TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

GazerRise Fantastic!

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 31 December 1946 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Palace: 22 January 1947. U.S. release: 13 January 1947. U.K. release: 18 August 1947. Australian release: 25 September 1947. 10,724 feet. 119 minutes.SYNOPSIS: On his 8th voyage, Sinbad finds himself competing with a beautiful princess, a blood-thirsty emir, a scheming barber and a mysterious thug called the Jackal for a treasure buried in the long-lost palace of Alexander the Great.NOTES: Negative cost: a staggering $2,460,000 - all of which is up there on the screen to enjoy and admire. Initial domestic rentals gross: around $3 million, which after paying print, advertising and distribution costs, probably broke even or made a small loss which overseas rentals would have turned into a very modest profit overall.COMMENT: I don't suppose we should be surprised that Sinbad was not nominated for any prestigious Hollywood award, though it easily outshone The Yearling in both the Color Cinematography and Color Art Direction categories. The trouble is of course that Sinbad was conceived purely as entertainment, not as "prestige". And what great entertainment it offers. True, the script is a trifle wordy, but I mean, who's listening all that intently when such breathtaking scenery and exotic costumes are constantly drifting past the camera? The dialogue has a poetic ring to it, and a lightly perfumed flavor of the Arabian Nights. Not a heavily authentic flavor it is true, but it will pass with all but the most finicky Burton scholars. And the performances are totally right. Fairbanks is perfect as the bragging Sinbad, Miss O'Hara surprisingly comes through with flying colors in a tricky role as a scheming princess who uses her beauty and romance as a tool, whilst Walter Slezak gives one of the most riveting portraits of his villainous career as a double-edged barber with more than close shaving on his mind. The support cast is full of familiar (if impenetrably bearded) faces, which just adds further pleasure to an already overcrowded slice of derring-do. Roy Webb's lyrical music score is a further major asset.OTHER VIEWS: A cleverly written, impishly played, and lightly directed romp through the exotic pages of your Arabian Nights. Mr Fairbanks plays with the right tongue-in-cheek bravado, Miss O'Hara is a Turkish delight to dazzle the eye, Mr Slezak the sort of smooth-talking, fast thinking villain to keep the action simmering (with a slight assist from the more openly mercenary Anthony Quinn) for 117 minutes. Sumptuous sets and costumes round out the tale very nicely thank you, though we do miss a few of the more exotic creatures of the Nights such as giants and djinns, monsters and wizards. -J.H.R. in Photoplayer.

ptb-8 Visually breathtaking, this RKO Technicolor fantasy is a sumptuous feast, funny, campy and deliriously entertaining. There is really no reason or point to complain about any silly thing in this gloriously silly and funny film because it is produced like that already. But, wow, a Technicolor treat of truly 'gasp out loud' art design and set construction reactions, and hilarious for kids as well. Maureen O'Hara makes as unlikely a princess (think, casting) as anyone else thoroughly enjoying themselves in this expensive storybook feast. Made for $2.6m in 1946 and all of it there on screen, this film boasts a wondrous supporting cast of character players... even Sheldon Leonard as a startled auctioneer, and sexy Jane Greer all dressed in harem finery. The real art deco splendor of the Arabian styled art direction really kicks into high spectacle when they sail to Daraynbar and go to the Princess' palace... there is a green corridor with a incredible spiral staircase: scenes where I found myself repeating just to believe what I was seeing. This is a really beautiful funny film and a lot of fun... but the color the costumes and the sets are beyond belief in their Hollywood fantasy imagery. I guess after the Universal series of similar films with Maria Montez and even Monogram's success with THE SULTAN'S DAUGHTER it seems RKO wanted to top the lot for sheer dazzling screen imagery and fantasy screen fun. They succeeded!

Juha Hämäläinen Douglas Fairbanks Jr., like father like son. Or at least trying to be, as he dances the action almost in a way of ballet like his more legendary father used to do in many classic adventure films. Great sets and glorious colors give this adventure much the same charm as Alexander Korda's 1940 production of 'The Thief of Bagdad' has. The director has wisely used all advantage of them and created some truly fantastic pictures, that are delightfully beautiful and symmetric to look at. They seem like Edmund Dulac's illustrations from old fantasy books suddenly coming alive.Much in the same vein of 'The Thief' most of the acting is done with due exaggeration and tongue in cheek. Acting wise the hero is merely left to play the second fiddle to the villain, the stoical but creepy Anthony Quinn. But the real main attraction and a scene stealer for me is Maureen O'Hara as "the rose of Bagdad". Jane Greer also pops up as a servant to O'Haras princess, but unfortunately her role here is just too small. This is a great, fun fantasy from the golden age of Hollywood showing a specifically good example of its values for powerful production design and the film would probably deserve a little more recognition.

rwdrex Simply stated, Douglas Fairbank, Jr. makes this film an effective tribute to his father's much more enjoyable classic "The Thief of Bagdad". Everything from the setting, the story, and the characters mirror that classic silent film. Fairbank, Jr.'s gestures, movements, and most notably his mock laughter towards his adversaries denote his father's performance.Sadly, the film itself does not so nobly mirror "Thief". From bad dialog, poor effects, and an uninspired story we're left with an average adventure film. Only the performances of the actors and the beautiful Technicolor photography raise this film from mediocrity.Maureen O'Hara as the "princess" provides a strong, sexy female lead to this male dominant cast. Walter Slezak chews up the scenery as a slimy heavy. Even Anthony Quinn gets into the act as a competitor to Fairbanks for O'Hara and the inevitable "treasure".Fairbanks provides the best performance of the cast, one more compelling if you've seen any of his father's films. He captures his father's charm brilliantly. Unfortunately, he lacks his father's physical prowess as is evident by the abundant use of stunt doubles.I casually recommend this film to anyone who enjoys Fairbanks, Sr. films, pirate films, or to anyone who just likes looking at Maureen O'Hara--in Color! If you can find a copy of this film on video check it out.