HARUM SCARUM

Harum Scarum
(aka Harem Holiday)
MGM, 1965, Color, 95 minutes, **½
Released November, 1965

When dashing matinee idol Johnny Tyronne (Elvis) is kidnapped, he's swept into an Arabian Nights scenario run amok, complete with an assassination plot against a chic sheik and a dazzling damsel in distress (Mary Ann Mobley). It's a swashbuckling delight featuring nine hit songs including "Harem Holiday," "Golden Coins," "Shake That Tambourine" and "Go East Young Man."

A definite high-point of this otherwise routine comedy is the scene where Elvis dances with Vicki Malkin - reminiscent of the Hat Dance scene danced by Gene Kelly and Sharon McManus in Anchors Aweigh (1945). Very cute! Elvis' songs are all wonderful, especially "Golden Coins." Costumes are great. The stage settings are those used for the 1925 film "King of Kings," though the higher film definition and color of 1965 doesn't do the set any favors.

Produced by: Sam Katzman
Directed by: Gene Nelson
Assistant Director: Eddie Saeta
Written by: Gerald Drayson Adams
Technical Advisor: Colonel Tom Parker
Music Supervised and Conducted by: Fred Karger
Vocal Backgrounds by: The Jordanaires
Song Score: Bill Giant, Bernie Baum, Florence Kaye
Choreography by: Earl Barton
Art Direction: George W. Davis and H. McClure Capps
Set Decoration: Henry Grace; Don Greenwood, Jr.
Costume Design: Beau Vanden Ecker, Gene Ostler, Margo Weintz
Make-Up by: William Tuttle
Hair Styles by: Sydney Guilaroff
Recording Supervision: Franklin Milton
Director of Photography: Fred H. Jackman
Filmed in Metrocolor
Film Editor: Ben Lewis

Cast: Elvis Presley [Johnny Tyronne], Mary Ann Mobley [Princess Shalimar], Fran Jeffries [Aishah], Michael Ansara [Prince Dragna], Jay Novello [Zacha], Philip Reed [King Toranshah], Theo Marcuse [Sinan], Billy Barty [Baba], Dirk Harvey [Mokar], Jack Costanzo [Julna], Larry Chance [Captain Herat], Barbara Werle [Leilah], Brenda Benet [Emerald], Gail Gilmore [Sapphire], Wilda Taylor [Amethyst], Vicki Malkin [Sari], Ryck Rydon [Mustapha], Richard Reeves [Scarred Bedouin], Joey Russo [Yussef], The Jordanaires [background vocals]

Musical Program: [0:00] Harem Holiday (sung behind titles by Elvis Presley and The Jordanaires offscreen); [0:03] My Desert Serenade (sung in movie "Sands in the Desert" by Elvis Presley onscreen, accompanied by The Jordanaires offscreen); [0:05] Go East Young Man (sung onscreen by Elvis Presley at preview of "Sands at the Desert," accompanied by The Jordanaires offscreen); [0:12] Mirage (sung by Elvis Presley onscreen, accompanied by The Jordanaires offscreen); [0:26] Kismet (Elvis Presley onscreen, accompanied by The Jordanaires offscreen); [0:32] Shake That Tambourine (danced by Gail Gilmore, Wilda Taylor and Brenda Benet, sung and danced by Elvis Presley onscreen accompanied by The Jordanaires offscreen); [0:42] Hey Little Girl (danced by Vicki Malkin, sung and danced by Elvis Presley onscreen, accompanied by The Jordanaires offscreen); [0:47] Golden Coins (sung by Elvis Presley onscreen, accompanied by The Jordanaires offscreen); [0:53] unidentified Arab-esque dance number (danced by Gail Gilmore, Wilda Taylor and Brenda Benet); [0:56] So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (sung by Elvis Presley onscreen, accompanied by The Jordanaires offscreen); [1:22] Harem Holiday (sung by Elvis Presley onscreen, danced by Harem Girls, accompanied by The Jordanaires offscreen)