The 1953 film "The Golden Blade" is an "Arabian Nights" adventure set in medieval Baghdad. The film is loosely based on the stories of the "One Thousand and One Nights" along with other mythologies. Harun (Rock Hudson) is an adventurer who attempts to find the murderers of his father. The father gave Harun a silver medallion with a scorpion on it which he took from one of his killers before he died. Harun uses the medallion to trace suspects. Harun meets Princess Khairuzan (Piper Laurie) who likes to go in disguise to the city for shopping. Harun gives Khairuzan a gold dinar to buy some things but the coin is rejected as it was minted in Basra. The Caliph of Baghdad has no sons and the evil Vizier Jafar wants to marry Khairuzan to his son Hadi. Harun visits a shop run by the merchant Barcus and buys a magic golden sword which he uses in various battles with the men working for Jafar. The medallion is shown in a silver and gold version, actually base metal imitations, and the dinars shown are prop coins much larger in size than real dinars.

Harun, riding a horse in the desert, comes upon a battle and finds his father dying. The father gives Harun a large medallion with a scorpion on it which he took from a killer.

The medallion has an ornate scorpion on one side and appears to be around two inches wide. Harun rides to Baghdad to seek out the killers.

Harun visits the shop of Barcus which has a sign reading:

In the shop while looking at clothes, Harun finds an ornate golden sword which appeals to him.

Princess Khairuzan is also in the area and starts a riot. Harun and his sword join the fight and he finds that the sword cuts through metal. Some soldiers arrive and take the princess away and Harun finds a medallion.

Harun sees that the medallions are identical. Back at Barcus' store, Harun and Barcus look at the sword and discover an inscription on it.

The inscription is in unknown lettering and Barcus attempts to translate it. Meanwhile at the Caliph's palace (where the princess has been brought) some men are conferring.

The Vizier Jafar and his son Hadi confer about their scheme. They plan to have Hadi marry the princess and then eliminate the caliph and the princess so that Hadi will have the throne. Princess Khairuzan dresses as a boy and escapes from the palace. She is followed by one of the soldiers and they encounter Harun, both on horseback. The two men engage in a sword fight and the soldier is downed. Harun carries the "boy" on his horse.

Harun heads to the Baghdad market and discovers that his passenger is a girl. He gives the girl (Khairuzan) a gold dinar.

The prop coin appears to be the size of a silver dollar which is much larger than an actual dinar. The large size coin is for the motion picture audience.

Khairuzan tries to by some things but finds the dinar rejected as it was minted in Basra not Baghdad.

Khairuzan returns the dinar to Harun and then some soldiers arrive and take both to the jail where they fall in love.

The princess is taken to the palace where her father talks to her.

Caliph tells Princess Khairuzan she must marry. She asks that a competition be held for her which she expects Harun to win. Back at the shop Barcus is working on the sword.

The inscription translation magically appears.

The inscription reads:

Harun heads to the palace where party is held and smokes a hookah while watching Bakhamra, a harem girl and girlfriend of Hadi, do a seductive dance.

What he is smoking is not stated but it causes him to hallucinate that the dancer has become Khairuzan, and he follows her into a bedroom where he passes out and Bakhamra steals the sword.

Jafar's agents replace the sword with a copy and Harun awakes and tells Khairuzan that "I drank no wine. I only smoked a little." Barcus warns Harun that the sword's second inscription reads that the bearer's reward will arrive in a grave of stone. The combat is a melee starting with six men on horseback and finally Harun and Hadi are left.

Hadi has loosened Harun's saddle and knocks him off his horse. Under the agreement the princess has to marry Hadi. Hadi's girlfriend Bakhamra, upset at being dumped, tells Harun of the scheme.

Harun heads for the palace where the Caliph has discovered the plot and orders Jafar arrested. Jafar brings out a medallion and using the magic sword, tries to kill the Caliph but the sword goes into a stone wall and is stuck there.

Jafar pulls out his medallion and shows it to the crowd.

Jafar's medallion is a golden version of the ones that Harun has found. Hadi is also wearing a similar medallion. The two usurpers order their men to kill the Caliph and hang a banner with their logo.

Jafar and Hadi try to pull the sword out of the wall but can not move it. They bring in strongmen and wizards but they can not get it out either. After a swordfight Harun manages to grab the sword and pull it out.

The wall crumbles upon Jafar and Hadi.

Harun and Khairuzan embrace.

The real Harun Al-Rashid was the Caliph of the Islamic Abbasid Empire from AD 786 to 809 and was the caliph of the "Arabian Nights."

A coin of Harun al-Rashid:

Gold, 19 mm, 4.02 gm
Harun al-Rashid AD 786-809 Mint: Baghdad (Madinat Al Salam, no mint mark)

Rock Hudson as Harun
Piper Laurie as Princess Khairuzan
George Macready as Jafar (Vizier)
Gene Evans as Captain Hadi
Kathleen Hughes as Bakhamra
Steven Geray as Barcus
Edgar Barrier as the Caliph
Director: Nathan Juran
Writers: John Rich