The Golden Blade (1953)

Basra merchant Harun Al-Rashid avenges his father's murder in this adventure set in ancient Bagdad and inspired from the Arabic fairy tales of One Thousand and One Nights.

Director:

Nathan Juran

Writers:

John Rich (story), John Rich (screenplay)

Stars:

Rock Hudson, Piper Laurie, Gene Evans

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rock Hudson	...	Harun
Piper Laurie	...	Khairuzan
Gene Evans	...	Hadi
George Macready	...	Jafar
Kathleen Hughes	...	Bakhamra
Steven Geray	...	Barcus
Edgar Barrier	...	Caliph
Alice Kelley	...	Handmaiden

Storyline

Harum (Rock Hudson) is a fearless man of the people who comes to Bagdad to avenge the murder of his father and meets Krairuzan (Piper Laurie), a princess disguised as a commoner, working against a plot by a band of evil schemers trying to do away with her father, the Caliph. She gives Harum a golden sword which, in his hands, makes him invincible. Harum uses the sword in the name of justice and is doing quite well until a duplicate sword is placed in his scabbard during one of his off-guard moments, and he winds up in chains.

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Plot Keywords:

sword | redheaded woman | dance number | kiss | prison | 

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Taglines:

His Blade Of Gold... A Legend In Battle! Her Kiss Of Surrender... The Prize Of Victory!

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Genres:

Adventure

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Sword of Damascus

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Both Farley Granger and Tony Curtis turned down the lead role before the studio assigned Rock Hudson (I) to it.

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Quotes

Jafar: 'Tis said that marriage calms the tempestuous nature. He who now watches over her as his charge would cherish her as his wife. Granted my son is not gifted in speech or manners, but he is of noble birth and as a warrior, second to none.

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Connections

Featured in Rock Hudson: Dark and Handsome Stranger (2010)

User Reviews

Lively, physically beautiful, with delightful comedy and John Rich's script

Young Piper Laurie and handsome newcomer Rock Hudson were both featured to great advantage in this clearly-plotted and lively adventure-comedy. Imaginative veteran Nathan Juran directs very accurately and imaginatively, and the acting by George Macready as the ambitious villain, aided by Gene Evans (not quite up to a classical accent) and Kathleen Hughes and that of their opponents played by Edgar Barrier, the crafty Stephen Geray and others is above average for any genre. Adding to the fun is lovely Laurie impersonating a boy, a mysterious magic sword (which in lesser hands would have been a detriment) and its magical unwillingness to obey other than a virtuous owner. There is a prolonged sequence when various magicians attempt to remove the sword--which Macready needs to claim the throne--that has become embedded in a wall, and more physically colorful and beautifully-realized scenes than in any ten mean-streets melodramas of the post 1970s. If you do not fall in love with the spirited Khairozan, as Hudson does in the film, then you are probably dead. If you cannot delight in this youthful and stirring adventure of a bygone era, you had best give Grecianized Near-Easterns, our richest adventure genre in so many ways, a consistent miss.