Princess of the Nile

Princess of the Nile
Princess of the Nile
Directed by	Harmon Jones
Written by	Gerald Drayson Adams
Produced by	Robert L. Jacks
Starring	Debra Paget; Jeffrey Hunter; Michael Rennie
Cinematography	Lloyd Ahern
Edited by	George A. Gittens
Music by	Lionel Newman
Color process	Technicolor
Production; company	Panoramic Productions
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date	July 1954;
Running time	71 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$475,000

Princess of the Nile is a 1954 American adventure film directed by Harmon Jones and starring Debra Paget, Jeffrey Hunter and Michael Rennie. It was shot in technicolor and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Originally conceived as a more lavish film, it ended up produced as a second feature.

Plot

Egypt, 1249: The father of Princess Shalimar has fallen under the spell of the sinister Shaman, who drugs him and tries to keep daughter Shalimar a prisoner. She knows a secret passage, however, and slips away at night to entertain the oppressed villagers of Hanwan by disguising herself as Taura, a popular dancer in the Tambourine Tavern.

Prince Haidi, the son of the caliph of Bagdad, rides into town accompanied by Captain Hussein, his close friend. At the same time, the menacing Rama Khan and his powerful army arrive. Rama Khan is conspiring with the Shaman to overthrow the Hanwan rulers.

Hussein is killed by Khan, and in the confusion, Taura the dancing girl stabs Prince Haidi with a dagger, unaware he is a potential ally. Haidi's wounds are not fatal. As he consults Princess Shalimar's father about how to conquer the invading horde, he inquires about the dancer Taura who stabbed him, unaware she and Shalimar are one and the same.

Rama Khan wants the princess for himself. He threatens to kill villagers unless she gives herself to him. A battle ensues, in which Haidi, who now realizes her true identity, overcomes Khan, while the Shaman also endures a well-deserved death.

Cast

Debra Paget as Princess Shalimar / Taura
Jeffrey Hunter as Prince Haidi
Michael Rennie as Rama Khan
Dona Drake as Mirva
Michael Ansara as Captain Kral
Edgar Barrier as Shaman
Wally Cassell as Goghi
Jack Elam as Basra
Lisa Daniels as Handmaiden
Phyllis Winger as Handmaiden
Merry Anders as Handmaiden
Honey Bruce Harlow as Handmaiden (as Honey Harlow)
Suzanne Alexander as Handmaiden
Genice Grayson as Handmaiden
Cheryll Clarke as Handmaiden
Kitty London as Handmaiden
Bobette Bentley as Handmaiden

Production

In January 1953 Fox announced the film would be made in CinemaScope as a vehicle for Marilyn Monroe. They hoped to get Tyrone Power to play the male lead.^[2]

References

^ Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p249
^ FOX SLATES 2 FILMS WITH NEW PROCESS: ' Prince Valiant' and 'Princess of Nile' Will Be Made for 3-Dimensional Screening By THOMAS M. PRYORS New York Times 29 Jan 1953: 24.

External links

Princess of the Nile at IMDb
Princess of the Nile at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Princess of the Nile at the TCM Movie Database

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[1] Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p249

[2] FOX SLATES 2 FILMS WITH NEW PROCESS: ' Prince Valiant' and 'Princess of Nile' Will Be Made for 3-Dimensional Screening By THOMAS M. PRYORS New York Times 29 Jan 1953: 24.

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