Hollywood's excursions into Arabian Nights exotica don't come much daffier than Kismet, a 1955 MGM adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. The score includes two standards, "Baubles, Bangles, and Beads" and "Stranger in Paradise," but the blend of Broadway razzmatazz and Middle Eastern culture is, to say the least, awkward. (One comic number revolves around a man about to have his hand chopped off for thievery.) There's plenty here for musical fans to enjoy, and a well-cast Howard Keel does his chesty best as an itinerant poet who fast-talks his way to riches; this was Keel's last starring role in an MGM musical. Unfortunately, Vic Damone is a wet rag as the young prince, the garish Eastman Color photography has not aged well, and director Vincente Minnelli seems not entranced by the material. Still, there is something fascinating about Dolores Gray belting out "Baghdad, this irresistible town!" as though singing the praises of Vegas or Monte Carlo. --Robert Horton
