The Thief of Bagdad - Criterion Collection

There are two reasons that THE THIEF OF BAGDAD is a great film and has stood the test of time. The first is the tremendous art direction. The movie is a function of Korda's vision. French auteur criticism holds that the "author" of a film is the director, but this is clearly an exception to that. Korda, the producer, was the creative force behind this film, and, in fact, employed as many as a half dozen directors during the course of making the film. One of the uncredited directors and one of the credited art directors was the great William Cameron Menzies, regarded as one of the giants in art design in film history. Even today, this is a gorgeous film to look at, and in an age when computers can create absolutely anything on the screen, it is delightful to watch a film in which others managed to achieve magic working with considerably less than we possess.

The second reason that this film succeeds so marvelously is the cast. Ironically, the ostensible lead in the film is remarkably forgettable. But several of the other performances are quite unforgettable. Conrad Veidt is magnificently ominous and devious as Jaffar in what is probably one of his three most memorable roles (the others being his performance as the Somnambulist in the German Expressionist classic THE CABINENT OF DR. CALIGARI and his famous turn as Rick's nemesis Maj. Strasser in CASABLANCA). He is so fine in his role that it is hard to imagine anyone else being better. Sabu, who plays Abu, enjoyed one of the more unusual film careers in Hollywood history (to which he returned after returning from WW II as a highly decorated war hero), and this is possibly his finest film. But apart from Veidt, my favorite performer is the great Rex Ingram's memorable performance as the genie. In an era in which it was virtually impossible to have a film career as an African-American while refusing to compromise one's dignity by playing subservient roles, Rex Ingram was perhaps the great exception. While other black actors forged careers playing servants and red caps and cooks and various other undignified roles, Ingram always managed to stand out as a proud, self-respectful individual. After Paul Robeson and before Sidney Portier, Ingram was perhaps the finest black actor in Hollywood. He managed always in his films to project great intelligence, pride, and self-possession. In many roles, he was more than a little imposing, and that comes out in his portrayal as the Genie. Yes, Abu outwits him and extracts a promise for three wishes, but he clearly is not a safe, tame genie. Even while doing Abu's bidding, he radiates danger. Had Ingram's career spanned the decades at the end of the 20th century instead of those in the middle, he would have been recognized as a truly massive talent. Today he would have been a major star, something that simply wasn't possible in 1940.

This is a must-see film for anyone who loves great cinematic fantasy, adventure, or British film. It is also one of those rare films that can be enjoyed as much by small children as by adults.


"I want to be a bandit, can't you understand it?"   February 9, 2005
cookieman108 (Inside the jar...)
47 out of 51 found this review helpful

What's that old saying? Too many cooks spoil the broth? In figurative terms it means if there are too many people working on a project, the result will be inferior...given the fact The Thief of Bagdad (1940) sports six directors, three credited, three uncredited, you'd think the film would be a mess, but it's actually the very opposite. The credited directors include Ludwig Berger (The Vagabond King), Michael Powell (Black Narcissus), and Tim Whelan (The Mad Doctor), while on the uncredited side there's three individuals, all whom share producing credits for the film in Alexander Korda (Storm Over the Nile), his brother Zoltan Korda (Jungle Book), and William Cameron Menzies (The Whip Hand). Starring in the film is Conrad Veidt (Casablanca), Sabu (Elephant Boy, Jungle Book), and John Justin (King of the Khyber Rifles). Also appearing is June Duprez (Little Tokyo, U.S.A.) and Rex Ingram (God's Little Acre) as the Genie, or Djinn,

