- Nominated for 4 Oscars.
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Cast verified as complete
Ronald Colman | ... |
Hafiz
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Marlene Dietrich | ... |
Jamilla
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James Craig | ... |
Caliph
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Edward Arnold | ... |
The Grand Vizier
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Hugh Herbert | ... |
Feisal
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Joy Page | ... |
Marsinah
(as Joy Ann Page)
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Florence Bates | ... |
Karsha
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Harry Davenport | ... |
Agha
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Hobart Cavanaugh | ... |
Moolah
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Robert Warwick | ... |
Alfife
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Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
Eddie Abdo | ... |
Aide to Mansur / Arabic Prayer Voice (uncredited)
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Jimmy Ames | ... |
Major Domo (uncredited)
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Morris Ankrum | ... |
The Caliph's Messenger (uncredited)
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Leslie Anthony | ... |
Handmaiden (uncredited)
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Lynn Arlen | ... |
Handmaiden (uncredited)
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Noble Blake | ... |
Nubian Slave (uncredited)
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Carla Boehm | ... |
Handmaiden (uncredited)
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Dick Botiller | ... |
Aide to Mansur (uncredited)
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Paul Bradley | ... |
Magician (uncredited)
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Sonia Carr | ... |
Handmaiden (uncredited)
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Zedra Conde | ... |
Cafe Girl (uncredited)
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Harry Cording | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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Pedro de Cordoba | ... |
Meuzin (uncredited)
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Billy Cummings | ... |
Arabic Prayer Voice (uncredited) (voice)
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Peter Cusanelli | ... |
Merchant (uncredited)
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Carmen D'Antonio | ... |
Dancer in Cafe (uncredited)
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Yvonne De Carlo | ... |
Handmaiden (uncredited)
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Walter De Palma | ... |
Detective (uncredited)
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Anna Demetrio | ... |
Proprietess of the Cafe (uncredited)
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Victor Dubinsky | ... |
Singer (uncredited)
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Joyce Gates | ... |
Handmaiden (uncredited)
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Sachin Ghosh | ... |
Nabout Fighter (uncredited)
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Leatrice Joy Gilbert | ... |
Rallah - Water Bearer (uncredited)
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Barbara Glenz | ... |
Cafe Girl (uncredited)
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Gabriel Gonzales | ... |
Monkey Man (uncredited)
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Joseph Granby | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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Herman Heller | ... |
Singer (uncredited)
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Eileen Herrick | ... |
Handmaiden (uncredited)
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Harry Humphrey | ... |
The Caliph's Gardener (uncredited)
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Charles Judels | ... |
Wealthy Merchant (uncredited)
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Cy Kendall | ... |
Herald (uncredited)
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Jack Kenny | ... |
Arab (uncredited)
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Victor Kilian | ... |
Jehan (uncredited)
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Beatrice Kraft | ... |
Court Dancer (uncredited)
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Evelyne Kraft | ... |
Court Dancer (uncredited)
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Charles La Torre | ... |
Alwah - the Wood Chopper (uncredited)
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Rosalyn Lee | ... |
Handmaiden (uncredited)
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Gabriel Lenoff | ... |
Singer (uncredited)
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Mitchell Lewis | ... |
Sheik (uncredited)
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Jack 'Tiny' Lipson | ... |
Aide to Mansur (uncredited)
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Barry Macollum | ... |
Amu (uncredited)
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Louis Manley | ... |
Fire Eater (uncredited)
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John Maxwell | ... |
Guard (uncredited)
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John Merton | ... |
Aide to Mansur (uncredited)
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Charles Middleton | ... |
The Miser (uncredited)
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Frank Morgan | ... |
Narrator (uncredited) (voice)
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Phil Nazir | ... |
Nabout Fighter (uncredited)
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Julian Oliver | ... |
Singer (uncredited)
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Nestor Paiva | ... |
Captain of the Police (uncredited)
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Shelby Payne | ... |
Handmaiden (uncredited)
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Frank Penny | ... |
Merchant (uncredited)
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Frances Ramsden | ... |
Cafe Girl (uncredited)
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Ramiro Rivas | ... |
Member of Juggling Trio (uncredited)
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William Rivas | ... |
Member of Juggling Trio (uncredited)
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John Schaller | ... |
Member of Juggling Trio (uncredited)
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Dan Seymour | ... |
Fat Turk at the Cafe (uncredited)
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Saul Silverman | ... |
Singer (uncredited)
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Jessie Tai Sing | ... |
Black Eyes - Cafe Girl (uncredited)
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Bhogwan Singh | ... |
Arab (uncredited)
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Paul Singh | ... |
Valet to Caliph (uncredited)
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Sammy Stein | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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Minerva Urecal | ... |
Retainer (uncredited)
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Dale Van Sickel | ... |
Mansur's Assassin (uncredited)
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Morgan Wallace | ... |
Merchant (uncredited)
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Bruno Weise | ... |
Pole Act (uncredited)
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Eve Whitney | ... |
