Arabesque

Between the constant churn of new releases, Arabesque is the comedy actually worth stopping for. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. With 185 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Gregory Peck leads a cast with real comic timing. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

Arabesque is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Arabesque does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. When a plot against a prominent Middle Eastern politician is uncovered, David Pollock, a professor of ancient hieroglyphics at Oxford University, is recruited to help expose the scheme. Pollock must find information believed to be in hieroglyphic code and must also contend with a mysterious man called Beshraavi. Meanwhile, Beshraavi's lover, Yasmin Azir, seems willing to aid Pollock -- but is she really on his side? Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren lead a cast with the timing to make it work. It hit screens in 1966. What keeps Arabesque from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Arabesque is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Gregory Peck anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.

Arabesque was released in 1966, directed by Stanley Donen. The full 105-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.