Bowery to Bagdad

The funniest Bowery Boys movies are the ones with the most wildly implausible plots. Anybody who watches a Bowery Boys movie in expectation of deep thoughts on the human condition is looking in the wrong place. 'Bowery to Bagdad' has one of the looniest plots in the entire Bowery Boys series... and it's possibly the funniest of them all. Much of the credit goes to a splendid performance by the veteran character actor Eric Blore, making his only appearance in a Bowery Boys movie.

This movie should actually be titled 'Baghdad to Bowery' because that's the way the action moves. The story starts with a newspaper headline announcing the disappearance of a valuable Oriental lamp. Then we see a montage shot of a couple of bit players pretending to be Arabs (with beards and headcloths) who are searching the entire world for the missing lamp. Of course, it turns up in Louie Dumbrowski's candy shop. (Stranger things have happened in real life: the necklace worn by Mary Queen of Scots when she got her head chopped off later turned up in an obscure antiques shop.)

Needless to say, this is a magic lamp with a genie. The genie is played by Eric Blore with his usual droll humour, wearing a pantomime-genie outfit that includes a turban and a pair of those curly-toed shoes. When Sach (Huntz Hall) frees the genie from the lamp, Blore offers to use his magical powers to give Sach anything he desires. Proving just how big a moron he is, Sach wishes for a long row of chocolate sodas. He also wishes that the genie would enlarge one particular part of his body. Guess which part. Yes, you're right: his biceps. The sight of Huntz Hall swaggering about with Schwarzenegger muscles is truly bizarre.

This film has a larger budget than usual for the Bowery Boys. The genie's magical effects are amusingly depicted with some well-edited jump cuts, of the sort later used on 'Bewitched'. Even the plot is more engaging than usual: the Bowery Boys go up against a gang of deeze-dem-doze crooks who want the lamp (and the genie) for themselves; when the lamp falls temporarily into the gangsters' clutches, I actually felt some concern. The ending is quite funny, with Sach innocently making a wish that lands him and Slip (Leo Gorcey) in big trouble. Speaking of Leo Gorcey, did you know he shared a wife with Groucho Marx? Kay Marvis divorced Gorcey, then later married Groucho. I'll bet she had some interesting stories.

I'll rate 'Bowery to Bagdad' 7 points out of 10. It's a toss-up between this film and 'Master Minds' for the funniest Bowery Boys movie.

Bowery to Bagdad (1954)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Good ol' Sach (Huntz Hall) finds a weird looking lamp and when he rubs it a genii (Eric Blore) pops out. Sure enough he soon has mobsters after him trying to get their hands on the genii but Slip (Leo Gorcey) has plans on making them rich. BOWERY TO BAGDAD is pretty much what you'd expect from a Bowery Boys film as it contains a minor amount of laughs but what really keeps the film moving is its fast pacing from director Bernds. The film itself really isn't all that original as we get the tired formula of the boys discovering something that's going to make them rich and of course bad guys find out and come after them. It's amazing how many times this storyline has been transformed in the series but with this being number thirty-six I guess you have to expect some things repeating themselves. The story itself really isn't all that funny but we do get a few good moments including poor Sach using his wish to order up some milkshakes. Another funny gag finds a hat pulled down over his nose to where he can't see and he ends up walking out on a high ledge of a building. Both Hall and Gorcey are fine in their roles with both going well over the top in terms of energy. Bernard Gorcey doesn't get too many good scenes but the one where he gets drunk with the genii was pretty good. This turned out to be the final role for Blore and he too is pretty good as the genii. The lack of laughs don't hurt the film too much because the director keeps all the action happening quite fast and things move along very quickly. The 64-minutes goes by without any slow spots so that's always good in a "B" film like this.

In ancient Bagdad, Aladdin's lamp goes missing and the ruler orders an exhaustive search. Generation after generation, his men continue the search. In modern New York City, Sach buys the magic lamp from a pawn shop. Gangsters are threatening Louie so that he would sell the shop. Sach releases the Genie and is granted wishes. The gangsters intend to steal it.

The concept should be funnier. I expected wackier wishes being granted. It's all a little disappointing. I'm not saying that The Bowery Boys is high concept comedy. I do wish that this is smarter with a fun premise. I also never like comedies which resort to gun fire. The last wish is probably the only good one.

In a New York City hock-shop, Huntz Hall (as Sach Jones) purchases the legendary "Aladdin's Lamp", which had been missing from Bagdad. He brings it to "Sweet Shop" owner Bernard Gorcey (as Louie Dumbrowsky) as a gift. While polishing the lamp, Mr. Hall discovers its magic powers. Hall's first wish is for six malted milkshakes; although, lamp slave Eric Blore (as the Genie) suggests gold, diamonds, and dancing girls. Upon meeting Leo Gorcey (as Slip Mahoney), Mr. Blore must serve two masters. But, before "The Bowery Boys" can wish up a million dollars, criminal elements conspire to steal the magic lamp…

Once again, "The Bowery Boys" fight off the frequently evident (as recently as "Jungle Gents") law of diminishing returns. As usual, ageing "Boys" Gorcey and Hall make an unequal quartet, with David "Condon" Gorcey (as Chuck) and Benny "Bennie" Bartlett (as Butch) taking the way back seat. Still, the "Bowery to Bagdad" story moves well, and hits a few high marks. The "special effects" (Genie "magic" and a "ledge" sequence) are nicely staged, and add to the entertainment. Best of all is Blore's droll, boozy "Genie" - it's a swell career-ending role for the retiring Eric Blore.

****** Bowery to Bagdad (1/2/55) Edward Bernds ~ Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey, Eric Blore

Still watching the Bowery Boys these days, and they're still fun. BOWERY TO BAGDAD has to be one of their more kooky episodes, only because as the series progressed, particularly in the 1950s, the plots became more insane and Huntz Hall was unleashed to do whatever he wanted to do!

Credit veteran comedy writer and director Edward Bernds, whose name may be familiar because he directed scores of Three Stooges shorts. There was a marked difference between the Bowery Boys films of the 1940s and the 1950s. Originally, the films had a comedy/drama slant, but by the next decade, all that went by the wayside with the Bowery Boys more comic book characters and with a sci fi or supernatural theme, case in point here. They conjure up a magical genie.

The series also had many notable character actors and Eric Blore, in his last film role, was well cast and probably well paid for his funny portrayal of a genie, who also gets drunk. Gorcey's father, Bernard, who played Louie, worked well with Blore; they both chewed up the scenery in one super scene.

But it's Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall who set off the fireworks with a host of one liners and crazy situations. Thankfully, Warner Brothers acquired the rights to these comedies and first sold part of the series on vhs, but now all episodes come in dvd box sets and in mint condition, with no edits. So, yes, still crazy after all these years. We love them.