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Variety,
March 26, 1924
Thief
of Bagdad (1924)
Douglas Fairbanks
production with Fairbanks starred; written by Elton Thomas; directed
by Raoul Walsh; scenario, Lotta Woods; Arthur Ederson, photographer;
Dr. Arthur Woods, research director, with Edward Knoblock consultant;
William Cameron Menzies, art director. Special presentation opened
March 18 at the Liberty, New York. Twice daily at $2.20 top.
| The
Thief of Bagdad |
Douglas
Fairbanks |
|
| His
Evil Associate |
Snitz Edwards |
| The
Holy Man |
Charles
Belcher |
| The
Princess |
Julianne
Johnston |
| The
Mongol Slave |
Anna May
Wong |
| The
Slave of the Lute |
Winter
Blossom |
| The
Slave of the Sand Board |
Etta Lee |
| The
Caliph |
Brandon
Hurst |
| His
Soothsayer |
Tote Du
Crow |
| The
Mongol Prince |
So-Jin |
| His
Counselor |
K. Nambu |
| His
Court Magician |
Sadakichi
Hartmann |
| The
Indian Prince |
Noble Johnson |
| The
Persian Prince |
M. Comont |
| His
Awaker |
Charles
Stevens |
| The
Sworder |
Sam Baker |
| The
Eunuchs |
Jess Weldon,
Scott Mattraw, Charles Sylvester |
 Douglas
Fairbanks would have his public believe "The Thief of Bagdad"
is the kind of picture he has always wanted to do — its flights
of fancy, illusions of the magical "Arabian Nights" upon
which the story is founded, the dreams that were his as a boy. Perhaps
there is more to that than the publicity department’s weaving
of the matter.
But Doug has
come forth with an absorbing, interesting picture, totally different
than any of its predecessors. Never once does the present day commonplace
intrude, nor the dramatics of countless pictures that have gone
before. "The Thief of Bagdad" is not so much of a story
as it is a presentation of mystical events. It is laid in the mystic
regions that lie eastward of the Suez.
Nearly all of
it is fairy-tale like or phantasy (sic), and so well is it done
that the picture carries its audience along in the spirit of the
depiction. "The Arabian Nights" are classic stories in
book form. "The Thief of Bagdad" is a classic in pictures.
The wealth of
magic that is applicable to pictures has finally been adapted by
Fairbanks. Why someone else did not think of it before is one of
the things that lend to motion pictures that unknown quantity —
what they will develop. Doubtless others have prognosticated the
production of a work of such caliber upon realizing the maze of
detail, effort and executive brilliance.
The solving
of the problem of how to picturize the castles and bizarre effects
of the far east was worked out by a corps of glass blowers. Those
men evolved airy castles high upon the mount and they wove gorgeous
effects that the camera portrays as real.
There is a magic
rope thrown into the air up which the Thief climbs high walls. There
is a magic carpet upon which he sails with his princess away into
the land of happiness. There is a magic chest which the favored
one retrieved after heroic struggles through the valley of fire,
the vale of dragons, even to the depths of the seas. It is the thief,
now a prince who returns at the coming of the seventh moon to win
his princess against the wiles of Oriental potentates seeking her
hand. He wraps her in his invisible cloak and whisks her away.
The incident
of the chest is one of many surprises and its usage near the close
is something of a parallel to the army on motorcycles that gave
the punch to "A Connecticut Yankee at the Court of St. James".
Returning to the castle, the new silken-clad hero finds it overrun
with soldiers of the powerful Mongol Prince. He rides about scattering
sands from the chest and instantly a vast army springs from the
ground to march forward and regain the castle.
The story starts
with a scene in Bagdad, where the Thief, customarily stripped to
the waist, purloins a magic rope. With it he scales the castle walls
and is about to make off with the casket of priceless jewels when
he looks upon the princess, glorious in her luxurious couch. It
is her beauty that changes him from a laggard and he goes forth
to win a long battle for the right to possess her.
There is a profusion
of fine long shots and the maze of strange settings are great aids
in keeping interest evenly balanced through the showing. Many of
the scenes are tinted, designed to picture the spirit of the incident
or event. So entirely different is "Bagdad" that it might
have been shot in the lands it is supposed to picture. That it is
authentic is not questioned, for clever people have aided in its
making and persons who have visited some of the far away regions
agree the picture is beyond criticism in that respect.
Fairbanks as
the Thief gives a corking performance. Not so much of the athletic
stunts of his earlier pictures are resorted to. He makes his hero
more the dream lover of the story. Snitz Edwards as his associate
in the evil days is one of the outstanding figures.
The cast has
been brightly selected, as, for instance, players of Oriental extraction
are used for such characters. At the head of those players and indeed
second to Fairbanks is So-Jim in the role of the Mongol Prince,
a really fine characterization. Anna May Wong as the little slave
girl who is a spy for the Mongol Prince, proved herself a fine actress.
Julanne Johnston as the princess is languorous, being more decorative
than inspiring.
The premier
of "The Thief of Bagdad" was made sensational by the crush
of picture fans who massed about the theatre entrance. Doug and
Mary Pickford entered the lobby football fashion, a group of policemen
forcing a passage. When the showing was over at nearly 11:30 the
same crowd was outside, but kept in better order.
Morris Gest
was the selection of Fairbanks to sponsor the film, Gest and his
partner, F. Ray Comstock "having the honor to present".
Perhaps some of Gest’s ideas are the result of the Oriental
atmosphere in the lobby, where Hindoo (sic) singers and musicians
provide atmosphere and incense perfumes in the air. Gest’s
bit is said to be a percentage arrangement whereby he receives about
$3,000 weekly.
"The Thief
of Bagdad" is the finished product of trick photography, a
magical tale brilliantly picturized. A store adjoining the theatre
has been hastily established by ticket speculators, a sure sign
of a big demand. A clever sign showing Doug and his princess in
midair upon the magic carpet attracts attention to the theatre,
which should long hold the picture, incidentally a bear of a matinee
card because of the kid-draw.
copyright
© 1924 Variety
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