Babes in Bagdad

Babes in Bagdad is a 1952 American comedy film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and starring Paulette Goddard and Gypsy Rose Lee.^[1][2]

Babes in Bagdad
Directed by	Edgar G. Ulmer
Written by	Felix E. Feist
Produced by	Edward J. Danziger Harry Lee Danziger
Starring	Paulette Goddard Gypsy Rose Lee
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	1952 (1952)
Running time	79 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Plot

Arabian Nights princess Kyra goes on strike demanding equal rights for women, to the frustration of caliph Hassan. Supported by the caliph's godson, Ezar, Kyra enables the caliph to see the error of his polygamous ways, and he eventually settles down with his favourite wife, Zohara.

Cast

• Paulette Goddard as Kyra
• Gypsy Rose Lee as Zohara
• Richard Ney as Ezar
• John Boles as Hassan
• Thomas Gallagher as Sharkhan
• Sebastian Cabot as Sinbad
• MacDonald Parke as Caliph
• Christopher Lee as Slave dealer (Lee has no dialogue and is essentially an extra)
• Carmen Sevilla as Mohra

Controversies

Film posters advertised the film with the following slogans, among others: 1001 Adventures! 1001 Delights!; The shapes that shook a Harem Empire!; See! Beautiful Love-Captives Sold into Slavery!; See! The Spectacular Bath of The Harem Queens!; See! The Flaming Revolt of a Thousand Wives!.^[3][4]

The press sometimes used descriptions that reproduced supposedly authentic insights into a harem and anti-Muslim and anti-Arab stereotypes. The Decatur Daily headlined: ‘’Babes in Bagdad" reveals view of Harem life.’ ^[5] The Corona Daily Independent wrote: ‘[...] two women, the likes of which never appeared in a harem during the entire history of that good old islamic custom.’^[6]

Critical reception

Allmovie wrote, "even the staunchest auteurist defenders of director Edgar G. Ulmer are hard-pressed to justify his participation in this relentlessly silly effort."^[7]

The New York Times wrote: "This is definetly one harem to avoid."^[8]

‘A retinue of scantily clad maidens[...] contest wicked viziers, and oust polygamous sheikhs.’ - Jack G. Shaheen, racism researcher^[8]