Yankee Pasha (film)

Yankee Pasha
Directed by	Joseph Pevney
Screenplay by	Joseph Hoffman
Based on	Yankee Pasha 1941 novel by Edison Marshall
Produced by	Howard Christie
Starring	Jeff Chandler Rhonda Fleming Mamie Van Doren
Cinematography	Carl Guthrie
Edited by	Virgil Vogel
Music by	Hans J. Salter
Production company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	April 17, 1954 (1954-04-17) (New York City)
Running time	84 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1,250,000[1]

Yankee Pasha is a 1954 American romantic adventure film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Jeff Chandler, Rhonda Fleming and Mamie Van Doren.^[2] Shot in technicolor, it was produced and distributed by Hollywood studio Universal Pictures. The film is based on the 1947 novel Yankee Pasha by Edison Marshall.^[3][4][5]

Fur trapper Jason Starbuck (Jeff Chandler) arrives in Salem, Massachusetts in 1800. A general store owner challenges him to a horse race, but his rider's fiancée, Roxana Reil, gives a helpful tip to Starbuck on how to win the race.

A romantic attraction develops and Roxana's father advises her not to marry a man she doesn't love. Roxana sets sail for France, however, and her boat is attacked by pirates, who kill her father and take Roxana captive in Morocco, making her a slave.

Starbuck pursues her. He is introduced by a U.S. consul to the sultan, who is impressed with Starbuck's rifle marksmanship. He is offered a position with the sultan's infantry and given a slave of his own, Lilith.

Roxana has been sold to Omar Id-Din, who could be plotting against the sultan. Starbuck challenges Omar to a duel, with the winner acquiring the other's rifle and slave. Starbuck wins and intends to return home with Roxana, but they are betrayed by the jealous Lilith, who fights Roxana and tells Omar of their plans.

Starbuck is taken prisoner. Lilith has a change of heart, however, and changes clothes with Roxana to fool the guards. With the help of Hassan Sendar, one of the sultan's soldiers, they help rescue Starbuck, who leads the escape of other prisoners. He throws Omar from a roof. He and Roxana are free, and, as a reward, Hassan is given a new slave, Lilith.

The novel was a best seller and Universal bought the film rights as a vehicle for Jeff Chandler.^[6] Chandler recorded the song I Should Care on Brunswick Records from the film.

• Yankee Pasha at IMDb
• Yankee Pasha at AllMovie
• Yankee Pasha at the TCM Movie Database
• Yankee Pasha at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
• Review of film at Variety