The Veils of Bagdad

Neither Victor Mature nor Mari Blanchard are ideal for their parts, in my judgment. But the main plot of this film, the secret mission of Antar and his spymaster boss to uncover the tremendous plot being hatched by Leon Askin and Guy Rolfe, is one worthy of a great movie. In league with a bandit chief, they are threatening the rule of Haroun-al-Raschid himself. Blanchard's identity is finally revealed in a beautifully-written scene that neither actor is quite master enough of classical acting to realize fully; but the scene and the film are complete with double-entendres, character revelations and the smoldering beginning of an important love relationship. The film also has fine parts for: a seller who becomes Mature's friend; Mature's boss (Ludwig Donath) who is stalwart, intelligent, loyal and liable to capture and torture; and the wife of the Wazir's brother, beautifully played as always by Virginia French, who provides Blanchard with a rival and the film with some great lines. Mileage is even gotten out of a band of wrestlers of whom Mature is in command to complete his mission, including young James Arness and Dewey Martin. If you don't like this one, lively films with intelligent adventure that are well-directed and with very good dialogue are not for you.