Princess of the Nile

Even the Maria Montez/Jon Hall technicolored baubles of the '40s are eclipsed by "Princess of the Nile," Fox's entry in Hollywood's mid-'50s obsession with things Egyptian (see "Land of the Pharoahs," "Valley of the Kings," etc.) Pure, unadulterated, mindless hokum, lavishly produced (low-budgeted, actually, but using sets and costumes left over from "The Robe," this Technicolored spectacle looks like it cost millions). 71 minutes of eye-candy (the plot, having something to do with nefarious derrings-do in ancient Egypt, is beside the point) offers the cinematographer and audiences the delectable sight of Debra Paget wearing an assortment of see-thru veils, most of which hit the ground when she shakes and shimmies thru a slave-girl production number unparalleled in film history. Female moviegoers were not shortchanged: Fox's handsomest young contract player, Jeffrey Hunter, is as photogenic as Ms. Paget, while Michael Rennie lurks around in the background, stirring up evil doings in the land of the pyramids. For those who might think Paget & Hunter can't act and were only hired for their physical attributes, check out their subtle, overlooked, heartbreaking work together a few years later in "White Feather" (another Fox production that has sadly vanished into the realm of "lost films"). "Princess of the Nile" still stands in a class by itself as a cheerfully mindless, breathlessly fast-paced, dazzling testament to the glories of 3-strip Technicolor--and the seductive charms of Ms. Paget (all of 20 at the time). Put this one-of-a-kind kitsch classic at the top of your "guilty pleasures" list, and enjoy. Satisfaction guaranteed!

I first saw this movie as a Saturday

Matinee, at the Crest Theater in Portland,

OR. I adored it -- it had the

incomparable Debra Paget doing her

patented hip-wiggling Exotic Maiden role,

evil villains, secret passages, secret

identities, 50's-style exotic scenery and

costumes -- the works. I'd love to have

it on video, but as a hootch-cootchy

adventure flick it's not likely to be

available soon, if at all. What a shame!

For the most part, I only enjoy the kind of movie that allows one to escape the current time into the future or past. This movie is pure escapism. The dancing starts almost immediately, and Debra Paget in her "purple harem" bikini dress simply has no equal in film in my opinion. Her dancing, while sultry, is surpassed by her dance in Fritz Lang's Tiger of Eschnapur, available on DVD, where she played the temple dancer Seetha.

One problem with the movie is the closed setting. There are few outdoor scenes shot, and they as well as other scenes are a bit claustrophobic. The same locations are used over and over again, but with some interesting secret passages and waterways. Her secret double identity is totally unbelievable with beauty of that magnitude. Debra even wields a sabre and holds 2 enemy soldiers at bay on a staircase, she could do it all.

What does work is Debra Paget as a princess. With her beauty, she certainly would be the center of attention anywhere at any time in history. This movie, when hopefully it becomes available on DVD, will be a must buy. Overall, taken with a bit of humor, I loved it.

Two of the best looking stars in Hollywood, Debra Paget and Jeffrey Hunter burn up the screen in "Princess of the Nile." It's not much of a movie, but if you love looking at God's most gorgeous, feast your eyes on these two! Technicolor never had it so good.

Miss Paget should have had a longer career. She appeared in some landmark films like "The Ten Commandments," "Love Me Tender," "White Feather," "Demetrius and the Gladiators," etc. Her ultra lewd dance in "Princess...Nile" is the most erotic in the history of films! At the same time, Jane Russell was also getting censored for her hip-shaking dance in "The French Line."

An absolutely amazing cast (Lee Van Cleef! Jack Elam!) enlivens this utterly preposterous yarn which passes off an Egyptian Hareem that's straight out of Minsky's (down to a few blondes and red heads).

Paget is both lovely and acrobatic, handling action sequences charmingly. Hunter is a stiff. And who knew Michael Rennie fenced left handed?

This film has recently been seen in criculation on AMC, and it's worth catching. The technicolor production design combines with the two-dimensional characters to create the effect of a Prince Valient comic on celuloid. But the appaling acting, ham-fisted dialog and cardboard sets only enhance the film's charm.