As the film begins, we're introduced to a blind beggar named Ahmad (Justin), and his very intelligent dog, both of whom are more than they appear. Ahmad soon relates a tale, and we learn of a man who was once king, and how he became friends with a clever young thief from the streets named Abu, played by Sabu (see what they did? The just removed the `S' from Sabu to get Abu...pretty smart, huh?). We also learn of the king's downfall at the hands of Jaffar (Veidt), a greedy, dastardly fellow with a penchant for magics and trickery. Seems Jaffar, once Grand Vizer (that means a highly regarded executive type who councils the king in many different matters) to the king, covet too much, and through some ruse, he managed to usurp (hence his new moniker of `The Usurper') the throne, and now desires the lovely princess, played by Duprez, daughter to a Sultan (played by Miles Malleson, one of the writers) of the nearby kingdom of Basra, who, incidentally, is smitten with the once king, and he her (their first encounter occurs in the `forbidden garden'...take the meaning whichever way you like)...the pair (the once king and Abu) embark on a number of dangerous adventures to regain king's throne, free the princess from the Jaffar's clutches, and return things to the natural order. Seems like a simple enough task, right? Well, keep in mind Jaffar is not only a scoundrel, but a magical scoundrel, and he has no intention of losing what he has worked so little for...actually, his plans appeared pretty complex, almost to the point of being convoluted, so it was obvious he had been planning it for awhile.

The Thief of Bagdad (which won three academy awards, one for color cinematography, a second for color interior design, and a third for special effects) is one of those films that I wish I could have been their to see when it originally opened in the theaters, as I can't help but feel it must have been quite the awesome cinematic experience similar to the first time I saw Clash of the Titans (1981) in the theater (I was eleven at the time). In terms of fantasy films, very few can match the level of magic and whimsy of The Thief of Bagdad, although many have tried. The real key to the film's success, in my opinion, is that it is so well written, basically a fairytale come to life. Certainly the special effects helped propel this film, but without the core characterizations and well-crafted dialogue, the film wouldn't have been as popular. With regards to the acting, I thought all of the performers did very well, but given the strength of the material, it wouldn't have been too difficult for an experienced performer to come in and do as well, with a few exceptions, particularly in the characters of Abu, the genie (Ingram), and Jaffar. Sabu seemed a bit rough around the edges, but this was displaced by his infectious enthusiasm, which came through in nearly every scene he appeared. The genie, played by Harrison, is wonderful and comes through larger than life, exactly how you'd expect a genie to be (which makes me think Harrison's performance was what many other, later genie depictions were probably based on). Last, but not least, is the character of Jaffar, played perfectly by Veidt. This definitely was a case of finding the right actor for the part as Veidt creates what's probably one of the strongest characterizations of an on screen villain I seen in a long time. The only other one I can think of is Darth Vader, but the difference is in Vader's character, much of his menace comes through in the costume and effects, where with Jaffar, Veidt had to create his character from within, and does so almost too well (he even scared me a few times). As far as the special effects, some seem dated (keep in mind the film was made some 60+ years ago, and achieving effects on the level seen here was incredibly difficult) and obvious (the blue fringing of the Technicolor mattes often shows through), while others hold up quite well (the giant spider looked amazing and its' movements really made it appear to be alive). The sets, usually backed by lush and detailed matte paintings, are beautiful and befitting of the story, and the music, by Miklós Rózsa, is considered to be some of the finest ever made for a film. Generally I'm not big on characters within film breaking out in song, but it works here because it ties so well into the events on the screen.

The full screen (original format) looks really good, despite a few minor flaws, and the audio comes through very well. I was surprised at a lack of features (there's a good looking trailer) for this particular film, given its' significance in terms of being one of the best fantasy films ever released, but better to have it than not at all I suppose.

