''Abdulla the Great'' (also known as ''Abdullah's Harem'') is a 1955
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
. It was directed and produced by
Gregory Ratoff
Gregory Ratoff (born Grigory Vasilyevich Ratner; russian: Григорий Васильевич Ратнер, tr. ; April 20, c. 1893 – December 14, 1960) was a Russian-born American film director, actor and producer. As an actor, he was bes ...
who also stars in the title role from a screenplay by Boris Ingster and George St. George, based on the novel ''My Kingdom for a Woman'' by Ismet Regeila. The music score was by
Georges Auric
Georges Auric (; 15 February 1899 – 23 July 1983) was a French composer, born in Lodève, Hérault, France. He was considered one of ''Les Six'', a group of artists informally associated with Jean Cocteau and Erik Satie. Before he turned 20 he ...
and the cinematography by
Lee Garmes
Lee Garmes, A.S.C. (May 27, 1898 – August 31, 1978) was an American cinematographer. During his career, he worked with directors Howard Hawks, Max Ophüls, Josef von Sternberg, Alfred Hitchcock, King Vidor, Nicholas Ray and Henry Hathaway, whom ...
.
The film stars Gregory Ratoff,
Kay Kendall
Kay Kendall (21 May 1927 – 6 September 1959) was an English actress and comedienne. She began her film career in the musical film '' London Town'' (1946), a financial failure. Kendall worked regularly until her appearance in the comedy film ...
,
Sydney Chaplin
Sydney John Chaplin (; 16 March 1885 – 16 April 1965) was an English actor. Chaplin was the elder half-brother of actor and director Charlie Chaplin and served as his business manager in later life.
Through their mother Hannah, they were o ...
,
Alexander D'Arcy
Alexander D'Arcy ( ar, ألكسندر دارسي;
10 August 1908 – 20 April 1996) was an Egyptian stage, television and film actor with an international film repertoire.
Career
Born Alexander Sarruf in Cairo, Egypt, D'Arcy, variously credited ...
and
Marina Berti
Elena Maureen Bertolino (29 September 1924 – 29 October 2002), known professionally as Marina Berti, was an Italian film actress. She was born in London from an Italian father and an English mother.
Biography
Her first screen appearance was ...
. Ratoff denied that the story was a thinly veiled parody of the life of
King Farouk
Farouk I (; ar, فاروق الأول ''Fārūq al-Awwal''; 11 February 1920 – 18 March 1965) was the tenth ruler of Egypt from the Muhammad Ali dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and the Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 193 ...
of
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
and the events preceding his overthrow in 1952.
[pp.89-94 ''Fun in Farouk's Palace'' LIFE 22 Mar 1954]
Plot
The film is set in Bandaria, a Middle Eastern country whose absolute ruler, Abdullah (Gregory Ratoff), lives a life of great luxury, surrounded by lovely women. When Ronnie, a beautiful English model (Kay Kendall), arrives, Abdullah falls for her and offers her great riches. She resists his advances as she is more interested in Ahmed (Sydney Chaplin), an officer in the King's army. While this is going on, Abdullah is unaware of the growing discontent among his subjects which threatens to overthrow him.
Cast
*
Gregory Ratoff
Gregory Ratoff (born Grigory Vasilyevich Ratner; russian: Григорий Васильевич Ратнер, tr. ; April 20, c. 1893 – December 14, 1960) was a Russian-born American film director, actor and producer. As an actor, he was bes ...
as Abdulla
*
Kay Kendall
Kay Kendall (21 May 1927 – 6 September 1959) was an English actress and comedienne. She began her film career in the musical film '' London Town'' (1946), a financial failure. Kendall worked regularly until her appearance in the comedy film ...
as Ronnie
*
Sydney Chaplin
Sydney John Chaplin (; 16 March 1885 – 16 April 1965) was an English actor. Chaplin was the elder half-brother of actor and director Charlie Chaplin and served as his business manager in later life.
Through their mother Hannah, they were o ...
as Ahmed
*
Alexander D'Arcy
Alexander D'Arcy ( ar, ألكسندر دارسي;
10 August 1908 – 20 April 1996) was an Egyptian stage, television and film actor with an international film repertoire.
Career
Born Alexander Sarruf in Cairo, Egypt, D'Arcy, variously credited ...
as Marco
*
Marina Berti
Elena Maureen Bertolino (29 September 1924 – 29 October 2002), known professionally as Marina Berti, was an Italian film actress. She was born in London from an Italian father and an English mother.
Biography
Her first screen appearance was ...
as Aziza
* Mary Costes as The Countess
*
Marti Stevens as Singer
References
External links
*
*
1955 films
British comedy films
Egyptian comedy films
1950s English-language films
Films based on novels
Films directed by Gregory Ratoff
Films scored by Georges Auric
Films set in a fictional country
Films shot in Egypt
Films set in Asia
Films à clef
British Lion Films films
1955 comedy films
1950s British films
{{Egypt-film-stub