Jeff lo sceicco ribelle

Back in the 1940s Universal studios big star was Maria Montez who hit a gold mine in those Arabian sand and sandal epics with Jon Hall and Sabu. A whole set was built for her and her films.

Now boss Carl Laemmle at Universal was always practical and why waste those sets. So Universal made a whole lot of those films for its post war pin up boys, Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson, and Jeff Chandler.

But this was one of the worst of them. Of course the obvious flaw is Maureen O'Hara as the Red-headed Arab princess. Ms. O'Hara was great when she was cast right, but here, she looks ridiculous and she knows it.

The plot such as it is involves Jeff Chandler as a Bedouin chief who has one aim, to capture the Black Stallion, Shozada. Along the way he develops a yen for Maureen. Well who wouldn't, redheads being such a premium out there in the Tunisian desert.

Maureen wants the horse too. She wants it so she can win the annual horse race and not have to marry one of the two Corsair Brothers, Lon Chaney, Jr. and Buddy Baer. Yoikes, what a choice.

So hero and heroine find a commonality of interest in the horse and each other.

I've often wondered what Jeff Chandler, who's real name was Ira Grossel, and who took being Jewish very seriously thought about playing an Arab. Remember this is post the Israeli war of independence and Chandler was a noted Zionist. He didn't look thrilled to be in this picture either. Was it politics or was it because it was such a stinkeroo.

1951's "Flame of Araby" was a fairly ordinary though well made adventure, aided greatly by the pairing of rugged Jeff Chandler and ravishing Maureen O'Hara, shot in saturated color as first "Wildfire," then "Flame of the Desert." It's strictly by the numbers scripting by Gerald Drayson Adams, a stodgy Arabian Knights outline depicting the conflicts between a regal Tunisian princess and a Bedouin chieftain, transformed by the staging of director Charles Lamont into a straightforward Western in the pursuit of a wild black stallion known to be the swiftest horse of them all, Shahzada. Jeff Chandler was described by future costar Jane Russell as more a personality than an actor (specifically 'a charming man'), which works here as his relentless desire to tame that which cannot be tamed equals that of Princess Tanya (Maureen O'Hara), whose hand in marriage has been promised to one of the dreaded Corsair brothers, desperately in need of a champion who can outrace their finest steeds to defeat them both. Much of Maureen's thunder is stolen early on by the stunning Susan Cabot, whose erotic dance before Chandler's Tamerlane made quite an impression on her instructor: "with a figure like yours, the only person who'll look at your feet will be Arthur Murray!" Once interiors conclude at the midway mark, it's an all outdoor feast most appealing to equestriennes everywhere who can appreciate the characterization of the horse Shahzada, his sleek nobility and sheer power essayed by 8 year old saddlehorse Highland Dale, best remembered as the 1946 "Black Beauty," and as Broadway Bill in Frank Capra's "Riding High." Back at Univeral for only his second film since 1945's "House of Dracula," Lon Chaney was cast as Borka Barbarossa, never seen without brother Hakim (Buddy Baer), preying upon the spinelessness of Tanya's ruler cousin (Maxwell Reed) to secure a princess in their midst (two years later, he appeared opposite John Payne's pirate Barbarossa in "Raiders of the Seven Seas"). Appearing unbilled are Neville Brand as a horse trader (reunited with Chaney from Gregory Peck's "Only the Valiant"), Richard Hale as Tanya's dying father, and pretty Dorothy Ford, a tall starlet soon to play opposite Buddy Baer again in Abbott and Costello's "Jack and the Beanstalk."

