Thief of Bagdad

Synopsis

A nimble thief falls in love with the Caliph’s daughter and must embark on a magical quest to prove his worth against a treacherous Mongol prince. Facing sea monsters, flying carpets, and mystical challenges, he transforms from a street rogue into a hero worthy of royalty. Douglas Fairbanks shines in this dazzling fantasy adventure, which dazzled audiences with its massive sets and innovative special effects, becoming a defining blockbuster of the silent era.

Critique

Raoul Walsh and Douglas Fairbanks created the definitive fantasy blockbuster with this sprawling epic. Its massive, imaginative sets and groundbreaking special effects, from flying carpets to giant monsters, set a scale for spectacle that few films have matched. Fairbanks’ athletic grace transformed the action hero into a figure of balletic beauty. The film is a pure celebration of cinema as escapism, influencing Aladdin and Star Wars. It proved that movies could transport audiences to entirely new worlds, blending artistic design with popular entertainment.

Technical sheet

Director

Raoul Walsh

Year

1924

Country

United States

Running time

149 min

Genre

Romance, Adventure, Fantasy

Written by

Douglas Fairbanks, Achmed Abdullah, James T. O'Donohoe, Lotta Woods

Cinematography

Arthur Edeson

Cast

Douglas Fairbanks, Snitz Edwards, Charles Belcher, Julanne Johnston, Sôjin Kamiyama, Anna May Wong

Production

Douglas Fairbanks Pictures

Music

Newly composed original score

Licensing