OMAR KHAYYAM

US, 1956, 101 minutes, Colour.
Cornel Wilde, Michael Rennie, Raymond Massey, John Derek, Yma Sumac, Sebastian Cabot, Debra Paget.
Directed by William Dieterle.

Omar Khayyam is big-budget Saturday matinee Arabian Nights adventure. Cornel Wilde, once a swashbuckling star, is surprisingly subdued as the poet philosopher scientist who defends the Shah. Michael Rennie is the suave villain and there is a good supporting cast.

Sets are opulent, there is an attractive Victor Young score - but all in all the material is presented very seriously. Direction is by William Dieterle, the director of the excellent Warner Brothers biographies of '30s of Zola, Pasteur, Juarez. Pleasant of its kind.

1. The appeal of costume melodrama? The background of the classic poem? The matinee treatment? The signalling of messages throughout the adventure? A satisfying blend of message and costume drama?

2. Colour photography, the elaborate sets and costumes? Special effects - especially for the final holocaust? An atmosphere of opulence? The Victor Young score? The stars?

3. The background of Omar Khayyam's poem? Verses quoted? Omar composing poetry? The poem with the Arabian Nights tale? The introduction about Omar? His words of advice at the end?

4. Omar as a poor but honest man, his love, friendship, poetry? The visit to the Shah and his telling the truth in a poem? His being commissioned as counsellor, astronomer, maker of the calendar? A man of sadness - especially with the marriage of his beloved to the Shah? His friendship with the slave girl? His planning the strategy for the Shah? His work on the clock, on the calendar? The assassins and his visit to the former assassin hiding in the cave? His going to the fortress in the north? His being given the tour for the training of the assassins? His response to the truth? Aiding the shah? organising the explosion of the mountain? The happy ending with his love? Arabian Nights characterisation?

5. The Shah and his rule, goodness, love for truth, relationship with his sons - and his favourite fighting to win? His taking Omar's beloved to wife? The strategy? Illness? Death? The good and the bad son and their fight? The final clash? The scheming wife?

6. The heroine and her charm, love for Omar, prayers, marrying the Shah, wanting Omar to forget her? The continued love? The death of the Shah? The happy ending? The slave and her love for Omar, taking him to the assassin, her revulsion by the villain, her letting the pigeons free, her death in fidelity?

7. The villain and his friendship with Omar, his bringing the heads from the north, his gaining power in the kingdom, schemes, murder of his friend, his being the Grand Master, the confrontation with Omar, his being defeated?

8. The picture of the court? The variety of people at the court and their advice? The contrast with the assassins?

9. The fort and the priors and their explanation of the seven stages of formation of the assassins? The brainwashing of the assassins? The use of hashish? The fanaticism of the sect?

10. An attractive colour pageant? Music? Period? History? The presentation of traditional values in costume style?