Princess Of The Nile (1954)

In 13th century Egypt, a royal princess (Debra Paget) secretly escapes from the palace each night and disguises herself as a dancer at a tavern. By this method, she can relay information to her people about the evil Shaman (Edgar Barrier), who keeps her father drugged and her a prisoner of the palace in order to rule the kingdom. When the son (Jeffrey Hunter) of the Caliph of Baghdad arrives, she hopes to persuade him to help rid her country of the Shaman. For a low budget programmer, the film has a vivid palette and first rate production values. Most likely because reputedly it was filmed on left over sets of bigger budgeted films like DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS and THE EGYPTIAN and cinematographer Lloyd Ahern (MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET) makes the most of it. Paget, the "go to" girl whenever Fox needed an exotic type like Polynesian, Egyptian or Indian, gets a couple of dance numbers though none as sexual as her snake dance in Lang's INDIAN TOMB. The blue eyed Jeffrey Hunter is as out place here as an Arab as he was as Jesus in KING OF KINGS. But as a mindless Saturday afternoon movie matinee, it's an enjoyable adventure. Directed by Harmon Jones. With Michael Rennie, Lee Van Cleef, Michael Ansara, Jack Elam, Dona Drake and Merry Anders.