Regarding it casually it's just a bloody exaggerated adventure film of the romantic kind brought to excess, but there is much more to it than that. Just the horse scenes make this film a masterpiece of the very special genre of horse movies, the greatest and most unique of which is John Lee Thompson's "Taras Bulba" ten years later, and nothing will deserve more admiration in this film than the horse in question, which is even adored by all the protagonists, among which Jeff Bridges is just the king of the sport. Maureen O'Hara makes its queen more lovelier than ever, and although there are several other dames to vie with her in beauty, charm and dancing, she will carry the day. They all chase the horse and desire hotly to possess it, and among them is even Lon Chaney Jr as the most boisterous of the barbarous corsairs called Barbarossa. Jeff Chandler is called Tamerlane, but there is no connection between him and the great Turkish conqueror. For the rest, it is all a dashing splendid adventure, and all you can do is to relax and enjoy the sumptuous show until the last horse comes to rest. The music is also magnificent, and the script is a marvel in itself, stylishly adapted to the romantic and lavishly flamboyant intrigue, and just to hear Maureen O'Hara's diction will reward any lover of good theatre. The film is a wonderful consummation of all possible Hollywood tricks to accomplish a superior adventure movie, and even Rudolph Valentino is completely outshadowed here. This is the perfect romantic entertainment, all assets combining to accomplish a perfect cinematic masterpiece of Hollywood studio craft, so it would be a shame not to give it a full score.
Review of Flame of Araby
