There is silliness abound in this comically absurd saga of the Russian composer's romance with the Spanish dancer who influenced his popular musical opus. It all seems ridiculous, yet opulent, but if you try to swallow the idea of Eve Arden as a Spanish matron (and Yvonne DeCarlo's mother!), you'll find yourself choking with laughter. Jean Pierre Aumont is Korsakov, the Russian sailor on leave in Spanish Morocco who encounters DeCarlo and is influenced by her not only to write the titled "Scheherazade" but "The Flight of the Bubble Bee" as well.
Brian Donlevy plays the ship's half-naked comical captain (whom Arden keeps mistaking as a crew member) with such humorous imperiousness that his characterization ends up the funniest in the film. Arden, on the other hand, is spoofing the type of character she is playing here, obviously miscast as a bubble-head, yet is still very funny. She was best as wise-cracking women who used their sardonic humor to express their wisdom and understanding of a ridiculous world and the idiots surrounding her. Her character here though is only ridiculous, one that her smart women in "Mildred Pierce", "One Touch of Venus", "Tea For Two", and the title role on TV's "Our Miss Brooks" would tear down if given half the opportunity.
DeCarlo continues her camp-fest here as the newest variation of Dorothy Lamour and Maria Montez, an exotic beauty who, if not a great talent, was certainly watchable. The lyrics of the songs are not at all memorable, although the ballad of the real Arabic legend of Scheherazade is meticulously well-staged and breathtaking to look at. You will find yourself awestruck by the physical presentation, but the tongue-in-cheek attitude by its directors and actors is sometimes off-putting.
Then, to top this all off, comes the conclusion where DeCarlo (still impeccably made up with ruby-red lipstick) disguises herself as a Russian soldier and tries to keep herself from being exposed by Donlevy. Just another deliciously laughable moment of a film that at least is not trying to take itself too seriously but ultimately fails for being lust too much while lacking the qualities of other spoofs that use intelligence to parody their subject matter.
Brian Donlevy plays the ship's half-naked comical captain (whom Arden keeps mistaking as a crew member) with such humorous imperiousness that his characterization ends up the funniest in the film. Arden, on the other hand, is spoofing the type of character she is playing here, obviously miscast as a bubble-head, yet is still very funny. She was best as wise-cracking women who used their sardonic humor to express their wisdom and understanding of a ridiculous world and the idiots surrounding her. Her character here though is only ridiculous, one that her smart women in "Mildred Pierce", "One Touch of Venus", "Tea For Two", and the title role on TV's "Our Miss Brooks" would tear down if given half the opportunity.
DeCarlo continues her camp-fest here as the newest variation of Dorothy Lamour and Maria Montez, an exotic beauty who, if not a great talent, was certainly watchable. The lyrics of the songs are not at all memorable, although the ballad of the real Arabic legend of Scheherazade is meticulously well-staged and breathtaking to look at. You will find yourself awestruck by the physical presentation, but the tongue-in-cheek attitude by its directors and actors is sometimes off-putting.
Then, to top this all off, comes the conclusion where DeCarlo (still impeccably made up with ruby-red lipstick) disguises herself as a Russian soldier and tries to keep herself from being exposed by Donlevy. Just another deliciously laughable moment of a film that at least is not trying to take itself too seriously but ultimately fails for being lust too much while lacking the qualities of other spoofs that use intelligence to parody their subject matter.