The Thief of Bagdad (1940) - The Criterion Collection

Synopsis

Legendary producer Alexander Korda’s marvel The Thief of Bagdad, inspired by The Arabian Nights, is one of the most spectacular fantasy films ever made, an eye-popping effects pioneer brimming with imagination and technical wizardry. When Prince Ahmad (John Justin) is blinded and cast out of Bagdad by the nefarious Jaffar (Conrad Veidt), he joins forces with the scrappy thief Abu (the incomparable Sabu, in his definitive role) to win back his royal place, as well as the heart of a beautiful princess (June Duprez). With its luscious Technicolor, vivid sets, and unprecedented visual wonders, The Thief of Bagdad has charmed viewers of all ages for decades.

Cast

Jaffar	Conrad Veidt
Abu	Sabu
Princess	June Duprez
Ahmad	John Justin
Djinni	Rex Ingram
Sultan	Miles Malleson
The Old King	Morton Selten

Credits

Director	Ludwig Berger, Michael Powell and Tim Whelan
Producer	Alexander Korda
Screenplay and dialogue	Miles Malleson
Production Design	Vincent Korda
Editing	Charles Crichton
Cinematography	George Perinal
Music	Miklós Rózsa
Technicolor color director	Natalie Kalmus
Costumes designed by	Oliver Messel, John Armstrong and Michael Vertes
Scenic background by	Percy Day
Production manager	David B. Cunynghame
Special effects directed by	Lawrence Butler
Sound director	A. W. Watkins
Associate producer	Zoltán Korda and William Cameron Menzies

Disc Features

SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET:

New digital transfer, from restored film elements
Two audio commentaries: one featuring renowned directors Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese, and one with film and music historian Bruce Eder
Visual Effects, a documentary about the technical achievements of The Thief of Bagdad, featuring interviews with special-effects masters Ray Harryhausen, Dennis Muren, and Craig Barron
The Lion Has Wings (1940), Alexander Korda’s propaganda film for the English war effort, created when The Thief of Bagdad went into production hiatus
Excerpts from codirector Michael Powell’s audio dictations for his autobiography
Excerpts from a 1976 radio interview with composer Miklos Rózsa
Stills gallery featuring rare images of the film’s production and photos shot in Dufaycolor * Optional music and effects track
Theatrical trailer
PLUS: A booklet featuring new essays by film scholars Andrew Moor and Ian Christie

From the Current

The Lion Has Wings: The Lion Triumphant

by Ian Christie May 26, 2008

Britain’s heraldic coat of arms features two creatures, a lion and a unicorn, which have often been taken to symbolize the qualities of strength and imagination. As Britain stood on the threshold of a long-dreaded war in 1939, Alexander Korda decided to show what cinema could do to rally the . . .

The Thief of Bagdad: Arabian Fantasies

by Andrew Moor May 26, 2008

For centuries, a double helix of fact and fiction about the East has spiraled into legend and entered the West’s popular imagination. Inevitably, cinema quickly tapped into a reservoir . . .

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