Lost in a Harem

The review dated 21 May 2000 is indeed amazing. The reviewer states that he never cared for Bud and Lou. Well, dear reader, I sure hope that y-o-u never waste your time on a topic that you have no interest in. Profit from Ron's time-wasting and do what you enjoy. This film, which may be a step-up, budget-wise, may also be a step down in content, to some. It is definitely a product of its time and audiences of World War II couldn't get enough of Abbott & Costello. If you enjoy big band music, the idea of Jimmy Dorsey's band will excite you. To see one of the era's prettiest women, Marilyn Maxwell, this is a fine showcase. Just as every Bogart film isn't CASABLANCA, every A & C film isn't MEET FRANKENSTEIN. But this one will do ...

Like MGM's previous Abbott and Costello film, RIO RITA, LOST IN A HAREM has a sound and feel to it that is indicative of being filmed in a sound stage with lots of echo--an odd choice for a desert film. As a result, the film has a certain artificial and claustrophobic feel to it. Why MGM wouldn't take this immensely popular comedy team (one of the biggest box office draws of the era) and put them in a higher quality film is a mystery. MGM had a habit of misusing comedy teams--particularly in the post-Irving Thalberg era.

Now this doesn't mean that they cut lots of corners indoors, but what they did do wasn't exactly crowd-pleasing. These musical numbers were even more lavish than those in the Universal Pictures films the team made and starred Jimmy Dorsey and his famous orchestra--in the desert. All these songs didn't give the fans what they wanted--more Abbott and Costello. As a result, their three MGM films failed to make the money the studio had expected.

Despite these shortcomings, the film does have some laughs. While far from sophisticated, the prison skits with the seriously crazy cell-mate are pretty funny and are based on old Vaudeville routines--particularly the 'Pokomoko' skit. In fact, it was done in other films and by other comedy teams (such as The Three Stooges)--and was probably done by other comedy teams long before Abbott and Costello. Murray Leonard was very funny (though far from subtle) in these routines and worked well with the team.

As for the plot, it's a bit silly and unfortunately also has the formulaic lady and her love interest (who really do little in the way of plot or comedy). In this case, a beautiful blonde just happens to be in this desert country and the boys are trying to help her escape back to America. Unfortunately, there is an evil usurper (Douglass Dumbrille--who was pretty funny in a cartoony way) who has taken the throne and uses his cool hypno-rings to make people do his bidding. He immediately is taken by the blonde and the boys get caught up in a plot by the rightful monarch (is this an oxymoron?) to get the hypno-rings--helping him and the rebels to depose Dumbrille. Naturally, much of the film consists of the boys running about the palace and trying to avoid being executed.

Whether you like this film will depend a lot on whether or not you find these antics funny. Abbott and Costello fans will clearly find enough to merit watching, though those not familiar with the duo might find this hard-going, as the film is watchable but far from their best.

Lost In A Harem is one of the best Abbott & Costello films for 3 reasons: One, unlike most of their films in the 1940s which were produced at Universal Studios (and available on DVD in a Universal set), this one was done at MGM with that studios usual higher production standards, including a few spectacular musical numbers. Two, it is one of only about a dozen filmed appearances of big band great Jimmmy Dorsey, who performs, with his band, a number called John Silver ("15 men on a dead man's chest") which I haven't found elsewhere, and a few other songs. Three, the "Pokomoko" routine ("Slowwwwly I turned, step by step I crept upon him . . .") is done to perfection by A&C with Murray Leonard as the Derelict, which I've always remembered as one of my favorite A&C routines since I was ten years old. Furthermore, there's a real live giant (Lock Martin), full costumes and exotic sets as you would expect from MGM, a magic skit by A&C, hypnotism, a fine performance from Douglas Dumbrille as the bad guy, and more good music. I would rate it below Abott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, In The Navy, In Society, The Naughty Nineties, and perhaps 3 or 4 others, but definitely in their top ten or twelve. But since it's not in the Universal set, it's not available on DVD anywhere.

LOST IN A HAREM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1944), directed by Charles Reisner, marks the second of three Abbott and Costello comedies for MGM. Taking another loan from their home base of Universal, this production is a spoof on either Paramount's "Road" comedies featuring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, or the then current Arabian Nights adventures minus the Technicolor backdrop. It does include a villain, wonderfully played by Douglass Dumbrille, who had menaced another comedy team of The Marx Brothers in A DAY AT THE RACES (1937) and THE BIG STORE (1941), as earlier menaced Abbott and Costello in RIDE 'EM COWBOY (Universal, 1942). For romantic subplot, Marilyn Maxwell and John Conte come along for the ride with plot that's mostly a series of vaudeville gags put together in story form for much of its 90 minutes of entertainment.

Following a narrative introduction from a crystal glazer (Milton Parsons), the story begins in a mythical city of Port Inferno where Hazel Moon (Marilyn Maxwell) works as a singer at the Cafe of All Nations, accompanied by Peter Johnson (Bud Abbott) and Harvey D. Garvey (Lou Costello), who had earlier helped her stranded troupe and now has acquired them jobs as magicians for their good nature. Prince Ramo (John Conte) wants to meet with Hazel, but while in need of her assistance to help him regain his throne taken from his wicket uncle, Nimativ (Douglass Dumbrille), she simply mistakes him for a masher. Following a riot that sends Pete, Harvey and Hazel to jail, Ramo agrees to their escape in return for Hazel's assistance, considering how Nimativ is attracted to rarely seen blondes. After Ramo and his caravan return to Barabeetla to get him out of power by stealing his uncle's hypnotic rings, Pete and Johnson pose as Hollywood talent scouts while Hazel, much to her dismay, to find herself chosen to become Nimatiy's wife number 37, among other unforeseen results. Others in the cast include: Lottie Harrison (Teema); J. Lockhard Martin (Bobo); Adia Kuzenikoff (Chief Gnamu); and Ralph Sanford (Mr. Ormulu). On the musical program is Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra with songs featuring: "What Does It Take to Get You?" (Sung by Marilyn Maxwell); "Sons of the Desert," (good tune) "Old John Silver," and "Noche De Ronda" (dance number).

Among the gags by John Grant involving Abbott and Costello, such as the opening magic act, other highlights include them with a third party, Murray Leonard as the Derelict, with their classic exchange of "Pokomogo! Slowly I turn. Step by step!" This familiar routine dating back to vaudeville has been performed by other comics as the Three Stooges as later by Lucille Ball in her classic 1950s show of "I Love Lucy." Leonard's character adds much to the story, especially when reappearing numerous times when least expected. He would do his "Pokomogo" routine again with Bud and Lou on television in "The Abbott and Costello Show." Another funny bit involves Bud and Lou hypnotized as termites and eating anything made of wood, followed by Costello disguised as one of Nimativ's harem wives. While some comedy material works, others such as the very extended one involving an invisible friend named Mike is often amusing, especially when sound effects are concerned, but is something that could have been shortened a bit before viewer's lost of interest sets in. Marilyn Maxwell plays a satisfactory heroine, but with Abbott and Costello around, she gets little to do except look pretty.

While Abbott and Costello got lost again in LOST IN ALASKA (Universal, 1952), the much better LOST IN A HAREM, formerly available on video cassette and later DVD, can be seen and appreciated the next time it turns up on Turner Classic Movies cable channel. (**1/2 sheiks)

Lavish (by their standards) production values, tuneful music (Jimmy Dorsey and his band contribute a lot to that), and some chucklesome routines, but the story is too repetitive: A & C get captured by the evil sheik, escape, get captured, escape....and so on. Pokomoko! **1/2 out of 4.