Kismet (1955): Minnelli’s Weakest Musical, Starring Howard Keel

Arthur Freed owned the stage rights for a musical adaptation of Kismet, which was a smash hit on Broadway. Considering that it was sort of an Arabian Nights kitschy pastiche, Kismet had already enjoyed a long life on stage and screen.

The original drama, by English playwright Edward Knobloch, had dazzled theatergoers before WWI.  In 1944, MGM created a lavish remake as a Ronald Colman vehicle, with Dietrich as the sultan’s mistress. Nine years later, composers Robert Forrest and George Wright turned  the straight play into a stage musical.

In 1954, Alan J. Lerner was asked to write the screenplay and to compose the score with Schwartz. George Forrest and Robert Wright had previously done the successful Edward Grieg’s “Song of Norway,” adapted from themes by Alexander Borodin. Most theater critics thought that Kismet was kitsch, but a newspaper strike prevented the nasty reviews from spreading to the public, so they had no effect on the shows standing. The musicals principal merits were Alfred Drake’s star turn and the melodic score. Songs like “Stranger in Paradise” and “Baubles, Bangles, and Beads,” dominated the airwaves, and the show ran for two seasons.

When Freed first talked to Minnelli about Kismet, Minnelli said: “I hated the show, I don’t want to do it!” Freed was astonished by his strong decline. Minnelli had to explain that he hated the show because it was corny and witless. Freed had never heard Minnelli express his opinion so harshly and bluntly. A few days later, Minnelli was summoned to Schary’s office for a conversation behind closed doors. Ten minutes later, when Minnelli left the office, he had lost the battle on Kismet, but for a good cause. In return for Kismet, Minnelli was promised to direct the Van Gough project, now titled Lust for Life, with larger than usual budget, on-location shooting, and promises of unrestricted artistic freedom.

The Baghdad-set Kismet is a fable about how the magical powers of the street poet Hajj are abused by the scheming Wazir to advance his own power. The poet is an opportunist who fixes things so that his daughter Lalume can wed the Caliph and he can be sent to a romantic oasis.

In his casting, Minnelli was forced to rely on MGM contract players and second bananas. The baritone Howard Keel was chosen to play Hajj, Lalume went to Dolores Gray, whose screen test Minnelli himself had shot; the young Caliph and Hajj’s daughter Marsinah were played by Vic Damone and Ann Blyth. The villain was played by Sebastian Cabot, a good British stage actor who was unknown to  American audiences.

Jack Cole was assigned to choreograph Kismets musical numbers, based on his work on the Broadway and London stage productions. Minnelli and Cole have known each other well from their days at the Radio City Music Hall, but they had different tastes that needed to be consolidated into a unified vision.

Visually, Minnelli opted for an almost monochromatic look, like Olsen and Johnson in Baghdad but very beautiful and chic.” The model for the film was “The Pirate, a sort of fairy tale done tongue-in-cheek. The film was meant to look like a Persian painting with surreal skies and gold clouds.

While Minnelli worked with Preston Ames on the sets and with Tony Duquette on the costumes, Cole began rehearsing the dances. Most of the songs from the Broadway show were retained, including “Stranger in Paradise, Baubles, Bangles and Beads, The Olive Tree, and This Is My Beloved. Nineveh, the first dance number Cole choreographed, was exciting, but it caused a rift between Green and Cole, which Freed solved in Greens favor.

By early 1955, Minnelli was already in pre-production on Lust for Life, a film he was eager to make. Minnelli lost interest in Kismet as soon as the picture went into production, on May 23, 1955.

As a result, what was meant to be a farcical fairytale became heavy-handed, grim, and listless. There was no real fun in the movie. Even the usually vital Jack Cole failed to inject sophisticated humor into his dance routines. Bored, restless, unpleased with the cast, and already preoccupied with Lust for Life, Minnelli paid more attention to the decor than to the performers, most of whom he disliked.

Minnelli was given half of his usual time to direct Kismet. He embarked on the most demanding schedule he had faced since American in Paris, planning two films at the same time, and then shooting them back-to-back on two different continents. Before filming Kismet, Minnelli first had to go to Arles for Lust for Life, to shoot the orchards in spring blossom

Minnelli relied on craftsmen who understood instinctively his method of work. Preston Ames did the sets, Tony Duquette, the sculptor-decorator, designed the costumes, Adrienne Fazan supervised the editing, and Joseph Ruttenberg the cinematography.

