stubborn mysql problem

I must be missing something simple here, but I can't get this to work. Anybody see anything wrong here?: $result = mysql_query("SELECT title, bed, bath, halfbath, price,

                             address1, address2, story, features
                             FROM $area WHERE mls = '$mls'")
                             or die(mysql_error());

If I send the variable '723361'(for example) I get the message: You have an error in your SQL syntax near 'WHERE mls = '723361'' at line 3 There IS a column mls, and there IS an entry for 723361, so it's not the obvious "does that exist?" problem. I'm stumped. Any ideas? Thanks in advance. Dusty ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com