I saw this once by accident at a kiddie matinée. I was expecting the spy-comedy fare on the marquee. It was apparent that the scenarist and director were attempting to strike a note similar to the Danny Kaye costume comedies, but without the panache and high gloss. It is revealing about the early career of Dick Shawn that his fey, campy, manic mannerisms were thought to make him a possible successor to Kaye. But Kaye had class that transcended his Borscht Belt beginnings; Shawn never got beyond the tummler you see here.
The production values are of the Low Budget school. The Baghdad setting was a convenient way of making use of all those old Middle Eastern sets and costumes left over from the 40s. The film was no better or worse than Saturday morning TV fare--old Blondie and Bowery Boys comedies, which suggests a real condescension to its audience.
The production values are of the Low Budget school. The Baghdad setting was a convenient way of making use of all those old Middle Eastern sets and costumes left over from the 40s. The film was no better or worse than Saturday morning TV fare--old Blondie and Bowery Boys comedies, which suggests a real condescension to its audience.