This is physically one of the most beautiful films ever produced, in my judgment, with art direction by Bernard Hertzbrun, Bill Thomas's superb costumes, Russell Mettey's photography and wonderful outdoor scenes and lavish indoor sets. The cast is exemplary also, by any viewer's standards. Jeff Chandler has one of his best roles as Tamerlane the independent-minded Bedouin warrior, Maureen O'Hara is lovely as the exotic and intelligent Princess he wants. In the talented cast, one can also find Dewey Martin and Royal Dano as Chander's men, Maxwell Reed as the villain, Susan Cabot, Richard Egan, Buddy Baer, Lon Chaney Jr., Richard Hale and others. As if this were not enough, the author of the script was Gerald Drayson Adams, veteran of the Grecianized Near-Eastern genre; and the film was directed by action-film expert Charles Lamont. This color thriller is several things-- a strong romance, an historical adventure and a male-versus female story all in one... The clear storyline opens with Chandler and two men in pursuit of a fabled black horse, Shazzada. He is about to capture the stallion when O'Hara comes riding along and scotches his try;. She finds her father has been poisoned, and that her cousin has been named ruler--but Tamerlane had spanked her before he had learned she is a princess and before she learned that her father lies dying. She is grateful for his saving her from the stampeding horses, and forgives his understandable anger, promising to repay his help. Both head for the city of Tunis separately, and she hears her father's last speech. He leaves her cousin in command of the city and dies; his final order is that the Barbarossas, red-bearded corsair pirates, not be given her hand in marriage as they have asked. They threaten the city, by their mere presence in the harbor with two warships at present. The cousin vows a holy oath promising to protect her. That day also, Chandler arrives to sell the one fine blooded mare he did capture on his hunt. At the Barbarossas' camp, their champion's favorite, Susan Cabot, causes the death of one man by enticing him and the champion slays him with a dagger, all according to the Corsair Law. The new king arrives and is coerced into agreeing to the marriage after all. Then Chandler arrives, once he has left, just as the cruel pirates are ignoring the pleas of newly-captured Christian slaves. He offers his mare for sale. The two Corsair lords tell him to leave her till the morning. Before he can depart, Cabot dances again and flirts with him. The angry champion challenges him to a duel over her. Chandler chooses an Israelite sling against the other's dagger as weapons and kills him. Cabot howls for revenge; Tamerlane and his man hide, as the corsairs' men seeks them through the city. To escape their pursuers, he boldly goes to the palace and demands audience with the princess. She is contemplating suicide rather than marry one of the Barbarossas as her cousin has informed her she must. Arguing with Tamerlane, she learns he is off to catch the black stallion, and sends her own men to try to beat him to the great horse--because he is the swiftest horse in Arabia and only he can outrun the Barbaraossa brothers' champion steeds. He goes; she brilliantly announces to the brothers that the winner of the grand Taifa horse race will be the one able to name whom she marries. They expect to win the race as they have in the past and so agree, laughing raucously about the prospect. The capture goes well, for Tamerlane. But when the great race begins, he is hidden nearby and enters, after the others, saluting the Princess. What he can only guess is that the cousin has threatened him with death if he does win. The race is run fairly, and he finally outdistances the furious brothers. Tossing to the Queen her royal token which she had given to him, he proclaims that she is free to wed the man of HER choice; then he dashes off. The king orders him caught. but the brothers know no horse in the land can catch him, and trample the new king to death in their barbaric wrath. Meanwhile, the princess quits the royal palace with its death, cruelty and intrigue, and she goes to Tamerlane; then they learn they both have much to teach each other. This is a splendidly-photographed and lavish-looking "B" film. It is a classic of its genre and very satisfying on many counts, not the least of which is the ethical stature of the lovers and the capabilities of the actors who play them so unusually well. Its message about being free of restraints in order to be truly happy would play well in any nation of freedom-loving minds; it was indifferently reviewed and received in the United States, whose leaders had turned against the independent mind long since without officially admitting this had been done. I predict it will be rediscovered in the future, many times.

Your enjoyment of this will depend on your ability to swallow the preposterous liberties the studios took with casting in the 50's. In this instance we have the Irish Maureen O'Hara, slight lilt intact, and the Jewish Jeff Chandler playing an Arabian princess and a Bedouin chieftain respectively racing around what is obviously the California desert standing in for the Sahara.

Queen of Technicolor Maureen is breathtaking and Jeff properly rugged but most of the acting tends towards woodenness. If you appreciate the campiness of that scenario than this is harmless fun, all others beware.

Ten years earlier, you would have seen Maria Montez and Jon Hall, but at the turn of the fifties, Montez - Hall left Hollywood, so Universal Studios had to replace them and the choice was excellent. There will be several films starring Maureen O'Hara, Yvonne de Carlo, whilst Paramount Studios will hire Arlene Dahl and Rhonda Fleming for this kind of exotic, colorful adventure yarns which settings - studios lot most of the time, not necessarily natural locations - will be paradise islands of the South Seas, Jungle, Arabic deserts; modern stories or One Thousand and One nights tales.... This one is pretty entertaining, excellent time waster for old timers seeking their lost childhood. No matter the story, just enjoy the magic, fantasy atmosphere of this magnificent little gem.