Cafe Girl (uncredited)
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Zack Williams | ... |
Executioner (uncredited)
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Marek Windheim | ... |
Wapu - the Barber (uncredited)
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Roque Ybarra | ... |
Son of the Miser (uncredited)
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Joe Yule | ... |
Bath House Attendant (uncredited)
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Directed by
William Dieterle |
Written by
John Meehan | ... | (screen play by) |
Edward Knoblock | ... | (based upon the play by) |
Produced by
Everett Riskin | ... | producer (produced by) |
Music by
Herbert Stothart |
Cinematography by
Charles Rosher | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
Ben Lewis |
Editorial Department
Henri Jaffa | ... | associate color director: Technicolor |
Natalie Kalmus | ... | color director: Technicolor |
Art Direction by
Daniel B. Cathcart | ||
Cedric Gibbons | ||
E. Preston Ames | ... | (uncredited) |
Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis |
Costume Design by
Barbara Karinska | ... | (uncredited) |
Tom Keogh | ... | (uncredited) |
Makeup Department
Jack Dawn | ... | makeup designer |
Sydney Guilaroff | ... | hair styles designer |
Florence Erickson | ... | hair stylist (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marvin Stuart | ... | assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
Richard Pefferle | ... | associate set decorator |
Frank Wesselhoff | ... | painter (uncredited) |
Sound Department
Douglas Shearer | ... | recording director |
James Z. Flaster | ... | sound mixer (uncredited) |
Standish J. Lambert | ... | sound mixer (uncredited) |
Frank McKenzie | ... | sound mixer (uncredited) |
Robert Shirley | ... | sound mixer (uncredited) |
Newell Sparks | ... | sound mixer (uncredited) |
William Steinkamp | ... | sound mixer (uncredited) |
Michael Steinore | ... | sound mixer (uncredited) |
John A. Williams | ... | sound mixer (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
Warren Newcombe | ... | special effects |
Visual Effects by
Mark Davis | ... | special effects camera (uncredited) |
A. Arnold Gillespie | ... | miniatures (uncredited) / special photographic effects (uncredited) / transparency shots (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
John M. Nickolaus Jr. | ... | second camera operator (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Irene | ... | costume supervisor |
Barbara Karinska | ... | costume execution (as Karinska) |
Eugene Joseff | ... | costume jeweller (uncredited) |
Music Department
Murray Cutter | ... | orchestral collaboration |
Frederick Herbert | ... | music mixer (uncredited) |
M.J. McLaughlin | ... | music mixer (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
Janett Bate | ... | assistant dance director (uncredited) |
Jack Cole | ... | dance director (uncredited) |
Victor Stoloff | ... | technical advisor (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1944) (United States) (theatrical) (as Loew's Inc.)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1944) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1945) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1946) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1946) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Motion Picture Export Association (MPEA) (1948) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- BBC Two (2017) (United Kingdom) (tv)
- Epoca (Argentina) (VHS)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (United States) (VHS)
- Warner Archive Collection (United States) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (1996) (United States) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Western Electric (sound system)
Storyline
Plot Summary |
In ancient Bagdad, Hafiz is a beggar--self coined the King of Beggars--and a master of the sleight-of-hand. He often likes to wander the streets late at night pretending to be a Prince, specifically of Hassir, located in the farthest reaches of the empire. In the process, he has entered into a passionate romance with a beautiful woman, Jamilla. He is unaware that she is one of the queens of the Grand Vizier--the most powerful man in the empire--to whom she was provided in a power deal with Macedonia, the deal agreed to by Jamilla only under the condition that she retain her independence. In turn, Jamilla knows that her lover is not who he says he is, she, however, not having any idea that he is mere street beggar. She doesn't mind his lies, as they are a means to escape into a fantasy world away from the reality of life with the Grand Vizier. At home, Hafiz has told his daughter Marsinah, since she was a child that she would marry a prince, rather than the reality of she probably marrying someone like a camel man. The story includes he having built a high wall in which to enclose her that only a prince could penetrate. However, unknown to her father, Marsinah, in peering over the wall, has fallen mutually in love with the son of the head gardener of the new Caliph, the ruler of all of Arabia. What she does not know is that her love is in reality the new Caliph, he who likes to wander the streets in disguise at night as a commoner to ascertain the true feelings of his subjects. The Caliph is unaware that Marsinah's father, who he knows is a beggar, is the man who saved him one night, the man calling himself the Prince of Hassir, which he knows is not the truth. Hafiz, in turn, does not know the man he saved is either the Caliph or that he is in mutual love with Marsinah. The Caliph plans to call the Grand Vizier in front of him on charges of corruption. In turn, the Grand Vizier plans to have the Caliph murdered to assume the throne himself. Seeing that his daughter now has womanly feelings, Hafiz knows he now has to make his story of her marrying a prince come to life. Using his skills of disguise and magic, Hafiz plans on arranging a marriage between Marsinah and the Grand Vizier, who he can see has his sights set on being the Caliph. With all these mistaken and unknown identities, what happens among this collective may come down to fate--kismet--which Hafiz mistakenly believes he can control. Written by Huggo |
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Taglines | M-G-M's Technicolor Glamor Romance See more » |
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Parents Guide | Add content advisory for parents » |
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Box Office
Budget | $3,000,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
Trivia | The decision to paint Dietrich's legs gold was a last resort. Initially, they had made fine mesh "tights" for her, like chain-mail. It took several hours to close the links up the back using jeweler's pliers. However, after she was encased in the mesh, it was discovered she couldn't move, so they undid the tights and resorted to gold paint. See more » |
Goofs | In the bazaar scene about 40 minutes in, a red macaw, a bird of South America, is seen on a perch. It would not be in Baghdad in the days of the Arabian Nights. See more » |
Movie Connections | Featured in That's Dancing! (1985). See more » |
Soundtracks | Tell Me, Tell Me, Evening Star See more » |
Quotes |
Karsha:
[Referring to Hafiz's daughter, Marsinah]
You think she's going to wither away waiting for your fairy tales to come true? Hafiz: She's waiting for her fate in all its splendor. Karsha: The fate for a beggar's daughter is a camel boy. Hafiz: Silence, misery! See more » |