This Technicolor extravaganza had six directors and began filming in the U.K. until the blitz of WWII forced the production to move to the States. Fans of Disney’s animated ALADDIN will find a lot of similarities in this film about the rightful heir of Bagdad whose advisor tricks him out of this throne as well as steals his true love.
The film begins with Prince Ahmed (John Justin, 1978’s THE BIG SLEEP) as a blind beggar on the street with his dog who is actually his faithful ally — the thief Abu (Sabu, BLACK NARCISSUS). Ahmad’s advisor Jaffar (Conrad Veidt, CASABLANCA) has come back to woo the Princess of Basara (June Duprez, THEY RAID BY NIGHT) away from her father the Sultan (Miles Malleson, PEEPING TOM). As the story progresses, we learn how the prince and Abu got in such a predicament.
The movie is filled with high adventure and fantasy as Abu helps Prince Ahmed win the love of the Princess. Abu must face a giant Genie (Rex Ingram, 1943’s SAHARA), a giant spider, blue-skinned warriors and almost drowning at sea.
The acting is way over-the-top, but it adds a grand, old-fashioned fun to the story, which quickly moves from one set piece to the next. The good guys are so likable and the bad guys are so hated that you just get caught up in the adventure.
Surprisingly some of the visual effects, especially with the magic carpet, hold up pretty well. Even if the Genie scenes look silly, the visual effects don’t hurt the fun at all. Adding to the overall effect is the lush cinematography and set design. In another surprise, the film pays a good deal of respect to its setting and doesn’t look down on Arabs in any way. It’s a well-fashioned adventure with loads of imagination.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
