Le retour d'Aladin

For the most part, "The Brass Bottle" is one of those silly comedies that they cranked out in the early '60s. In this case, jittery architect Harold Ventimore (Tony Randall) frees genie Fakrash (Burl Ives) who tries to hard to please his new master. It only complicates matters when Harold can't explain things to his fiancée Sylvia Kenton (Barbara Eden). Will these genies ever be able to do things right?! Yes, this movie is very much a product of those days, when we viewed the Middle East as the land of sultans with harems; I believe that OPEC gave us the negative view that now dominates. But no matter, this movie is impossible not to like. In that sense, it's sort of like the other 1964 movie in which Tony Randall and Barbara Eden co-starred: "7 Faces of Dr. Lao" (which also had kind of a magical plot).

So, it may be a movie impossible to take seriously, but it's definitely good for a few laughs. And if absolutely nothing else, we can sort of see Barbara Eden getting primed to play the most famous genie ever to grace TV screens. Also starring Edward Andrews, Ann Doran and Philip Ober (who appeared on the "I Dream of Jeannie" pilot).

One more thing: I noticed in the courtroom scene a picture of Pres. Kennedy. Since this movie obviously came out after his assassination, wouldn't they have been nervous about showing his picture?

I remember seeing this on an afternoon movie show as a kid and loved it. For a movie of its age, it actually had some decent special effects (however, maybe if I saw it today, it wouldn't be as good as we are spoiled by all the computer generated stuff they can do now).

I loved I Dream of Jeannie, and was familiar with that show before I saw this movie. It was odd seeing Barbara Eden in the non-genie role.

The scene that stands out is when Burl Ives has no effect on some girl genie and shoots all these sparks out of his hands at her (am I dreaming this??). Or when he shrinks some business men and they are floating in a glass or pitcher or something and hanging on to a pencil (that sounds weird, and maybe I'm getting senile in my old age, but that's what I remember! :) ).

Cute movie.

Tony Randall hoping to impress his rather stern would be father-in-law Edward Andrews the archeology professor with a big brass urn that he says is authentic. When he sees one in Andrews's home, Randall is rather discouraged. But when he opens his brass urn at home it really is authentic because through the green smoke out pops Burl Ives as Fakrash the genie.

Of course Fakrash who has been imprisoned since the days of King Suleiman, that's Solomon to the shegetz and he wants to do all kinds of things to his new friend and master Randall. Of course he's got a few thousand years of culture to catch up on so he manages to make a hash out of Randall's professional and personal life. That includes his courting of Barbara Eden who is Edward Andrews's daughter.

Randall and Ives play well off each other. Ives with a twinkle in his eye looks like he's having a great old time hamming it up in a role that calls for some generous pork. Randall does well in a role I could see Jack Lemmon possibly as better casting. I'll bet Lemmon got offered this one.

The 20th Century wasn't quite ready for Fakrash the genie, but Ives learns as he observes. As for how it works out, look to how it all worked out for David Niven and Loretta Young after Cary Grant the angel did take his leave of them. Of course this is quite a bit different.

And a lot funnier besides.

"The Brass Bottle" is a silly film that is well worth seeing...even if it's leading character is a bit of a drip! It all begins when Harold Ventimore (Tony Randall) buys a giant rosewater vessel to give to his father-in-law to be (Edward Andrews). Harold notices that the man already has one of these ancient containers and so he decides to keep it for himself. Later, when he gets home and opens it, out pops Mr. Fakrash (Burl Ives)...a real, live genie!! Now you'd think that Harold would ask him for power, money or a harem of sexy wives but instead he just wants the very affable Fakrash to leave him alone. But Fakrash insists on helping Harold...yet again and again this help only seems to make things worse. Now you sure would think Harold would ask for a few reasonable things...but again and again he just scolds Fakrash! Can Fakrash manage to help Harold while STILL avoiding creating nothing but chaos?!

The film is a cute bit of fantasy and Ives and Randall are quite enjoyable. Likewise, it's wonderful seeing co-stars such as Barbara Eden (just before she went on to TV fame in "I Dream of Jeanie") and the familiar Edward Andrews as her annoying father. Oh, and by the way, Andrews and Randall would be back together for an equally silly film, "Fluffy". Overall, quite fun and a nice bit of fantasy that will please all but the most serious-minded viewers.

I was a child when I last saw this film, probably on television ... remember it as being incredibly funny and charming and would really enjoy seeing it again!

Burl Ives was a perfect genie ... can still recall the name of the great Fakrash el-Aamash after forty years, which is to say that the film made a remarkable impression. It would be interesting to see whether my sense of humor has changed all that much in the interim.

The Brass Bottle seemed quite a bit better than the TV series "I Dream of Jeannie" that was inspired by it ... absolutely delightful, if my memory can be a reliable guide.