The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
7/10
Starring
Conrad Veidt
Sabu
John Justin
June Duprez
Directed by Michael Powell, Ludwig Berger and Tim Whelan
The Thief of
Bagdad is a 1940 British fantasy film and a classic remake of the 1924
film of the same name. The movie is magical, with each scene inviting you into
its world. You’ll love the special effects—that is, if you’re viewing it
through the eyes of someone from the 1940s. This is where the whole blue screen
effect started, and if you’re like me and enjoyed Disney’s Aladdin, you’ll
love seeing where Disney got their inspiration.
It wouldn’t be fair for anyone to list fantasy films and skip this classic. This was one movie I remember watching when I was young, introduced to me by my lovable aunt, who sparked my love for movies. This film made me wish I had a flying carpet of my own. Sabu, who played Abu, didn’t deliver what many consider the classic acting that made him famous, but he wasn’t bad either. For me, the actor who stole the show was Conrad Veidt, who played Jaffar.
Ahmed, as the lead, doesn’t have much depth, and his journey isn’t as engaging as it could be—especially when Jaffar steals every scene he’s in.
During their escape, Ahmed meets and falls in love with a beautiful princess—someone Jaffar also has his eyes on. Jaffar does everything he can to get Ahmed out of the way, while Ahmed and Abu team up to save the princess. Their journey includes meeting a genie, acquiring a magic carpet, and finding a crystal that can show them anything they desire.
This British
classic used the best special effects of the 1940s and won Academy Awards for
Cinematography, Art Direction, and Special Effects. The Thief of Bagdad marks
the first major use of bluescreening in the film industry, thanks to Larry
Butler, who introduced and pioneered the technique.
The movie has greatly influenced many films that came after it, especially those based on The Book of One Thousand and One Nights tales. Let’s not forget Disney’s Aladdin and its franchise, as well as The Prince of Persia video game series. The film holds a strong 100% approval rating on the critic aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes and was both a critical and commercial success. So, if you haven’t seen this wonderful tale set in Baghdad—about how a prince and a thief take on the evil sorcerer Jaffar to save a beautiful princess—then where have you been?
Oh, one finally thing, the film leans heavily on spectacle, which makes for stunning visuals, so prepare yourself for that, as it plays like a series of grand set pieces rather than a fully immersive adventure.
Take the time to watch this movie. You’ll be glad you did.