Movie · 1940 · Adventure, Fantasy, Romance · 1h 47m · NR · English
Curator score: 6.6/10 (31.2K ratings)
ONE THOUSAND AND ONE SIGHTS FROM THE THOUSAND OF ONE NIGHTS....
Overview
When Prince Ahmad is blinded and cast out of Bagdad by the nefarious Jaffar, he joins forces with the scrappy thief Abu to win back his royal place, as well as the heart of a beautiful princess.
Ratings
Curator score: 6.6/10
IMDb: 7.4/10
Letterboxd: 3.70/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
TMDB: 7.1/10
Director
Michael Powell, Tim Whelan, Ludwig Berger
Production
London Films Productions, Alexander Korda Films
Cast
Conrad Veidt, Sabu, June Duprez, John Justin, Rex Ingram, Miles Malleson, Morton Selten, Mary Morris, Bruce Winston, Hay Petrie, Adelaide Hall, Roy Emerton, Allan Jeayes, Joseph Cozier, Toni Gable, Robert Greig, Henry Hallett, Miki Hood, Glynis Johns, Alexander Laine
Where to watch
Max
Curator Review
Verdict
A lavish, effects-forward fantasy adventure that still plays like a milestone of studio-era spectacle. Its story is simple and sometimes creaky, but the color, design, and imaginative set pieces make it an easy recommendation for viewers who love old-school movie magic.
Best for
classic fantasy fans
viewers interested in early special effects
adventure lovers who enjoy fairy-tale plotting
fans of Technicolor spectacle
family audiences comfortable with vintage storytelling
Skip if
you need psychologically complex characters
you are sensitive to dated racial representation and orientalist imagery
you prefer brisk, modern pacing
you want realism over pure escapism
Overview
The Thief of Bagdad is one of those films that feels like it was built to demonstrate what cinema can do when imagination is given a huge budget and a free hand. The story is straightforward fairy-tale business, but the real attraction is the pageantry: flying carpets, giant creatures, impossible vistas, and a color palette that makes every frame feel enchanted.
Worth noting
What keeps it memorable is the combination of spectacle and childlike wonder. Even when the script is thin or the characters are broad, the film keeps inventing new visual pleasures. Conrad Veidt gives the villain real presence, and Sabu brings a lively, mischievous energy that helps the adventure move.
Bottom line
It is also very much a film of its era, which means the exoticism is dated and often uncomfortable. If you can account for that historical baggage, there is still a remarkable amount of craftsmanship here. As a piece of fantasy cinema history, it remains a major landmark.
Top Letterboxd reviews
SilentDawn (4★) · 317 likes
79
Absurd depictions of exoticism and brown-face aside, the technical audacity of the effects-work, and the charming Technicolor glory of its set-design and palette is something to behold. A set-piece of Sabu up against a giant (and gross looking) spider still thrills and excites.
Rafael "Mister Movie" Jovine (4★) · 157 likes
163rd Review for The Collab Weekly Movie Watch
I believe it speaks volumes of the guaranteed quality of The Archers that every time I see any of their names (let alone them together), I always get incredibly excited. No matter what your thoughts on the script might be, you can be certain—especially when it comes to technicolo—you would be in for a visual treat, which will allow you to immerse more into the story. So the idea of a film… more
chavel (4★) · 136 likes
The Thief of Bagdad is a pedigree lavish adventure that has been slighted in recent movie conversation but at the time was an instantly revered classic: All those silks of so many colors! Fights with Arabian sabre swords and crossbows! Combat with a gigantic spider! Oh look, a genie and a flying carpet! The disgraced Prince Ahmad (John Justin) pairs up with teen thief Abu (Sabu) to rescue a princess (June Duprez) and defeat evil Jaffar (Conrad Veidt). This fairy… more The Thief of Bagdad is a pedigree lavish adventure that has been slighted in recent movie conversation but at the time was an instantly revered classic: All those silks of so many colors! Fights with Arabian sabre swords and crossbows! Combat with a gigantic spider! Oh look, a genie and a flying carpet! The disgraced Prince Ahmad (John Justin) pairs up with teen thief Abu (Sabu) to rescue a princess (June Duprez) and defeat evil Jaffar (Conrad Veidt). This fairy… more
comrade_yui (5★) · 135 likes
the bejeweled folk-tale which tells its tale with such innocent conviction that you are voluntarily thrown to another realm of exotic intrigue, mystic romance, decadent wizardry, feats of astonishment and unearthly places -- it is no embellishment to say that this is a fantasy on the level of the wizard of oz or star wars, because it is; our main character is literally blinded by the technicolor wonder of the sights that he sees! i can imagine the powerful hold… more the bejeweled folk-tale which tells its tale with such innocent conviction that you are voluntarily thrown to another realm of exotic intrigue, mystic romance, decadent wizardry, feats of astonishment and unearthly places -- it is no embellishment to say that this is a fantasy on the level of the wizard of oz or star wars, because it is; our main character is literally blinded by the technicolor wonder of the sights that he sees! i can imagine the powerful hold… more
📀 Cammmalot 📀 (4★) · 104 likes
Cinematic Time Capsule1940 Marathon - Film #72
”And now my little braggart you can be a thief and a hero all in one”
What film inspired your love of movies?
As I’m watching this, all I could think about was how much these Oscar winning effects must have amazed a legion of young viewers in 1940 and inspired them to want to become filmmakers.
A flying horse, a terrifying spider, and a giant wish granting Djinn must have been… more