#431: WHELAN, Tim; POWELL, Michael & BERGER, Ludwig: The Thief Of Bagdad (1940)
WHELAN, Tim; POWELL, Michael & BERGER, Ludwig (United Kingdom)
The Thief Of Bagdad [1940]
Spine #431
DVD
Directors/Writers
Scenario by Lajos Biró.
Screenplay and dialogue by Miles Malleson.
Tim Whelan was 47, Michael Powell was 35, and Ludwig Berger was 48 when they directed The Thief of Bagdad.
Although uncredited, we must apparently add the producer, Alexander Korda, his brother Zoltan Korda, William Cameron Menzies, and the Special Effects director, Lawrence Butler.
That makes seven directors, but yet the film is as surely unified by the overarching hand of its producer, Alexander Korda, as it is by the amazing actors and technicians who brought it all together over a period of nearly three years, interrupted by world war.
That makes seven directors, but yet the film is as surely unified by the overarching hand of its producer, Alexander Korda, as it is by the amazing actors and technicians who brought it all together over a period of nearly three years, interrupted by world war.
Korda bought the film rights from Douglas Fairbanks (1883-1939) who made the Raoul Walsh directed 1924 version of The Thief of Bagdad — a superb film starring Fairbanks as the thief.
The Film
Disc One
THIEF (Sabu) (holding on to the Djinni’s hair as they fly away)
“Djinni! Djinni! I’m frightened!
DJINNI (Rex Ingram)
I hear (laughing) ... all right, Master?
THIEF
I think so. Where are we now?
DJINNI
Above the roof of the world.
THIEF
Has the world got a roof?
DJINNI
Of course, supported by seven pillars. And the seven pillars are set on the shoulders of a djinni whose strength is beyond thought. And the djinni stands on an eagle, and the eagle on a bull, and the bull on a fish. And the fish swims in the Sea of Eternity.
THIEF
Where are we going?
DJINNI
On the highest peak of the highest mountain of the world, where earth meets the sky, and there is the Temple of the Dawn. And in the great hall of the temple is the goddess of light. And in the head of the goddess is the All-Seeing Eye.
Presumably, you are hooked way before this late scene which begins at 1:12:30. The Thief of Bagdad is one of those magical films where your disbelief is suspended from the opening screen: THE THIEF OF BAGDAD, An Arabian Fantasy in TECHNICOLOR, with the triumphant sounds of composer Miklós Rózsa’s (1907-1995) opening fanfare, which dissolves into the ”Love Theme” for the Princess (June Duprez) as the opening credits roll.
BTW, shall we list just a few of Rózsa’s amazing scores for only Criterion (and Eclipse) titles? (He was a fine composer before he got into the film business.)
Note how the top billing changes from version to version; the 1924 version stars Fairbanks as the Thief; this film bills Conrad Veidt (Jaffar) first — deservedly so — and although the animated Disney Aladdin bills Scott Weinger first, it is the actor listed second we all remember — Robin Williams as Genie.
In addition to the above cited cast, John Justin is excellent as Ahmad, the king whose power Jaffar usurps, and Mary Morris as Halima — harem-girl friend of the Princess, and also (most spectacularly) as the six-armed, blue-painted mechanical doll which Jaffar uses to kill the Sultan.
Become a child and allow this film to enchant you. That’s a guarantee.
Commentaries
- Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese (recorded separately and interspersed). Both of these great directors saw this film as very young children; Scorsese in black & white on television and Coppola — who was lucky enough to have an older brother who took to him to a movie palace — where he saw it in Technicolor! Coppola turns into a little kid again as he watches and comments, singing along with the music; Scorsese continually talks about how the film influenced him as a director — particularly in its editing. Both of them are so eager to share their memories, it makes it a joy to watch the film along with them.
- Bruce Eder, a cineast who never gets boring. He goes on non-stop — pointing out important music cues, the story of the film’s insane production details and dropping hundreds of names, many obscure bit players in Thief’s amazing history.
Optional music and effects track
Theatrical trailer
Film Rating (0-60):
Disc Two
57
The ExtrasDisc Two
The Booklet
Twenty-page book with essays by scholars Andrew Moor on Thief and Ian Christie on The Lion Has Wings [see below].
Visual Effects
Great documentary about the technical achievements, featuring interviews with special-effects masters Ray Harryhausen (!), Dennis Muren and Craig Barron.
Butler’s special-effects work on Thief won an Academy Award. The experts cover the subject thoroughly, and a special extra demonstrates how a traveling matte works.
When Thief went into production hiatus because of the war, Korda produced this propaganda film for the English war effort. Directed by Powell, Adrian Brunel, Brian Desmond Hurst and Korda, the film neatly fictionalizes (with some real footage) the beginning of the war against the Nazis, mainly concentrating on the air warfare.
Audio interview #1
Featuring Powell’s audio dictations for his autobiography.
Covers the time period of his hiring by Korda to the making of Thief to the making of The Lion Has Wings.
Audio interview #2
From a 1976 radio interview with Rózsa.
His life story, including a hilarious incident when he met Marlena Dietrich.
Stills gallery
Featuring rare images of the film’s production and photos shot in Dufaycolor, which will surprise you.
Extras Rating (0-40):
Extras Rating (0-40):
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