1957
| Director | William Dieterle |
| Producer | Frank Freeman Jr. |
| Production Company | Paramount Pictures |
| Release Date | August 23rd, 1957 |
| Cast | Cornel Wilde (Omar Khayyam), Michael Rennie (Hasani Sabbah), Debra Paget (Sharain), John Derek (Prince Malik), Raymond Massey (The Shah), Yma Sumac (Karina), Margaret Hayes (Queen Zarada), Joan Taylor (Yaffa), Sebastian Cabot (The Nizam), Perry Lopez (Prince Ahmud), Morris Ankrum (Imam Nowaffak), Abraham Sofaer (Tutush), Edward Platt (Jayhan) |
In the eleventh century, in the Persian city of Nishapur, poet and mathematician Omar Khayyam (Cornel Wilde) meets with his secret love Sharain (Debra Paget), the daughter of his old professor, Imam Mowaffak (Morris Ankrum). Later, Omar greets Hasani Sabah (Michael Rennie), the overlord to the Governor of Gilan, who has come to Nishapur seeking a court appointment.
Though Omar has none of his friend’s ambition, Hasani reminds him of his oath to their childhood friend, The Nizam (Sebastian Cabot), who, as Keeper of the Kingdom, desperately needs people in the court whom he can trust. Brought before the Shah (Raymond Massey), Omar recites a poem which shocks many in the court, but pleases the Shah with its honesty, and is quickly appointed Court Counselor. After presenting the Shah with two beautiful slave girls (including Maria), as well as the severed heads of two enemies, Hasani is made Keeper of the Seal, a high position formerly held by Tutush (Abraham Sofaer), the Shah’s brother.
Maria plays a Chinese slave girl that is brought to the Shah as a gift by Hasani Sabah along with another, causing the men of his court to be quite distracted. After that Maria appears alongside a host of other slave and harem girls in a number of scenes throughout the movie. The film also features famous 50s exotica singer Yma Sumac as Karina.
Scenes Featuring Maria
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