Harum Scarum (1965)

American singer Johnny Tyrone is enlisted by sinister forces to assassinate an Arab king whose daughter he has fallen in love with.

Director:

Gene Nelson

Writer:

Gerald Drayson Adams

Stars:

Elvis Presley, Mary Ann Mobley, Fran Jeffries

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elvis Presley	...	Johnny Tyronne
Mary Ann Mobley	...	Princess Shalimar
Fran Jeffries	...	Aishah
Michael Ansara	...	Prince Dragna
Jay Novello	...	Zacha
Phillip Reed	...	King Toranshah (as Philip Reed)
Theodore Marcuse	...	Sinan (as Theo Marcuse)
Billy Barty	...	Baba
Dirk Harvey	...	Makar
Jack Costanzo	...	Julna
Larry Chance	...	Capt. Herat
Barbara Werle	...	Leilah
Brenda Benet	...	Emerald
Gail Gilmore	...	Sapphire
Wilda Taylor	...	Amethyst

Storyline

Johnny Tyronne, action movie star and ladies man, is travelling through the Middle East on a goodwill tour to promote his latest movie, "Sands of the Desert". Once he arrives, however, he is kidnapped by a gang of assassins who were so impressed with his on-screen adventures that they want to hire him to carry out an assassination for them. He naturally refuses, and following his daring escape he makes his way across the desert back to civilization, pausing every now and then to sing a song or two.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | desert | middle east | assassination | arab | 

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Taglines:

1001 Swingin' Nights!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the second collaboration between Elvis Presley and director Gene Nelson. They had previously worked together on Kissin' Cousins (1964).

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Goofs

In the climactic fight scene, set at night, the lighting changes from torchlit darkness to broad daylight, and back, several times.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Johnny Tyronne: This is about the wildest audience I've ever played to, Ambassador.
U.S. Ambassador McCord: Yes, they seem very interested. You have no idea how important this occasion is. Your good will tour of this part of the world will be most helpful to the State Department.

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Crazy Credits

In the opening title, the drama mask seen directly below Leo the Lion in the MGM logo is replaced by a caricature of Elvis.

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Connections

Featured in Elvis in the Movies (1990)

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Soundtracks

HARUM SCARUM
(uncredited)
Written by Peter Anders (as Peter Andreoli), Vini Poncia (as Vince Poncia Jr.) and Jimmie Crane
Performed by Elvis Presley

User Reviews

Maybe Elvis needed Bob Hope

Colonel Tom Parker who usually took great care in the movie properties acquired for Elvis Presley must have cringed with the lemon he got Elvis stuck in here. IMDb says that Colonel Tom thought that Harum Scarum might have needed a talking camel so that there would be no question this was a comedy. Obviously the Colonel had the Road to Morocco in mind. But I'll go one better. Elvis the singer may have needed a comedian along with him, like Bob Hope.

Back when the Road to Morocco was made it was satirizing those sword and sandal desert epics that were popular back in the day. Usually those were about some mythical kingdom. We don't have mythical kingdoms any more, they're not in vogue in Hollywood. Poor Elvis was stuck in genre that was way out of date.

Also I don't think anyone had any doubt that when they went to see the Road to Morocco they were seeing a comedy. The gags here just fall flat. Now I doubt Elvis could have gotten Bob Hope, but a comedian of Elvis's generation to co-star might have brought off the comedy, but only might have.

Elvis is in good voice, but none of the songs from here are especially memorable. Certainly not like Jailhouse Rock or Blue Hawaii.

Harum Scarum belongs at the bottom of Elvis's movie credits. Only devoted fans of the King will like this and maybe not even them.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 December 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

Harem Scarum

Filming Locations:

Earl Carroll Theatre - 6230 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,400,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Four Leaf Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min 85 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1