Musical Watch: Kismet (1955)

Watched:  05/14/2025

Format:  Amazon

Viewing:  First

Director:  Vincent Minnelli

A couple of months ago, I rewatched It's Always Fair Weather, and remembered Dolores Gray existed. The first time I'd seen the movie, she was my favorite part of the film. And, sure, I like a smile that makes Geena Davis' grin seem understated, but she was hilarious and her two numbers were fantastic.

My understanding is that: as a teen she was given a shot by Rudy Vallee, and became a nightclub chanteuse, headlining by age 18 or so.  There's a whole story about her getting caught as a bystander in a drive-by shooting as a young woman, but that she recovered and was back performing in night clubs in a couple of months, the bullet never removed.  

Gray's career was primarily on the stage, both in New York and London.  She played Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun for two years in the West End.  Back in the US she co-starred in a popular stage production of Destry Rides Again with Andy Griffith.  

Like many radio and stage performers, she'd have disappeared into the collective memory hole if not for her few movies.

In the film It's Always Fair Weather, she seemed comfortable, but she has only 6 film credits.  Yet, four were in high profile films (I've also seen her in The Opposite Sex, a remake of The Women).  I couldn't find any real history of her having a distaste for Hollywood or Hollywood having a distaste for her, but my guess is that she was not deemed a leading lady for the screen, but was offered leads on stage.

She found success in the theatre and remained popular in those circles until her retirement.  She also appeared frequently on variety TV shows and cut a number of singles and two records (thanks, Discogs, for the info!).

Anyway, thus it was that I noted she'd been in Kismet (1955) which also featured Ann Blyth and Howard Keel, and was directed by Vincent Minelli.  And, feeling daffy, I put it on.  

This movie was not, pals, my jam.

I won't bother getting into the politics and trying to make this make sense to our sensitive selves of 2025.  This is a musical that promises harem girls and Eastern exoticism as a feature.  It has one love story that is limp and dumb, and another that doesn't work terrubly well (between Gray and Keel).  No songs stood out to me, really, even though they're all well performed - but I am sure in 1955 this was probably played on someone's record player.

This is a "no expense was spared" kind of film, from sets to costumes, to dancers and locations.  A somewhat useless parade sequence.  I mean, it's not Cleopatra, but in comparison to grubby crime films of the same era, this was practically Avengers money.  It's also filmed to take advantage of the expansive sets and to be seen on a giant screen, with few close-ups of anyone, which is kind of odd, and makes for more difficult viewing on television.

The plot - a small-time grifter coming into wealth and having to pretend to be a wizard to keep from getting his hands lopped off - is entertaining on paper in a storybook way.  And, yes, I do know Disney changed the lyrics in Aladdin.  

Keel sells the hell out of his goofy wizarding bit.  I just didn't really think most of the rest of it worked.  As the loveless, trapped Princess, Gray is stunning, and I liked her well enough, even if her character's arc seemed hinged on "she falls for Keel because the script says that happens now" - which was not her fault.

Gray just going out for the morning paper 

But, yeah, short of wanting to see some neat costuming, and Gray in this headgear, I'm not sure this one was for me.  It happens.