Starring John Agar, Lucille Ball, Patricia Medina, George Tobias, Raymond Burr
Directed by Lew Landers
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After a Caliph is murdered for his throne, his infant son is saved via use of a flying carpet, and grows up into a doctor who leads a double identity as the Scarlet Falcon, in order to battle the new regime.
As the lead in this colorful Arabian fantasy from Columbia Pictures, Agar stands out a bit as the only Arabian without a beard, but looks good in his red cloak and brandishing a sword. I wouldn't put this film anywhere in the same class with the adaptations of The Thief Of Bagdad, and those expecting magical characters and grand visuals, will have to settle for the carpet, which is the only fantastic element in the film. Nonetheless, it's competently directed, and sports quite a cast of familiar faces, with future TV comedienne Ball, future Perry Mason Burr, familiar Republic serial villain Gregory Gay as the Caliph's usurper, and Patricia Medina in a winning role as the feisty sister of one of Agar's followers, who wants to fight with the men, and cease the romance between Agar and Ball. It's a pleasant enough diversion but not a truly memorable film.
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