The Thief of Baghdad (1939)
Posted: May 27th, 2008, 3:13 pm
This wonderful fantasy is finally out on DVD. I have the not very well reproduced VHS version, and I'm looking forward to seeing a restored print. Here is The New York Times review of the disc: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/movie ... l?ref=arts. Apparently, there were several directors involved in making this movie, some with "bigger" ideas than others.
This primarily British production is quite different from the Douglas Fairbanks take on the story, is in full color, and has many more special effects, some quite good, some about as good as they can get for that time period, but all very enjoyable. I was never very keen on the neuresthenic John Justin as the hero, but the beautiful June Duprez as the princess in distress strikes the right note.
The real strengths in this Alexander & Zoltan Korda production are Conrad Veidt as the Evil Vizier and the truly excellent, energetic and enthusiastic Sabu as the eponymous thief. Sabu does all the Fairbanks athletics, and at only about 16 years old he looks much more manly, robust and energetic than does Justin, the supposed hero. We also get the towering Rex Ingram as the Genie (complete with topknot, and Southern accent, sort of like a very loud Oliver Hardy). His scenes with Sabu are a wonder to behold.
For me, films like this one, Jungle Boy (where he was only 9), The Jungle Book, and Black Narcissus show what a natural screen performer Sabu really was, and emphasize how he was wasted in so many silly "native movies" when he could have been given roles of much wider range. The Thief of Baghdad is a movie ideal for all ages.
This primarily British production is quite different from the Douglas Fairbanks take on the story, is in full color, and has many more special effects, some quite good, some about as good as they can get for that time period, but all very enjoyable. I was never very keen on the neuresthenic John Justin as the hero, but the beautiful June Duprez as the princess in distress strikes the right note.
The real strengths in this Alexander & Zoltan Korda production are Conrad Veidt as the Evil Vizier and the truly excellent, energetic and enthusiastic Sabu as the eponymous thief. Sabu does all the Fairbanks athletics, and at only about 16 years old he looks much more manly, robust and energetic than does Justin, the supposed hero. We also get the towering Rex Ingram as the Genie (complete with topknot, and Southern accent, sort of like a very loud Oliver Hardy). His scenes with Sabu are a wonder to behold.
For me, films like this one, Jungle Boy (where he was only 9), The Jungle Book, and Black Narcissus show what a natural screen performer Sabu really was, and emphasize how he was wasted in so many silly "native movies" when he could have been given roles of much wider range. The Thief of Baghdad is a movie ideal for all ages.