The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Such a frustrating disappointment

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The 1940 Thief of Bagdad is a delightful picture, well-paced and colorful. Populated by fine actors, most notably the exuberant Sabu and deliciously sinister Conrad Veidt, this is a fantasy classic which has stood the test of time in the ways that matter.Sure the special effects, cutting age in 1940, are dated now; but that is inevitable, even with our modern blockbusters and all their CG action. But it is the charming characters and sense of wonder which hold up.The Fairbanks version from 1924 is also excellent, but poorly paced, running at two and a half hours when the plot is too frail to sustain such a length. This film is leaner and also a lot more fun, and I rarely say that of 1940s/1950s remakes of silent films.A magnificent film, watch it now.

After reading love letter after love letter to this film from just about every critic, as well as filmmakers like Scorsese and Coppola, I feel a bit churlish and Scrooge- like doing anything other than embracing it without reservation. I certainly enjoyed and appreciated this great looking early Technicolor spectacle, It's fun, sweet, always entertaining, but the effects, while impressive for their day are distractingly dated, and the character development is sketchy at best. The two romantic leads in particular are pretty shallow, and seem to fall instantly in love for no other reason than the story tells them to, On the other hand both Conrad Veight as the sometimes over the top, but enjoyably hateful villain, and Sabu as the lovable lad who helps a king regain his kingdom fare much better. There are sequences I did find flat out wonderful (the whole very famous interaction between Sabu and the genie he finds and frees holds up to all the clips I've seen over the years), And given current politics, seeing Islam treated as benign and poetic is certainly refreshing. Maybe I was over prepared, or expecting too much. I didn't fully 'get' the greatness of 'Citizen Kane' the first time I saw it either, because I was so over-hyped. In any case, it was enough fun that I won't regret giving it another look, and seeing if it grows on me even more with a second viewing.

Co-directed by Ludwig Berger, Michael Powell and Tim Whelen (along with three uncredited co-workers, Alexander Korda, Zoltan Korda and William Cameron Menzies), this lavish fantasy-adventure tells the tale of blind beggar Ahmad (John Justin), who spins a yarn about his life as king before the evil current king Jafar (Conrad Veidt), usurped his place and left him desolate. The story is told in flash backs, and follows his story beginning with his incarceration by jafar, where he meets Abu (Sabu). They escape and go on a quest to regain Ahmad's' rightful place as king.Filmed in technicolor, the sumptuous visuals are exacerbated by the stark, beautiful colours. It has been hailed by the likes of Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola as a masterpiece. It is a very beautiful fantasy. It reminded me of a contemporary travelogue, that shows its mystical, exotic landscapes for an untraveled spectator - although, this is clearly fantasy environments, and was not filmed on any locations except for sets. It also reminded me of the fantasy films of my childhood such as the Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts adventures, sans Harryhausens fantastic monsters. The simple tale of redemption and fundamental achievement against evil is a story over told. However, with the cinematography and set pieces, this film is pure unadulterated delight. It genuinely is the perfect Sunday afternoon movie. (Although John Justin's diction and general performance does begin to grate).www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

Six directors (three uncredited) were responsible for bringing this magical Arabian Nights fable to the big screen, including Michael Powell, William Cameron Menzies, and the old mogul himself: producer Alexander Korda, the self-styled sovereign of the British film industry. But the real heroes of the wartime production were its two art directors: Menzies, and Korda's brother Vincent, who created the fabulous Middle Eastern set designs to complement the vivid Technicolor photography. The sometimes flamboyantly melodramatic story is almost impossible to resist, with a handsome, wrongfully deposed prince seeking the aid of an ingenious boy thief (played by the sprightly young Indian star Sabu) to help him regain his throne from the evil Grand Vizier, a master of the Black Arts. During their quest the pair encounter a flying horse, battle giant spiders, liberate a mammoth genie from his bottle, steal the All-Seeing Eye, and meet a lonely, beautiful princess, upon whom no man may gaze and live. It's a classic fantasy, requiring an effortless suspension of disbelief.