Siren of Bagdad

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.

Siren of Bagdad
Directed byRichard Quine
Written byRobert E. Kent
Larry Rhine
Produced bySam Katzman
StarringPaul Henreid
Patricia Medina
Hans Conried
CinematographyHenry Freulich
Edited byJerome Thoms
Music byJohn Leipold
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
May 20, 1953
Running time
73 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Premise

Kazah the Great (Paul Henreid), a magician is traveling in Arabia with a circus.

Cast
Hans Conried, Paul Henreid and Patricia Medina in Siren of Bagdad

Production

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

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

References
  1. "Siren of Bagdad (1953) - Richard Quine | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
  2. 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.
  3. "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.
  4. Henreid, Paul; Fast, Julius (1984). Ladies man : an autobiography. St. Martin's Press. p. 203.
  5. Henreid p 203
  6. McClelland, Doug (1989). Hollywood Talks Turkey – The Screen's Greatest Flops. Starbrite.
  7. Henreid p 204
  8. "Movie Love #21". Grand Comics Database.
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