Kismet began shooting on May 23, 1955 and ended two months later. Once again Minnelli was drafted to concoct glitzy tableaux out of routine material, and third-rate thespian. As always, Minnelli relied on his professionalism, though he couldn’t conceal his contempt for the corny material.

Usually, Minnelli was meticulous in working out every camera composition, but this time, as a result of carelessness and rush, he uncharacteristically printed out the first or second takes. The timetable was too tight to afford rehearsals with the actors, who soon were exhausted by the pace. Four days before Kismet was completed, Minnelli flew to London to join Houseman, who was in Europe scouting locations for Lust for Life.

Basically, in Kismet, Minnelli did a literal translation of the stage play, with the actors reciting stiff Arabian syntax. Most musical numbers end with Dolores Gray or the showgirls posing. The film was made for the undemanding fans of exotica. Here and there, Minnelli displays personal touches, but they are trivial, like throwing a yellow silk across the silver screen.

Only one sequence, Night of My Nights, in the dusk of the Caliph’s nuptial, was spectacular. White steeds and courtiers in pastel silks parade across the screen, bearing a cornucopia of Duquette’s swankiest accessories: sparklers, canopies, and temple altars. The scene pays homage to Minnelli’s own costumes parades early on in his career, the Marshall Field’s display windows, and the “Scheherazade Suite,” his first art-direction job at Radio City Music Hall.

Ten days before the picture was completed, Minnelli had to leave for France to start shooting Lust for Life. Stanley Donen was brought in to finish Kismet. Production closed on July 22, 1955, at a cost of $2,692,960. The studio held two sneak previews, which yielded only moderate response. One preview card noted that Kismet is as good as Lana Turner’s pictures! whatever that meant.

Kismet premiered on October 8, 1955 at Radio City Music Hall, on a double bill with the annual Nativity Pageant. The New York press response was no more than cordial. The box office receipts were disappointing, about $2,920,000.

Kismet became one of Minnelli’s least personal films, and in the view of this writer, one of his two or three weakest pictures. It was as if Minnelli was using ideas from his scrapbook but without his distinctive signature or his soul.

Cast:

Hajj, the Poet (Howard Keel)

Marsinah (Ann Blyth)

Lalume (Dolores Gray)

Caliphe (Vic Damone)

Omar (Monty Woolley)

Wazir (Sebastian Cabot)

Jawan (Jay C. Flippen)

Chief policeman  (Mike Mazurki)

Hasan-Ben (Jack Elam)

Police subaltern (Ted de Corsia)

Zubbediya (Julie Robinson)

 

Credits

Produced by Arthur Freed

Assistant director: William Shanks

Screenplay: Charles Lederer, Luther Davis, adapted from the musical play; book by Lederer and Davis, based on the novel by Edward Knobloch

Music and lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from themes by Aleksander Borodin: “Stranger in paradise,” “Rahadlakum,” “And This Is My Beloved,” “Sands pof Time,” Not Since Ninevah,” “Baubles, Bangles, and Beads,” “Fate,” “Bored,” Gesticulate,” “Night of My Nights,” “The Olive Tree.”

Cinematography: Joseph Ruttenberg

Art Direction: Cedric Gibson, Preston Ames

Set Decoration: Edwin B. Willis; Keogh Gleason

Musical supervision: Andre Previn, Jeff Alexander.

Orchestrations: Conrad Salinger, Alexander Courage, Arthur Morton, conducted by Previn

Musical staging and Choreography: Jack Cole

Editing: Adrienne Fazan

Special Effects: Warren Newcombe

Costumes: Tony Duquette

Color consultant: Charles K. Hagedon

Print process: Eastmancolor

Recording Direction: Dr. Wesley C. Miller

Vocal supervision: Robert Tucker

Hair: Sydney Guilaroff

Makeup: William Tuttle

 

