, these don't acquire a combative value.

George Sherman directs in journeyman fashion, with almost no interesting setups. Though producer Sam Katzman was known for cheap productions, WIZARD actually looks modestly expensive compared to a lot of his B-films-- though eight years previous, Katzman's THIEF OF DAMASCUS proves considerably better trivial entertainment.