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
Barbara Eden	...	Sylvia Kenton
Kamala Devi	...	Tezra
Edward Andrews	...	Prof. 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:

in Eastman COLOR

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 June 1964 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

El ánfora mágica

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Scarus, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

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

As the genie moves the fire hydrant, why is there a delay in the high pressure water spouting up?

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Quotes

Fakrash: [after demonstrating his powers to a group of high officials] Now why the long face? They must be convinced now.
Harold Ventimore: But how will they convince anyone else? People will think they're crazy. The same things will happen to them that happened to me. Your way doesn't work either. All you've done is start a chain reaction that'll spread more & more trouble for more & more people.
Fakrash: Then you wish me to undo what I've done?
Harold Ventimore: I wish you could undo everything you've done since I let you out of that bottle
Fakrash: It is...
[...]

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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

Telling the future

The Brass Bottle, which I thought was quite entertaining, was obviously the basis for the "I Dream of Jeannie" television series, but one thing I liked that was in the movie that wasn't really dealt with in the television show was that the genie utilized his ability to see the future to his master's advantage. This was particularly amusing when it came to the confident efforts of the genie in the management of his master's investments. When I watched "I Dream of Jeannie", I always wondered whether Jeannie could tell the future, and if so, why she didn't use that ability to help her master. It really seems to me that had she done so, it would have made a great television series even better.