The Brass Bottle (1964)

A real-estate developer buys an antique brass bottle that contains an ancient genie who's determined to fulfill his new master's every wish.

Director:

Harry Keller

Writers:

Oscar Brodney (screenplay), Thomas Anstey Guthrie (novel) (as F. Anstey)

Stars:

Tony Randall, Burl Ives, Barbara Eden

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tony Randall	...	Harold Ventimore
Burl Ives	...	Fakrash Al-Amash
Barbara Eden	...	Sylvia Kenton
Kamala Devi	...	Tezra
Edward Andrews	...	Prof. Anthony Kenton
Richard Erdman	...	Seymour Jenks
Kathie Browne	...	Hazel Jenks
Ann Doran	...	Martha Kenton
Philip Ober	...	William Beevor
Parley Baer	...	Samuel Wackerbath
Howard Smith	...	Sen. Grindle
Lulu Porter	...	Belly Dancer
Alex Gerry	...	Dr. Travisley
Herb Vigran	...	Eddie
Alan Dexter	...	Joe

Storyline

After being released from his bottle by Harold Ventimore, the genie Fakrash commits himself to improving his new master's life. The only problem is that instead of helping Harold, Fakrash tends to get his master into more predicaments than he gets him out of.

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Plot Keywords:

genie | based on novel | architect | real estate developer | client | 

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Taglines:

Lookout world! Nothing's going to be the same again!

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ventimore's closing to Fakrash, "What we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly and it has little value," is a paraphrase of Thomas Paine, who said, "What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated." in "The (American) Crisis", a pamphlet that he might have read as a schoolboy studying American revolution history. It is more famous for the phrase, "These are the times that try men's souls."

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Goofs

If the genie can place thoughts in peoples' minds, why could he not have placed the ideas in King Solomon's mind to allow him to marry the woman of his dreams and not to imprison him in the bottle in the first place?

The actions of a genie must serve the master, not him/herself.

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Quotes

William Beevor: Know, o young man of kindness and noble deeds, that I had a kinswoman of such surpassing beauty that King Suleiman took her as wife 1,001. And it came to pass, that a certain judge of east, son of Ramus, informed the King that she was my beloved and not my kinswoman.
Harold Ventimore: Well, that was a pretty dirty trick.
William Beevor: The Great Suleiman... was angered and commanded that I be imprisoned in that bottle and cast into the sea, there to abide the day of doom!

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Connections

Referenced in What's My Line?: Y.A. Tittle & Charles Boyer (1963)

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Soundtracks

Fakrash Chant
(uncredited)
Written by Joseph Gershenson

User Reviews

An early 60s comedy classic

Very enjoyable, good humor, good acting, a little campy, but so were most comedies of the early 60s era and there is nothing wrong with that.

This should be on DVD - not just VHS. Why studios haven't converted this to DVD especially with rated actors/actresses to DVD is beyond me.The DVD would easily fly of the shelves from age 45 - 65 year group who would love to add it to their vintage collections.

Burl Ives does another classic performance this time as the Genie in the Bottle now freed by someone, Tony Randall, who is tempted, yet morally bound not to be consumed by the offer of "your wish is my command."

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

15 June 1964 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

The Brass Bottle

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Scarus

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1