Movie: The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
Sabu and Conrad Veidt Star in Alexander Korda Fantasy Film
The Arabian Nights come alive in Alexander Korda's classic 1940 fantasy movie The Thief of Bagdad, starring Sabu, Conrad Veidt, June Duprez, John Justin and Rex Ingram.
The sound remake of The Thief of Bagdad came flying into movie theaters in 1940 courtesy of producer/director Alexander Korda. One of the silver screen's most beloved fantasy films, The Thief of Bagdad featured outstanding special effects and a superb cast headed by the incomparable Sabu in the title role.
The Thief of Bagdad Silent Film
The Thief of Bagdad was first produced in 1924 as a 12-reel silent film for United Artists. The brainchild of Douglas Fairbanks Sr. (who wrote the story under the pseudonym Elton Thomas), this $2 million spectacular was directed by Raoul Walsh, with Fairbanks, Snitz Edwards, Charles Belcher, Julanne Johnston, Sojin and Anna May Wong heading the cast.
Featuring elaborate sets by art director/production designer William Cameron Menzies, 1924's The Thief of Bagdad wowed moviegoers of the era. In 1996, the movie was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.
The Thief of Bagdad Sound Movie
The driving force behind The Thief of Bagdad's second coming was producer/director Alexander Korda (1893-1956). Writing the story/screenplay were Lajos Bira and Miles Malleson. Six different directors worked on the picture: Ludwig Berger, Michael Powell, Tim Whelan, Zoltan Korda, William Cameron Menzies and Alexander Korda.
The Cast
Starring in the title role of Abu, the thief of Bagdad, was Sabu Dastagir (1924-1963). A native of India, Sabu later became an American citizen, serving with distinction in the U.S. Army Air Forces as a tail gunner during World War II. He died of a heart attack at his home in Chatsworth, California, at age 39.
Other cast members included Conrad Veidt (1893-1943) as Jaffar, June Duprez (1918-1984) as the Princess, John Justin (1917-2002) as Ahmad, Rex Ingram (1895-1969) as Djinni, Miles Malleson (1888-1969) as the Sultan, Morton Selten (1860-1939) as the Old King, Mary Morris (1915-1988) as Halima and Bruce Winston (1879-1946) as the Merchant.
Alexander Korda had originally wanted Vivien Leigh to play the Princess and Jon Hall in the role of Ahmad, but both were unavailable at the time.
Filming Locations
The Thief of Bagdad began filming in 1939 at London's Denham Studios. When World War II broke out on September 1st of that year, Korda and company continued to work at Denham in a studio populated by sandbags and makeshift air-raid shelters. The war also put the brakes on a planned location trek to Africa to film some of the more exotic scenes.
As the war continued to threaten the production, Korda moved his operation to United Artists Studios in Hollywood. Location filming in the United States was done at the Grand Canyon, where 40 mules were used to haul $40,000 worth of Technicolor equipment in the rugged terrain.
Fantastic Storyline
The Thief of Bagdad opens with Abu bounding from rooftop to rooftop, pilfering items as he goes. Arrested and thrown into prison, Abu meets Prince Ahmad, who has just been overthrown by his evil grand vizier, Jaffar.
Escaping from jail, Abu and Ahmad flee to Basra, where they catch a glimpse of the beautiful Princess. Jaffar desires the girl for himself, plying her father the king with expensive toys and using his powers to turn Ahmad into a blind beggar and Abu into a dog.
Eventually returned to their former selves, Ahmad and Abu pursue the sinister Jaffar. Separated by a storm conjured up by the grand vizier, Abu hooks up with a giant genie, who transports him to the All-Seeing Eye high up in the Tibetan Mountains. Here Abu learns of Prince Ahmad's pending execution, and rushes to the aid of his friend.
Release and Reviews
The Thief of Bagdad made its world premiere at New York City's Radio City Music Hall on December 5, 1940.
"The Thief of Bagdad...ranks next to Fantasia as the most beguiling and wondrous film of this troubled season," wrote Bosley Crowther of The New York Times (12/6/40).
In a preview story titled "Korda Opens Stops On Trick Camera Effects For His 'Thief of Bagdad,'" Life magazine (10/14/40) called the movie "one-third Arabian Nights, one-third Disney fable and one-third Shubert musical." The latter was in reference to Miklos Rozsa's Oscar-nominated music score.
Academy Awards
The Thief of Bagdad won three Academy Awards: Best Art Direction/Color (Vincent Korda), Best Cinematography/Color (Georges Perinal), Best Effects/Special Effects (Lawrence W. Butler, Jack Whitney).
All three Oscars were well-deserved, particularly the one for special effects. Employing rear-projection process shots, double exposures, miniature models and matte shots, a battery of technicians and artists delivered an array of movie wizardry, including a flying mechanical horse, a 200-foot genie popping in and out of a six-inch flask, magic carpet rides, a 40-foot spider and a terrifying storm at sea.
The Thief of Bagdad is available on DVD from MGM Home Entertainment.
"Allah be with you, but I doubt it," a cynical old man says in the film.
Yes, The Thief of Bagdad has humor too...
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