Comments on: I Dream of Genies

By: Al Lowe

Al Lowe — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:28:22 +0000

I particularly enjoy the ending of A Thousand and One Nights.
The genie, Evelyn Keyes, is crushed when Cornel Wilde chooses the princess instead of her. Then she comes up with the bright idea of making Cornel twins, so the princess has one and she has one.
She decides to reward Phil Silvers too. She gives him Frank Sinatra’s voice and he sings a love ballad to swooning bobbysoxers. It IS Sinatra’s voice; he is not in the picture. This cameo appearance by his voice is always left out of scholarly texts listing all of Sinatra’s films.
Sinatra and Silvers were buddies who entertained the troops together. Still, it is amazing that MGM let Columbia Pictures use Sinatra’s voice. Mayer generally wasn’t too generous towards other studio heads.

I also like Rex Ingram in all of the films that were mentioned. Plus one that noone singled out. Elmer Gantry. He is the minister leading his congregation in the hymn “I’m On My Way” when Gantry (Burt Lancaster) wanders into his church and joins in the song.

By: Medusa

Medusa — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:16:52 +0000

I am delighted to see my fellow Morlocks with their own favorite genies! Suzi, I love the dramatic demise of your Jeannie bottle!
Moira, I think Torin Thatcher was merely (right…merely!) a devilish magician in “7th Voyage of Sinbad” and I can’t off the bat think of him as a genie — I think he’s too dignified to be trapped in a bottle, probably. And RHS, Jambi is for sure my own fave TV genie, too. And I unfortunately have the Dick Shawn genie song stuck in my head now…

By: Richard Harland Smith

Richard Harland Smith — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:15:43 +0000

I meant, of course, go-to genie… but go-go seems appropriate, too!

By: Richard Harland Smith

Richard Harland Smith — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:15:13 +0000

Jambi from Pee-Wee’s Playhouse is my go-go genie. Mecka-lecka-hi, mecka-heinie-ho!

By: moirafinnie

moirafinnie — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:56:36 +0000

Oh, Medusa. Melvin Belli couldn't hold a candle (or an enchanted lamp) to De Sica on his best day! Belli certainly may have wished he looked like Vittorio, but no way was he able to pull it off. (Then again, De Sica never tried to imitate a lawyer either, as far as I know). That Mario Bava movie sounds like a real hoot. I love Rex Ingram in everything he ever did, from Jim in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to the North African soldier in Sahara. What a voice, and that laugh of his chilled me. Who else but that powerhouse could have played De Lawd in Green Pastures and Lucifer, Jr. in Cabin in the Sky? Love those pointy toenails too. Didn't Torin Thatcher play a genie at least once or was he "merely" a magician or a magician's assistant? He could have been a great, scary djinn. Thanks for writing such a fun gem of a piece.

By: suzidoll

suzidoll — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:46:26 +0000

Very cute post Medusa Morlock! I had a very cheap plastic replica of the I DREAM OF JEANNIE bottle, and because I am a klutz in the kitchen, it got too near my stove and melted when I was baking something (a very rare occurrence).

By: john august smith

john august smith — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:01:19 +0000

Rex Ingram also did a nice job as De Laud in Green Pastures.