Running Time: 113 Minutes

 

xosotin chelseathông tin chuyển nhượngcâu lạc bộ bóng đá arsenalbóng đá atalantabundesligacầu thủ haalandUEFAevertonxosokeonhacaiketquabongdalichthidau7m.newskqbdtysokeobongdabongdalufutebol ao vivofutemaxmulticanaisonbetbsport.fitonbet88.oooi9bet.bizhi88.ooookvip.atf8bet.atfb88.cashvn88.cashshbet.atbóng đá world cupbóng đá inter milantin juventusbenzemala ligaclb leicester cityMUman citymessi lionelsalahnapolineymarpsgronaldoserie atottenhamvalenciaAS ROMALeverkusenac milanmbappenapolinewcastleaston villaliverpoolfa cupreal madridpremier leagueAjaxbao bong da247EPLbarcelonabournemouthaff cupasean footballbên lề sân cỏbáo bóng đá mớibóng đá cúp thế giớitin bóng đá ViệtUEFAbáo bóng đá việt namHuyền thoại bóng đágiải ngoại hạng anhSeagametap chi bong da the gioitin bong da lutrận đấu hôm nayviệt nam bóng đátin nong bong daBóng đá nữthể thao 7m24h bóng đábóng đá hôm naythe thao ngoai hang anhtin nhanh bóng đáphòng thay đồ bóng đábóng đá phủikèo nhà cái onbetbóng đá lu 2thông tin phòng thay đồthe thao vuaapp đánh lô đềdudoanxosoxổ số giải đặc biệthôm nay xổ sốkèo đẹp hôm nayketquaxosokq xskqxsmnsoi cầu ba miềnsoi cau thong kesxkt hôm naythế giới xổ sốxổ số 24hxo.soxoso3mienxo so ba mienxoso dac bietxosodientoanxổ số dự đoánvé số chiều xổxoso ket quaxosokienthietxoso kq hôm nayxoso ktxổ số megaxổ số mới nhất hôm nayxoso truc tiepxoso ViệtSX3MIENxs dự đoánxs mien bac hom nayxs miên namxsmientrungxsmn thu 7con số may mắn hôm nayKQXS 3 miền Bắc Trung Nam Nhanhdự đoán xổ số 3 miềndò vé sốdu doan xo so hom nayket qua xo xoket qua xo so.vntrúng thưởng xo sokq xoso trực tiếpket qua xskqxs 247số miền nams0x0 mienbacxosobamien hôm naysố đẹp hôm naysố đẹp trực tuyếnnuôi số đẹpxo so hom quaxoso ketquaxstruc tiep hom nayxổ số kiến thiết trực tiếpxổ số kq hôm nayso xo kq trực tuyenkết quả xổ số miền bắc trực tiếpxo so miền namxổ số miền nam trực tiếptrực tiếp xổ số hôm nayket wa xsKQ XOSOxoso onlinexo so truc tiep hom nayxsttso mien bac trong ngàyKQXS3Msố so mien bacdu doan xo so onlinedu doan cau loxổ số kenokqxs vnKQXOSOKQXS hôm naytrực tiếp kết quả xổ số ba miềncap lo dep nhat hom naysoi cầu chuẩn hôm nayso ket qua xo soXem kết quả xổ số nhanh nhấtSX3MIENXSMB chủ nhậtKQXSMNkết quả mở giải trực tuyếnGiờ vàng chốt số OnlineĐánh Đề Con Gìdò số miền namdò vé số hôm nayso mo so debach thủ lô đẹp nhất hôm naycầu đề hôm naykết quả xổ số kiến thiết toàn quốccau dep 88xsmb rong bach kimket qua xs 2023dự đoán xổ số hàng ngàyBạch thủ đề miền BắcSoi Cầu MB thần tàisoi cau vip 247soi cầu tốtsoi cầu miễn phísoi cau mb vipxsmb hom nayxs vietlottxsmn hôm naycầu lô đẹpthống kê lô kép xổ số miền Bắcquay thử xsmnxổ số thần tàiQuay thử XSMTxổ số chiều nayxo so mien nam hom nayweb đánh lô đề trực tuyến uy tínKQXS hôm nayxsmb ngày hôm nayXSMT chủ nhậtxổ số Power 6/55KQXS A trúng roycao thủ chốt sốbảng xổ số đặc biệtsoi cầu 247 vipsoi cầu wap 666Soi cầu miễn phí 888 VIPSoi Cau Chuan MBđộc thủ desố miền bắcthần tài cho sốKết quả xổ số thần tàiXem trực tiếp xổ sốXIN