"I'm Abu the thief, son of Abu the thief, grandson of Abu the thief, most unfortunate of ten sons with a hunger that yearns day and night."
- Abu (SABU)
"This is the Land of Legend, where everything is possible when seen through the eyes of youth."
- Old King (MORTON SELTEN)
Major Awards:
Academy Awards 1940 -
Best Cinematography: Georges Perinal
Academy Awards 1940 -
Best Color Interior Decoration
Academy Awards 1940 -
Best Special Effects
Entertainment Reviews:
USA Today - 12/06/2002
"...The most beloved magic-carpet fantasy ever, THE THIEF OF BAGDAD is a constant Technicolor dazzler..."
Ultimate DVD - 07/01/2006 3 stars out of 5 -- "It's packed full of all the required ingredients of a fantasy film and is imaginatively visualized."
Sight and Sound - 08/01/2006
"Alexander Korda enlisted a small army of directors to make this fantasy. The craftsmanship astounds."
Entertainment Weekly - 05/30/3008
"As glorious as any adventure film ever made....THE THIEF OF BAGDAD is both lush and playful, a fairy tale with gasping suspense."
Product Description:
A story of pure fantasy in the best Arabian Nights' tradition stars Sabu as the cunning young thief of Bagdad who encounters evil spells, magic carpets, and endless adventure. THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD has spectacular special effects by any standard and earned four Academy Awards, including Best (Color) Cinematography and Best Special Effects.
Plot Synopsis:
This wondrous fantasy comes out of the pages of "A Thousand and One Nights." When the nefarious Jaffar usurps the Sultan's throne, the princess's beloved suitor Ahmad and the strong and handsome thief Abu use magic to help the king regain power. To defeat them, Jaffar causes Ahmad to go blind, and turns Abu into a dog. But the heroes overcome these adversities and conquer many other mortal dangers before reclaiming the kingdom.
Plot Keywords:
Adventure |
Classic |
Essential Cinema |
Family (General) |
Fantasy |
Recommended |
Swashbuckler |
Thieves |
Witches And Wizards
Production Notes:
Shot in London and the US. The Grand Canyon was used for some of the Arabian desert locations. Color by Technicolor.
Additional cast: Bruce Winston (merchant), Adelaide Hall (singer).
Film Collectors & Archivists: Alpha Video is actively looking for rare and
unusual pre-1943 motion pictures, in good condition, from Monogram, PRC,
Tiffany, Chesterfield, and other independent studios for release on DVD. We
are also interested in TV shows from the early 1950s. Share your passion
for films with a large audience.
Let us know what you have.
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