Guilty Pleasures: The Adventures of Hajji Baba

1954 Adventure
From 20th Century Fox
Directed by Don Weis

Starring
John Derek
Elaine Stewart
Amanda Blake
Thomas Gomez
Paul Picerni
Donald Randolph
Rosemarie Bowe
Claude Akins

Just looking over that title and you know we're talking Oscar material, no?  Okay, no.  I kid the readers.  In the 1950's sand and sandals spectacles of the Far or Middle East filled movie screens across America.  Some, of course, were religion-themed which I tried to avoid whenever possible.  But others, ripe in their quest for eroticism, lust and voyeurism, filled movie houses, often in pairs, and we Saturday afternoon regulars flocked to them. 

We never turned down the chance to see handsome heroes engaged in swordplay, slashing tents, performing acrobatic stunts on galloping stallions, dashing across rooftops and seeking the charms of beautiful princesses and harem girls.  Seeing these lovely creatures cavorting in their bejeweled halter tops and silk skirts was nearly too much for young boys to stand.  

Where were the parents?  Ha, they had no idea, it seems, of the racy, sex-soaked themes of many of these films.  I didn't care how corny these movies were and I still don't.  I saw plenty of adult-themed films which occasionally resulted in a ruckus around the house.  But I was also caught up in the childish derring-do flicks and found them immensely entertaining.  Sometimes the excitement took place on the high seas but whether there or on the shifting sands, I saw them all. 

The Adventures of Hajji Baba was among my favorites and is one of the few I actually own. You remember all those movie magazines I read after my mother was through with them?  Well, okay, they were filled with full-page, color pictures of John Derek and Elaine Stewart.  Any people that good-looking warranted such a spread.  And pairing them in a movie commanded my immediate attention.

Hajji is a popular, ever-smiling Persian barber who wishes he weren't.  He daydreams about a better vocation and a more adventurous life, preferably with a beautiful woman at his side.  It's not long before the most beautiful woman around those parts, Princess Fawzia, more than fills the bill.

Hajji runs across the fiery princess dressed as a boy and on her way to marry Nur-El-Din, a prince known far and wide for his cruel ways.  At the same time she is running away from her father who has plans for her in an arranged marriage.

Fawzia is not certain how to get to her destination but links up with Hajji who says he does know how.  Though a mutual attraction is obvious, the two fight the entire way.  She promises Hajji a large emerald ring if the mission is accomplished.  While she is seductive, he finds her too temperamental and demanding.  Watching their relationship develop is part of the fun.  Yes, fun.  You read that right.

Before they get to their destination, they are captured by the Turcoman women, a warring gang of former harem girls who have taken to kidnapping, robbery and murder to extract some measure of vengeance from those who once did them injustices.  The leader, Banah, allows Hajji extra privileges providing he takes care of her carnal desires.  Yikes, no wonder I saw this several times as a kid.

Amanda Blake in between the turbaned Stewart & Derek

Ultimately they are all overtaken by Nur-El-Din and his henchmen.  As Fawzia becomes aware that he is not for her after all and that she's madly in love with Hajji, her father's forces overtake Nur-El-Din.  The father is impressed that Hajji has watched over his daughter and grants his permission for their marriage.  Hajji won't have to cut hair ever again.  

Derek and Stewart are simply gorgeous to behold.  Anyone married to Ursula Andress, Linda Evans and Bo Derek must have something going for him.  And Stewart was a statuesque, flamed-haired temptress in nearly everything she did.  She moved to the front ranks of those smart-allecky actresses I was so attracted to.

Neither enjoyed much of a career nor were they ever more than so-so actors.  Derek had good roles in All the King's Men (1949) and Exodus (1960) but acting never worked out for him which is why he turned to directing.  Arguably perhaps, The Adventures of Hajji Baba is the best role Stewart ever had. 

One could not help but notice how often the camera lingered on the two leads faces.  It was almost like stopping the action so that we could silently gaze upon their beauty.  I never minded.

Amanda Blake ably plays the Turcoman leader and then, more or less, gave up her movie career to play Miss Kitty on TV's Gunsmoke for 19 years.  Veteran character actor, rotund Thomas Gomez, with his ever-present suspicious look and scratchy voice, was born for these kinds of roles.

The director, Don Weis, had done a handful of movies at MGM early in his career, but after doing this one, his career seemed to wind up in television.

A staple of these types of movies is a lot of slashing of the elaborate desert tents and so much sneaking up from behind others.  It's done so often one cannot help but laugh.  Stewart posing as a boy was also laughable.  A turban hid her luxurious mane and layers of clothes hid her curves but watching her walk as a boy just cracks me up... light as a feather and slinky.  There goes the Oscar.

Veteran movie music man Dimitri Tiomkin composed an ideal  adventure theme and he and Ned Washington wrote the title song which is sung by Nat King Cole.  Parts of it are heard throughout the film along with a female choir making sounds like the desert winds.  Oh, it's all very exotic, as are the costumes by Renie.

I would have to close up shop if I called this a good 50's movie.  It was, in fact, not very good but remains worthy of being called a guilty pleasure.  I wonder how many of you have even heard of it.



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