Film Review: The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

(source: tmdb.org)

Film technology never experienced such rapid and far‑reaching progress as in the period between the mid‑1920s and the late 1930s. Nothing can illustrate this achievement better than The Thief of Bagdad, the 1924 epic fantasy adventure and one of the greatest films of the silent era, when it is compared with its eponymous 1940 British remake, which provided audiences not only with sound but also with colour. Like its predecessor, the new film uses motifs from Arabian Nights and has its plot set in the Middle East during the first centuries of the Islamic era.

Ahmad (played by John Justin) is the young ruler of Baghdad (spelled “Bagdad” in the film, just like the original) who has become bored with his sheltered palace life and wants to experience the life of his ordinary subjects. This is an opportunity seized by his vizier, the evil sorcerer Jaffar (played by Conrad Veidt). He tricks Ahmad into leaving the palace, then has him arrested as a “madman” and sentenced to die for impersonating the rightful ruler. Thankfully for Ahmad, his dungeon cell is shared by Abu (played by Sabu), a young and resourceful thief who has managed to steal the cell keys. Ahmad and Abu escape to Basra, from where they would try to seek a new life as seafaring adventurers.

Ahmad, however, is smitten with the Princess (played by June Duprez), daughter of the toy‑obsessed local sultan (played by Miles Malleson, co‑writer of the film). Because of that, both Ahmad and Abu stay in Basra just as Jaffar arrives in order to seize power and the Princess. Angry that both of them endanger his plan, Jaffar casts a spell that blinds Ahmad and turns Abu into a dog. However, once the spell is lifted, Abu helps Ahmad and the Princess and, along the way, sets free a giant Djinn (played by Rex Ingram), who grants him three wishes in return.

Film historians like to compare The Thief of Bagdad with The Wizard of Oz. Both films were extremely expensive and among the most technically demanding of their era. They were both the work of many different directors instead of one. Thief had three – the German Jewish immigrant Ludwig Berger (who was quietly set aside during production); Michael Powell (who would later, together with Emeric Pressburger, create some of British cinema’s classics); and Tim Whelan. The real force behind the film was Alexander Korda, a Hungarian immigrant who in the 1930s created a small film empire in Britain, producing expensive, ambitious and high‑quality productions, thus building a reputation as a film mogul who could have given his Hollywood peers a run for their money.

The Thief of Bagdad was made with the clear intention of showcasing Korda’s financial resources, but also new technical achievements. Those included not only sound and colour, but also innovative special effects, including blue‑screen, a technique that was first used here only to become standard for the next few decades. Korda was impressed with the 1924 silent film and worked hard to secure adaptation rights from its producer and main star Douglas Fairbanks (who, sadly, died a few months before the premiere). But he also wisely decided not to make a carbon copy of that film. Scriptwriters Malleson and Lajos Biro strayed a lot from the source, most notably by splitting the protagonist into two different characters – the prince, played by John Justin, an actor who could pass as a poor man’s Errol Flynn; and Sabu, the Indian teenager who became a major international star thanks to his role in Korda’s 1938 film The Drum.

The most important difference, however, was that the 1940 version relied less on the physicality and charm of a single star. Viewers were instead charmed by the bright colours of Oscar‑awarded cinematographer George Perinal, superb production design that brought ancient Baghdad and exotic Asian temples to life, as well as images of a flying horse and flying carpets. The script also, taking its cue from the ancient source, used flashback as a narrative technique, cleverly enchanting the audience with a story that is both simple yet exotic, providing a nearly‑perfect blend of romance, adventure and humour.

Korda’s achievement is even more impressive considering that production took place during the Second World War and that he literally had to move it from Britain to the USA because of German bombing (which, actually, served the film well, because he could use locations such as the Grand Canyon and Arizona desert for some of the more impressive scenes in the latter parts of the film).

The Thief of Bagdad is a very good film, but it is far from perfect. John Justin looks the part and acts reasonably well, but his athletic and sword‑fighting skills leave much to be desired. June Duprez, a British actress who was relatively unknown at the time and was cast only as a replacement for Vivien Leigh, looks the part of the princess, but her character is too passive and she develops proper chemistry with Justin relatively late in the film. Those flaws are, however, compensated by the rest of the cast. Young Sabu, who, just like Fairbanks in the silent version, appears half‑naked for almost the entire film, delivers a great deal of charm and wit. African‑American actor Rex Ingram is great in the role of the Djinn, a character who is both frightening and funny, and his interaction with Sabu is effective even without the impressive use of special effects. Conrad Veidt, the famous German actor (who, among other things, starred in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) who escaped the Nazi regime, is very effective as the sinister yet charismatic villain. According to Christopher Lee, Veidt’s performance in The Thief of Bagdad was so powerful that it convinced him to start his own acting career.

Despite a less‑than‑inspiring soundtrack by Miklós Rózsa and some minor details that give away its age, The Thief of Bagdad is still a great fantasy adventure that could be recommended to viewers today.

RATING: 8/10 (+++)