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The Magic Carpet (film)

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The Magic Carpet
Theatrical release poster
Directed byLew Landers
Screenplay byDavid Mathews
Produced bySam Katzman
StarringLucille Ball
John Agar
Patricia Medina
George Tobias
Raymond Burr
Gregory Gaye
Rick Vallin
Gary Klein
CinematographyEllis W. Carter
Edited byEdwin H. Bryant
Music byArthur Morton
Production
companies
The Katzman Corporation
Esskay Pictures Corporation
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • October 18, 1951 (1951-10-18)
Running time
84 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Magic Carpet is a 1951 American adventure film directed by Lew Landers and written by David Mathews. The film, shot in SuperCinecolor, stars Lucille Ball, John Agar, Patricia Medina, George Tobias, Raymond Burr, Gregory Gaye, Rick Vallin and Gary Klein.[1] It was released on October 18, 1951 by Columbia Pictures,[2][3] three days after Ball's I Love Lucy premiered.

Plot

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Omar, a caliph, and Yazmina, a queen, arrange their infant son Ramoth's escape when rival Ali moves to forcibly overthrow them. Before they are slain, they ensure that the baby, his locket and magic carpet are kept in the safe hands of Ahkmid, an uncle and physician who raises Ramoth to manhood.

Ramoth, unaware that he is the rightful heir but disapproving of Ali's tyranny, disguises himself as the Scarlet Falcon and, assisted by his friend Razi and Razi's beautiful sister Lida, attempts to disrupt the caliph's reign. The evil Boreg becomes his nemesis, as does Narah, a princess who is the sister of Ali.

Ahkmid, mortally wounded by Boreg, reveals his true identity to Ramoth. Lida endeavors to infiltrate Ali's forces by disguising herself as a dancer, but she is caught and imprisoned. Ramoth is also taken prisoner, but Lida escapes and sends the magic carpet to rescue Ramoth in the nick of time. Ali is killed and Narah is placed in a dungeon as Ramoth and Lida fly away on the carpet to begin a new life.

Cast

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Reception

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In his two-star review, Leonard Maltin described The Magic Carpet as a "[m]ild costumer that has virtue of Ball as heroine, and little else," although Patricia Medina portrays the actual heroine in the film.[4]

The film was also described as a ’routine effort’.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
  2. ^ Hal Erickson (2015). "The-Magic-Carpet - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  3. ^ "The Magic Carpet (1951) - Overview". TCM.com. 1951-10-18. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  4. ^ "The Magic Carpet".
  5. ^ Gunden, Kenneth Von (2001-09-29). Flights of Fancy: The Great Fantasy Films. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-1214-3.
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