Three for the Show (1955)

Broadway star Betty Grable discovers she is married to two men and is thrilled, but best friend Marge Champion figures she’ll be the odd one out if she can’t stop that ego-maniacal bitch.

A Thousand and One Nights (1945)

Big colorful sets and fantasy costumes are featured in this hokey update to Alladin’s Lamp that never takes itself seriously. Evelyn Keyes is adorable as the genie that no one but handsome Cornel Wilde can see, but he has eyes only for Adele Jergens as the blonde princess. Sidekick Phil Silvers has his eyes on every jewel in the palace. Of course there’s a scheming Vizir and a Sultan switcharoo. A thief masquerades as a prince, and just about every other Arabian Nights cliché is given some sort of send up.

Most of the comedy involves one of the secondary characters turning to the camera and saying something modern while the leads play it straight. Subplots (and villains) are invented then abruptly dropped, and cultural awareness seems unknown in 1940s Hollywood. If this sort of thing makes you cringe you will hate this film, but if you like pretty musical comedy in gorgeous Technicolor there’s a lot here to like!
…more about A Thousand and One Nights

Generate Islamic star patterns with Taprats, a free JAVA applet, and save them as scalable eps files.

Wow! A little cropping and you have the basis for creating exotic textures Like the ones I used in Harem.

Kismet (1944)

Move over Gwen Stephani, Marlene Dietrich sends it through the roof in this marvelous campy jewel, playing an uncompromising Macedonian princess locked in the pastel harem of a Grand Vizir. Her favorite past time is listening to the outrageous tales of a beggar who masquerades as a prince — like a reverse Shaherazade she promises him kisses as long as he entertains her with stories.

While not really a musical, Dietrich sings in her weird baratone, and there are several authentic dance numbers in jaw-dropping technicolor. Dietrich knew when to be an actress and when to be a movie star here she turns it on like the sun! Decending from her tower to dance for the Vizir’s guests she paints her legs gold and vamps a series of smoldering, defiant poses. It is laugh-out-loud, and shockingly sexy at the same time.

Sadko (1953)

Sadko is a hunk of a poet with a harp, but he’s got a delima. Two girls are madly in love with him! One is a nice village girl but she has a weird pigeon habit…. The other is a Princess of the Sea who keeps giving him expensive magical gifts…. Clearly the thing to do is get out of town quick, so Sadko trades 3 magic goldfish for 3 boats and sets sail to find his place in the world. Along for the ride are a small army, and Uncle Klepto, Big John, and Timmy the brash young mascot of the group (not their actual names but they might as well be). These heroes are so wooden they’re practically Russian painted icons.
…more about Sadko