Bowery to Bagdad

The title is misleading: about 95% of "Bowery to Bagdad" takes place in a New York penthouse, where people are running around knocking each other on the head. As you can gather from that description, this is not exactly the fantasy epic you might expect from a movie about a magic lamp and a centuries-old genie. There also seem to be no consistent rules for when the genie can appear - sometimes you have to rub the lamp, sometimes he appears at his own will. With that said, Eric Blore, with his dry delivery as the genie, is the best thing in the film. There are also some nice special effects. ** out of 4.

Still watching the Bowery Boys these days, and they're still fun. BOWERY TO BAGDAD has to be one of their more kooky episodes, only because as the series progressed, particularly in the 1950s, the plots became more insane and Huntz Hall was unleashed to do whatever he wanted to do!

Credit veteran comedy writer and director Edward Bernds, whose name may be familiar because he directed scores of Three Stooges shorts. There was a marked difference between the Bowery Boys films of the 1940s and the 1950s. Originally, the films had a comedy/drama slant, but by the next decade, all that went by the wayside with the Bowery Boys more comic book characters and with a sci fi or supernatural theme, case in point here. They conjure up a magical genie.

The series also had many notable character actors and Eric Blore, in his last film role, was well cast and probably well paid for his funny portrayal of a genie, who also gets drunk. Gorcey's father, Bernard, who played Louie, worked well with Blore; they both chewed up the scenery in one super scene.

But it's Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall who set off the fireworks with a host of one liners and crazy situations. Thankfully, Warner Brothers acquired the rights to these comedies and first sold part of the series on vhs, but now all episodes come in dvd box sets and in mint condition, with no edits. So, yes, still crazy after all these years. We love them.

Either you like The Bowery Boys or you don't....and this film clearly is for devoted fans. Its silly quotient is certainly higher than normal, that's for sure!

When the film begins, Sach (Huntz Hall) has found a magic lamp and when he rubs it, out pops a very odd genie (Eric Blore). It offers to grant him any wish (not just three) but because Sach is an idiot, he offers to share it with Slip (Leo Gorcey). But then Slip gives him an odd order--the genie can only grant wishes if BOTH he Sach and Slip agree on it. This is interesting because soon two teams of crooks show up and try to take the lamp. But even when they get it, the genie is bound by Slip's command...he cannot do any wishes until both of the 'boys' (actually both were in their mid-late 30s) agree.

Even for a Bowery Boys film, having a genie appearing and disappearing is highly unusual and rather dumb. Overall, the film does nothing to convert non-fans and might actually make a few fans think twice about their love for the Boys! Only okay...with lots of folks bonking each other on the heads, a goofy genie and nothing more.

The funniest Bowery Boys movies are the ones with the most wildly implausible plots. Anybody who watches a Bowery Boys movie in expectation of deep thoughts on the human condition is looking in the wrong place. 'Bowery to Bagdad' has one of the looniest plots in the entire Bowery Boys series... and it's possibly the funniest of them all. Much of the credit goes to a splendid performance by the veteran character actor Eric Blore, making his only appearance in a Bowery Boys movie.

This movie should actually be titled 'Baghdad to Bowery' because that's the way the action moves. The story starts with a newspaper headline announcing the disappearance of a valuable Oriental lamp. Then we see a montage shot of a couple of bit players pretending to be Arabs (with beards and headcloths) who are searching the entire world for the missing lamp. Of course, it turns up in Louie Dumbrowski's candy shop. (Stranger things have happened in real life: the necklace worn by Mary Queen of Scots when she got her head chopped off later turned up in an obscure antiques shop.)

Needless to say, this is a magic lamp with a genie. The genie is played by Eric Blore with his usual droll humour, wearing a pantomime-genie outfit that includes a turban and a pair of those curly-toed shoes. When Sach (Huntz Hall) frees the genie from the lamp, Blore offers to use his magical powers to give Sach anything he desires. Proving just how big a moron he is, Sach wishes for a long row of chocolate sodas. He also wishes that the genie would enlarge one particular part of his body. Guess which part. Yes, you're right: his biceps. The sight of Huntz Hall swaggering about with Schwarzenegger muscles is truly bizarre.

This film has a larger budget than usual for the Bowery Boys. The genie's magical effects are amusingly depicted with some well-edited jump cuts, of the sort later used on 'Bewitched'. Even the plot is more engaging than usual: the Bowery Boys go up against a gang of deeze-dem-doze crooks who want the lamp (and the genie) for themselves; when the lamp falls temporarily into the gangsters' clutches, I actually felt some concern. The ending is quite funny, with Sach innocently making a wish that lands him and Slip (Leo Gorcey) in big trouble. Speaking of Leo Gorcey, did you know he shared a wife with Groucho Marx? Kay Marvis divorced Gorcey, then later married Groucho. I'll bet she had some interesting stories.

I'll rate 'Bowery to Bagdad' 7 points out of 10. It's a toss-up between this film and 'Master Minds' for the funniest Bowery Boys movie.

In ancient Bagdad, Aladdin's lamp goes missing and the ruler orders an exhaustive search. Generation after generation, his men continue the search. In modern New York City, Sach buys the magic lamp from a pawn shop. Gangsters are threatening Louie so that he would sell the shop. Sach releases the Genie and is granted wishes. The gangsters intend to steal it.

The concept should be funnier. I expected wackier wishes being granted. It's all a little disappointing. I'm not saying that The Bowery Boys is high concept comedy. I do wish that this is smarter with a fun premise. I also never like comedies which resort to gun fire. The last wish is probably the only good one.