SỐ THẦN TÀI THỔ ĐỊACầu lô số đẹplô đẹp vip 24hsoi cầu miễn phí 888xổ số kiến thiết chiều nayXSMN thứ 7 hàng tuầnKết quả Xổ số Hồ Chí Minhnhà cái xổ số Việt NamXổ Số Đại PhátXổ số mới nhất Hôm Nayso xo mb hom nayxxmb88quay thu mbXo so Minh ChinhXS Minh Ngọc trực tiếp hôm nayXSMN 88XSTDxs than taixổ số UY TIN NHẤTxs vietlott 88SOI CẦU SIÊU CHUẨNSoiCauVietlô đẹp hôm nay vipket qua so xo hom naykqxsmb 30 ngàydự đoán xổ số 3 miềnSoi cầu 3 càng chuẩn xácbạch thủ lônuoi lo chuanbắt lô chuẩn theo ngàykq xo-solô 3 càngnuôi lô đề siêu vipcầu Lô Xiên XSMBđề về bao nhiêuSoi cầu x3xổ số kiến thiết ngày hôm nayquay thử xsmttruc tiep kết quả sxmntrực tiếp miền bắckết quả xổ số chấm vnbảng xs đặc biệt năm 2023soi cau xsmbxổ số hà nội hôm naysxmtxsmt hôm nayxs truc tiep mbketqua xo so onlinekqxs onlinexo số hôm nayXS3MTin xs hôm nayxsmn thu2XSMN hom nayxổ số miền bắc trực tiếp hôm naySO XOxsmbsxmn hôm nay188betlink188 xo sosoi cầu vip 88lô tô việtsoi lô việtXS247xs ba miềnchốt lô đẹp nhất hôm naychốt số xsmbCHƠI LÔ TÔsoi cau mn hom naychốt lô chuẩndu doan sxmtdự đoán xổ số onlinerồng bạch kim chốt 3 càng miễn phí hôm naythống kê lô gan miền bắcdàn đề lôCầu Kèo Đặc Biệtchốt cầu may mắnkết quả xổ số miền bắc hômSoi cầu vàng 777thẻ bài onlinedu doan mn 888soi cầu miền nam vipsoi cầu mt vipdàn de hôm nay7 cao thủ chốt sốsoi cau mien phi 7777 cao thủ chốt số nức tiếng3 càng miền bắcrồng bạch kim 777dàn de bất bạion newsddxsmn188betw88w88789bettf88sin88suvipsunwintf88five8812betsv88vn88Top 10 nhà cái uy tínsky88iwinlucky88nhacaisin88oxbetm88vn88w88789betiwinf8betrio66rio66lucky88oxbetvn88188bet789betMay-88five88one88sin88bk88xbetoxbetMU88188BETSV88RIO66ONBET88188betM88M88SV88Jun-68Jun-88one88iwinv9betw388OXBETw388w388onbetonbetonbetonbet88onbet88onbet88onbet88onbetonbetonbetonbetqh88mu88Nhà cái uy tínpog79vp777vp777vipbetvipbetuk88uk88typhu88typhu88tk88tk88sm66sm66me88me888live8live8livesm66me88win798livesm66me88win79pog79pog79vp777vp777uk88uk88tk88tk88luck8luck8kingbet86kingbet86k188k188hr99hr99123b8xbetvnvipbetsv66zbettaisunwin-vntyphu88vn138vwinvwinvi68ee881xbetrio66zbetvn138i9betvipfi88clubcf68onbet88ee88typhu88onbetonbetkhuyenmai12bet-moblie12betmoblietaimienphi247vi68clupcf68clupvipbeti9betqh88onb123onbefsoi cầunổ hũbắn cáđá gàđá gàgame bàicasinosoi cầuxóc đĩagame bàigiải mã giấc mơbầu cuaslot gamecasinonổ hủdàn đềBắn cácasinodàn đềnổ hũtài xỉuslot gamecasinobắn cáđá gàgame bàithể thaogame bàisoi cầukqsssoi cầucờ tướngbắn cágame bàixóc đĩa开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育亚新体育亚新体育亚新体育爱游戏爱游戏爱游戏华体会华体会华体会IM体育IM体育沙巴体育沙巴体育PM体育PM体育AG尊龙AG尊龙AG尊龙AG百家乐AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人<AG真人<皇冠体育皇冠体育PG电子PG电子万博体育万博体育KOK体育KOK体育欧宝体育江南体育江南体育江南体育半岛体育半岛体育半岛体育凯发娱乐凯发娱乐杏彩体育杏彩体育杏彩体育FB体育PM真人PM真人<米乐娱乐米乐娱乐天博体育天博体育开元棋牌开元棋牌j9九游会j9九游会开云体育AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人爱游戏华体会华体会im体育kok体育开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育欧宝体育ob体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育开云体育开云体育棋牌棋牌沙巴体育买球平台新葡京娱乐开云体育mu88qh88