The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

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.

The movie’s plot follows a prince named Ahmed (John Justin), who is tricked by his most trusted advisor, Jaffar, into leaving the palace to experience life on the streets firsthand. While there, Jaffar has Ahmed arrested as a madman and plans to kill him, all while seizing the throne for himself. In prison, Ahmed meets a resourceful thief named Abu, and together they break out of jail.

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?

Take the time to watch this movie. You’ll be glad you did.