The Thief of Baghdad
Thief of Baghdad, The,a title which has been used by a cluster of oriental fantasies exploiting the iconography of The Arabian Nights —winged horses, omnipotent sorcerers, magic lamps, jinn in bottles, veiled princesses, precious flowers and, above all, flying carpets. Within this context, each production was inflected to catch the mood of the moment.
The first Thief was that of Douglas Fairbanks who, in 1924, as producer and star, used Baghdad as a setting for spectacle, morality, and his personal athleticism. The arrogant, flamboyant thief flouts religion and all forms of authority until he sets forbidden eyes on the Princess. Then, pretending to be a prince, he wins her love but is driven to confess the truth to a Holy Man, who sends him on a long, hazardous journey for a magic chest. Only through struggle and penitence will he earn happiness. Finally overcoming all obstacles, he returns on a...
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