Cookieman108



Best fantasy film ever made   August 25, 2001
Alan Dean Foster (prescott, az)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

So good it was even recognized by Hollywood. It won two Academy Awards (for color cinematography and costumes, I believe). Notable for many reasons. As mentioned by another reviewer, for the highly notable performance by Adelaide Hall as well as that of another underutilized black performer, the great Rex Ingram (not the silent film director). Ingram gives us the best genie ever, one whose cries of "Free, free!" when he is finally released from bondage carry an especial poignance consider the social situation in the U.S. the time the film was made. We also get the best evil sorcerer ever in Conrad Veidt's Jafar, who can have anything he wants except the love of the beautiful princess...whose father the Sultan is charmingly portrayed by Miles Malleson, who also wrote the erudite and delightful script. Throw in the best flying horse this side of CG, a spectacular mountain temple, a believable flying carpet, a necro-erotic statue, and one of the Miklos Rosza's best scores, and you have the Arabian Nights made real. No one should miss Sabu's naturalistic performance as Abu, the little thief. Note Conrad Veidt's makeup, that included gold dust to highlight his features. A film for the ages, and for all ages (and where, oh where, is the DVD? Please to strike it from the surviving 35mm original in the British Film Archive....)


A masterpiece to been seen by all generations   April 4, 2003
Herbert Magalhaes (Salvador, Bahia Brazil)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

"The Thief of Baghdad" is a masterpiece and should be seen by the present and future generations. It is a movie complete and all its aspects. I was 10 when I first saw "The Thief of Baghdad" and since then I could never forget the moments of enchantment it brought to me everytime (more than 10 times)I went to the movies to see it on the big screen. It was and still is my fantasy favorite movie. In the Middle 60's I finally found a copy in 16mm at a distributor and had to rent a projector to show the film at home. Although the copy was in very bad conditions I could even so, be able to go back to the days of my childhood while enjoying this wondereful film.
Recently I púrchased a VHS copy at Amazon[.com] and virtually "obliged" my 18 year-old daughter to watch it. It was a prize to have the film with me at all times. The new edition in DVD is perfect and reveals all the splendor the film brings.


Adelaide Hall   May 4, 2001
Iain Cameron Williams (Britain)
15 out of 16 found this review helpful

Not only is the 'THIEF OF BAGDAD' an exceptionally well crafted (considering the technology available in 1940) and considerate adaptation of the book, it features a rare movie appearance of the American Jazz legend Adelaide Hall. If you know little about this wonderful Lady, allow me to enlighten you a little on her career. Alexander Korda, personally requested Adelaide's appearance after witnessing a concert performance given by her at the Kilburn State Theatre in London, at which the audience near rioted with enthusiasm over her. Considering Adelaide's remarkable and ground breaking achievements in the Jazz World (Recordings and performances), Variety, Vaudeville, Music-Hall, etc. the film offers the viewer a rare glimpse at a talent that is sadly overlooked in the history of popular entertainment. During Adelaide's early career in America 1921 - 1935 she reached the pinnacle of the show-biz ladder to become the first black international superstar (Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald all followed in her footsteps and Josephine Baker was only a star in Europe. Florence Mills sadly never made recordings so her appeal was only felt in the theatre.)With the release of the recording 'Creole Love Call' in 1927 Adelaide's fame shot around the glode. Her starring role on Broadway in 'Blackbirds of 1928' during which she released 'I Must Have That Man' and made 'I Can't Give You Anything but Love' and 'Diga Diga Do' into household standards, took her career higher than any other black artist had ever gone. She fought racism, created a vocal style (Scat), on Broadway - with the hugely talented dancer Bojangles - created the only black competition to Fred and Adele Astaire, starred at Broadway's Palace theatre 7 times within 2 years (a record never beaten for a black artist),etc, etc. Her achievements in the world of entertainment were ground-breaking but more importantly she was a crusader for black-equality and opened the doors for the future generation of black entertainers. Sadly, her film appearances are rare so her performance in 'The Thief of Bagdad'is a real gem and one that clearly displays her remarkable talent (all be it in an unusual setting - a rose garden). Without taking any credit away from the director and the films wonderful stars especially Sabu, if only to capture a little bit of entertainment history the film is worth watching for Adelaide's performance alone. A truly important film both Historically and professionally and well worth buying for your archive ***** kind regards Iain Cameron Williams.