Princess of the Nile (1954)

In 1249, an Egyptian princess allies herself with the son of the Caliph of Baghdad in order to rid Egypt of its Bedouin invaders.

Director:

Harmon Jones

Writer:

Gerald Drayson Adams

Stars:

Debra Paget, Jeffrey Hunter, Michael Rennie

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Debra Paget	...	Princess Shalimar / Taura
Jeffrey Hunter	...	Prince Haidi
Michael Rennie	...	Rama Khan
Dona Drake	...	Mirva
Michael Ansara	...	Captain Kral
Edgar Barrier	...	Shaman
Wally Cassell	...	Goghi
Jack Elam	...	Basra
Lisa Daniels	...	Handmaiden
Phyllis Winger	...	Handmaiden
Merry Anders	...	Handmaiden
Honey Bruce Friedman	...	Handmaiden (as Honey Harlow)
Suzanne Alexander	...	Handmaiden
Genice Grayson	...	Handmaiden
Jeanne Vaughn	...	Handmaiden

Storyline

1249 A.D. Shalimar, an Egyptian princess, striving to rid her country of its Bedouin conquerors, forms an alliance with Prince Haidi, son of the Caliph of Baghdad. She practices her intrigues both at the court and, disguised as a dancing girl, in the market place.

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Plot Keywords:

prince | market | intrigue | conqueror | caliph | 

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Taglines:

Shalimar THE FLAME THAT IGNITED EGYPT! (original print ad - almost all caps)

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Genres:

Adventure | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

July 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Princesa do Nilo

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$475,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Panoramic Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

71 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After being rescued by Prince Haidi (Jeffrey Hunter) and his men, Princess Shalimar (Debra Paget) and the heroes jump into the river to escape. Miss Paget's short dress inflated with air when she jumped from a high wall into the water below, feet first. Watch for a brief scene in which she pops back up to the surface, upside down. You can see her feet kicking near the surface of the water next to the wet fabric of her inflated dress.

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Quotes

Rama Khan: Stretch him on the rack till his tongue loosens.

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Connections

Referenced in Alma Corsária (1993)

User Reviews

Lavish '50s escapism. Ravishing Debra Paget shakes and shimmies and brings the house (not to mention the pyramids) down.

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!