Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Cary Grant | ... | Clemson Reade | |
Deborah Kerr | ... | Effie | |
Walter Pidgeon | ... | Walter McBride | |
Betta St. John | ... | Tarji | |
Eduard Franz | ... | Khan of Bukistan | |
Buddy Baer | ... | Vizier | |
Les Tremayne | ... | Ken Landwell | |
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Donald Randolph | ... | Ali |
Bruce Bennett | ... | Charlie Elkwood | |
Richard Anderson | ... | Henry Malvine | |
Dan Tobin | ... | Mr. Brown | |
Movita | ... | Rima | |
Gloria Holden | ... | Mrs. Jean Landwell | |
June Clayworth | ... | Mrs. May Elkwood | |
Dean Miller | ... | George |
Clemson Reade, a business tycoon with marriage on his mind, and Effie, a U.S. diplomat, are a modern couple. Unfortunately there seems to be too much business and not enough pleasure on the part of Effie. When Clemson meets Tarji, a princess trained in all the arts of pleasing men, he decides he wants an old fashioned girl. Princess Tarji's father is king of oil-rich Bukistan. Because of the oil situation and to maintain good political relations during the courtship between Clemson & Tarji, the State Department assigns a diplomat to maintain protocol until the wedding. Effie! Written by Debbie Dunlap <dwdunlap@erols.com>
I saw this movie for the first time on TCM, interested because of the pairing of Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. It's really boring, with a silly, unbelievable plot.
Worse than that, Grant looks and act in such a peculiar manner. He appears to be bone-thin, with his suits just hanging on him. And his expressions and body language border on the effeminate in some sequences. This is not the dashing, debonair, sophisticated Cary Grant we've all become accustomed to seeing in so many movies over the years.
Kerr has a brief drunk scene that is unusual for her screen persona. Aside from that, there's not much to her character that can save this dreary flick.
The one thing worth noting is the movie's benign portrayal of Islamic rulers. Was it really like that 50 years ago, or were we just too ignorant to know any better?