Kismet (1944)

Set in old Baghdad, the King Of Beggars (Ronald Colman) begs for alms during the day but at night masquerades as a visiting Prince from a far off empire while wooing the Grand Vizier's (Edward Arnold) queen (Marlene Dietrich). Meanwhile, he keeps his daughter (Joy Page, CASABLANCA) hidden behind walls until Prince Charming comes along. Based on the play by Edward Knoblock and directed by William Dieterle (LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA). This lavish and opulent three strip Technicolor MGM Arabian Nights fantasy is such a prime piece of eye candy and a buoyant entertainment that it would be churlish to voice annoyance with its hokey plot. The frozen faced (which some take for mystery) Dietrich is so exotic that she's the only one in the cast who seems to belong to old Baghdad. It was a mistake to give her a dance number however as she's a far from graceful dancer. The music is by the underrated Herbert Sothart whose colorful score was justifiably Oscar nominated along with Charles Rosher's velvety cinematography. In 1953, the story was turned into a hit Broadway musical which MGM filmed in 1955. With James Craig as the Caliph masquerading as a gardener's son and the marvelous Florence Bates as Page's dour chaperone.