First, though fictional, scenes from "The Thief of Baghdad" such as a public beheading are actually truer to the old (and current) Middle East and less slavish to political correctness than supposedly well-researched contemporary movies like "Kingdom of Heaven." Second, images of a genie materializing from smoke, flying horses, flying carpets, and a man residing underwater are dated visual effects by today's standards, but are clever, imaginative, and groundbreaking for 1940. "The Thief of Baghdad" no doubt set the stage for swashbuckling special effect successors like "Sinbad the Sailor," "Clash of the Titans," and "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad." Third, this movie has good guys versus bad guys (Ahmad & Abu vs. Jaffar), romance (Ahmad & the princess), humor (the battle of wits between Abu and the genie), and a series of mini-adventures within the larger adventure. It's a good formula for popcorn & fun. Recommmended.
Review of The Thief of Bagdad
