An enjoyable adventure set in 19th century Iraq , there Kara Ben Nemsi (Viktor Staal) a writer , adventurer and doctor crosses the sunny desert when he meets two lost men , a British , archaeologist Sir David Lindsay (Theo Lingen) and a German professor (Fernando Sancho who bears the comic relief) . Later on , they are attacked by slave traffickers commanded by Murad Ibrahim (Rafael Luis Calvo) , as they are fighting an unseen Arab enemy who always struck in the dark . Kar Ben Memsi escapes but the archaeologist and the sympathetic professor are imprisoned by Abu el Mot (José Guardiola) . Soon after , the adventurer doctor is asked for help from Ibrahim , but Kara Ben Memsi frees a beautiful maid (Mara Cruz) and both of them escape on a boat pursued by Murad's hoodlums .
This is adventure movie including thrills , shots , fights , duels and marvelous oriental outdoors , though shot in Spain . Dangerous adventures and interesting roles along with solid action and a good sense of humor pulled off by a sympathetic couple : Fernando Sancho and Theo Lingen . The most spectacular scenes are the fights on the desert and the river surrounded by Crocs and hippos . Although some fights are not convincing and the short budget is occasionally revealed , as it is filled with stock-shots from Elephants , Crocodriles and hippos . Support cast is plenty of familiar Spanish faces , usual in co-productions of the 60s and 70s , such as : Fernando Sancho , Rafael Luis Calvo , Alfonso Rojas , Antonio Casas , Emilio Alvarez , Barta Barri , Julio Nuñez ,Rufino Inglés , Xan Das Bolas , José Luis Martin and an ominous leader of the bandits , José Guardiola , who played with vicious intensity . Originally it was planned to shoot this picture at its historical location in Turkey , but for organizational reasons it was decided to make it in Spain instead . The film is set in Basora , Iraq , though is was actually shot in Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Aranjuez, and Madrid, Spain ; being well photographed by the prestigious cameraman Alfredo Fraile .
It is based on Karl May novel , about a known personage , ¨Kara Ben Memsi¨ , this role starred several films , most of them performed by Lex Barker , such as : "Kingdom of the Silver Lion" (1965) by F.J Gottlieb , "Wild Kurdistan" (1965) by F. J Gottlieb , "The Yellow One" (1964) by Robert Siodmak and Der Löwe Von Babylon (1959) titled Spain ¨En Las Ruinas de Babilonia¨ or ¨Lion of Babylone¨ also directed by Ramón Torrado . And other silent versions starred by Carl De Vogt as "Caravan of Death" (1920) , ¨Auf den Trümmern Des Paradieses¨ (1920) and ¨Die Teufelsanbeter¨ (1920) . In addition , a series television titled "Kara Ben Nemsi Effendi" (1973), 26 episodes starred by Michael Vogler as Kara Ben Nemsi .
The motion picture was professionally directed by Ramon Torrado , he made a mostly decent , colorful fun , but not without gaps , failures and flaws . it was not huge hit , but successful enough to have a sequel : "Der Löwe von Babylon" following in the same year 1959 . Ramon was born in 1905 , Galicia, Spain. He was a director and writer, known for directing some vehicles of known Folklorics stars such as Peret in Amor a Todo gas (1969) , Manolo Escobar in Un Beso en Puerto (1966) and Paquito Rico in Malvaloca (1954). Torrado directed four mediocre Chorizo Westerns such as 1965 Los Cuatreros , 1964 La Carga de la Policía Montada , 1964 Relevo a Pistolero and 1963 Bienvenido, Padre Murray . Rating . 5.5/10 . Acceptable and passable .
