The Brass Bottle (1964)

Memorable, crazy movie

Admirable film.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

Produced by the new Universal in the swingin' 60's, this is a throwback to the type of pictures they had done in the 1940's. You remember, those colorful adventure fantasies with exotic performers like Maria Montez, Sabu, Turhan Bey and Jon Hall. Now there's equally exotic performers-Tony Randall, Barbara Eden, Edward Andrews, and the most exotic of them all, Burl Ives. Big Daddy puts away his stetson and replaces them with ancient Arabic clothing as he gets out of the titled brass bottle (imprisoned centuries before by King Solomon the Wise) and freed by Randall who is anxious to prove that what he hoped was an antique was not, as suggested, made in Japan. Engaged to the future Jeannie, Randall keeps messing up in her father Edward Andrews' eyes, and after losing his job thanks to Ives' interference, creates more tension with his father- in-law to be. The sensual atmosphere of the 1960's mixes with the camp comedy of the 1940's to create a fun family film.Randall's a charming leading man, especially trying on a girdle, but it is Ives of course who ends up the scene stealer. He's the Edmund Gwenn and Cecil Kellaway of the 60's, adding the genie to Gwenn's Santa Claus and Kellaway's leprechaun of fantasy characters. There will be much curiosity over Eden involved in this project considering her involvement with another brass bottle just a few years later. It really does seem like a combination of "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Bewitched" episodes, especially by mixing business into the pleasure.

I was a child when I last saw this film, probably on television ... remember it as being incredibly funny and charming and would really enjoy seeing it again!Burl Ives was a perfect genie ... can still recall the name of the great Fakrash el-Aamash after forty years, which is to say that the film made a remarkable impression. It would be interesting to see whether my sense of humor has changed all that much in the interim.The Brass Bottle seemed quite a bit better than the TV series "I Dream of Jeannie" that was inspired by it ... absolutely delightful, if my memory can be a reliable guide.

Please-If anyone from Universal Studios EVER frequents these boards; it's PAST time for this Tony Randall classic to be released on DVD. Tony Randall and Burl Ives are hilarious, and Barbara Eden sets the stage for her role in I dream of Jeannie. The 60's were a different time for movie studios, and this is indeed a family movie that everyone can enjoy and have fun laughing with. It's a true joy to see Tony Randall who was always a fine gifted actor. Why hasn't Universal ever released this on DVD is beyond me. Universal-you can release every other movie made for over 60 years, why not the Brass Bottle. And folks, write Universal asking them to release this movie from their vaults. Thanks

This was the in many ways the start of Barbara Eden with genies. In this movie she is the girlfriend to Tony Randall - who finds a genie - Burl Ives. While no sexy outfits for Eden, it is a great comedy that needs to be seen at least once - just for fun.