Copyright 1960 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at neighborhood cinemas on a double bill with "Legions of the Nile": 3 March 1961. U.S. release: December 1960. U.K. release: 23 July 1961. Australian release: August 1961. 8,297 feet. 92 minutes.
COMMENT: Having successfully done for Columbia, Jungle Sam now turns his talents to Fox. Here he revisits one of his favorite haunts: old Baghdad, complete with Caliphs and what-do-you-call-'ems — wazeers, waziers, wazirs. (Sam isn't sure how to spell it, so when in doubt use 'em all. You can only be wrong twice).
If you want your product cheapened, there's no better man than "Gorilla" Katzman. Who else could make Technicolor a by-word for trash? Here he has CinemaScope and DeLuxe firmly in his sights. Plus of course comedian Dick Shawn in "his first starring role" (it turned out to be his last, though he did have featured parts in six or seven more features), and "dashing Hollywood newcomer" Barry Coe (whose career ended with his very next film "The 300 Spartans"). Even Diane Baker's standing was damaged.
Needless to say, good old Jesse L. Lasky doesn't so much as mention "The Wizard of Baghdad" in his autobiography. There's all this stuff about "The Greatest Show On Earth", "Union Pacific", "The Ten Commandments" and so on, but not a word about "The Wizard of Baghdad". Not a single word! I wonder why not?
OTHER VIEWS: A witless spoof. — Variety.
For customers who will laugh at anything, including that singularly unfunny funny man, Dick Shawn... Truly appalling. — The New York Times.
Touted as a satire on your typical Hollywood sword-and-sorcery fantasy, this effort singularly fails to impress on both levels. Sherman's direction is as ham-fisted as the script, whilst the budget seems extraordinarily tight — little effort is made to disguise wires for the flying carpet, for instance. — G.A.
COMMENT: Having successfully done for Columbia, Jungle Sam now turns his talents to Fox. Here he revisits one of his favorite haunts: old Baghdad, complete with Caliphs and what-do-you-call-'ems — wazeers, waziers, wazirs. (Sam isn't sure how to spell it, so when in doubt use 'em all. You can only be wrong twice).
If you want your product cheapened, there's no better man than "Gorilla" Katzman. Who else could make Technicolor a by-word for trash? Here he has CinemaScope and DeLuxe firmly in his sights. Plus of course comedian Dick Shawn in "his first starring role" (it turned out to be his last, though he did have featured parts in six or seven more features), and "dashing Hollywood newcomer" Barry Coe (whose career ended with his very next film "The 300 Spartans"). Even Diane Baker's standing was damaged.
Needless to say, good old Jesse L. Lasky doesn't so much as mention "The Wizard of Baghdad" in his autobiography. There's all this stuff about "The Greatest Show On Earth", "Union Pacific", "The Ten Commandments" and so on, but not a word about "The Wizard of Baghdad". Not a single word! I wonder why not?
OTHER VIEWS: A witless spoof. — Variety.
For customers who will laugh at anything, including that singularly unfunny funny man, Dick Shawn... Truly appalling. — The New York Times.
Touted as a satire on your typical Hollywood sword-and-sorcery fantasy, this effort singularly fails to impress on both levels. Sherman's direction is as ham-fisted as the script, whilst the budget seems extraordinarily tight — little effort is made to disguise wires for the flying carpet, for instance. — G.A.