''Cairo'' is a 1942 musical comedy film made by

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

and Loew's, and directed by W. S. Van Dyke. The screenplay was written by John McClain, based on an idea by Ladislas Fodor about a news reporter shipwrecked in a torpedo attack, who teams up with a Hollywood singer and her maid to foil Nazi spies. The music score is by

Herbert Stothart Herbert Pope Stothart (September 11, 1885February 1, 1949) was an American songwriter, arranger, conductor, and composer. He was nominated for twelve Academy Awards and won Best Original Score for '' The Wizard of Oz''. Stothart was widely ackn ...

. This film was Jeanette MacDonald's last film on her MGM contract. The film was poorly received upon its initial release.

Plot

American Homer Smith is the star reporter of a small newspaper, which is named the best small town newspaper in the country. As a reward for his contributions, he is sent to North Africa to report on the war. In the Mediterranean, however, his ship is sunk; he and one other survivor, Philo Cobson, make it to shore. Cobson reveals that he is a member of British Intelligence and asks Smith to give a coded message to a Mrs. Morrison in Cairo. Mrs. Morrison tells him that motion picture star Marcia Warren is a Nazi spy. Smith, a big fan of Warren, has trouble believing it, but finds Warren's behavior suspect. He gets a job as her butler as Juniper Jones. Meanwhile, the innocent Warren begins to think that Smith is an enemy agent. Despite their mutual suspicions, they start to fall in love. Eventually, the real spies are unmasked: Cobson and Mrs. Morrison.

Cast

Jeanette MacDonald Jeanette Anna MacDonald (June 18, 1903 – January 14, 1965) was an American soprano and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (''The Love Parade'', ''Love Me Tonight'', ''The Merry Widow (1934 film) ...

as Marcia Warren * Robert Young as Homer Smith, aka Juniper Jones *

Ethel Waters Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was an American singer and actress. Waters frequently performed jazz, swing, and pop music on the Broadway stage and in concerts. She began her career in the 1920s singing blues. Her no ...

as Cleona Jones, Marcia's Maid * Reginald Owen as Philo Cobson * Grant Mitchell as Mr. O.H.P. Boggs * Lionel Atwill as Teutonic gentleman * Eduardo Ciannelli as Ahmed Ben Hassan * Mitchell Lewis as Ludwig *

Dooley Wilson Arthur "Dooley" Wilson (April 3, 1886 – May 30, 1953) was an American actor, singer and musician who is best remembered for his portrayal of Sam in the 1942 film ''Casablanca (film), Casablanca''. In that romantic drama, he performs its theme ...

as Hector * Larry Nunn as Bernie * Dennis Hoey as Col. Woodhue *

Mona Barrie Mona Barrie (born Mona Barlee Smith; 18 December 1905 – 27 June 1964) was an English-born actress, active on stage in Australia before establishing a career in the US, and in Hollywood films. Career Born Mona Barlee Smith in London to comedi ...

as Mrs. Morrison * Rhys Williams as Strange man * Cecil Cunningham as Mme. Laruga * Harry Worth as Viceroy Hotel bartender * Frank Richards as Alfred *

Faten Hamama Faten Ahmed Hamama (, ; 27 May 1931 – 17 January 2015) was an Egyptian film and television actress and film producer. She made her screen debut in 1939, when she was only seven years old. Her earliest roles were minor, but her activity an ...

as Amina

Reception

According to MGM records. the film earned $616,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $581,000 elsewhere, meaning the studio recorded a profit of $273,000.

References

External links

* * *
''Cairo''
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

1942 films 1942 musical comedy films 1942 romantic comedy films American musical comedy films American romantic comedy films American romantic musical films American spy comedy films American black-and-white films Films about journalists Films directed by W. S. Van Dyke Films scored by Herbert Stothart Films produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz Films with songs by Yip Harburg Films set in Cairo Films set in Egypt Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1940s spy comedy films World War II spy films 1940s romantic musical films 1940s American films {{romantic-musical-film-stub