The Thief of Bagdad (1924)

93% of critics liked it
(15 reviews)
76% of users liked it
(2,000 ratings)

Douglas Fairbanks is at his most graceful and charismatic in one of the classic silent films of the 1920s. As the thief of Baghdad, his movements are dance-like -- nothing like the athletics he performed in most of his other films. In this Arabian take, the thief ignores the holy teachings and… More Douglas Fairbanks is at his most graceful and charismatic in one of the classic silent films of the 1920s. As the thief of Baghdad, his movements are dance-like -- nothing like the athletics he performed in most of his other films. In this Arabian take, the thief ignores the holy teachings and sneaks into the palace of the Caliph (Brandon Hurst). All thoughts of robbery slip away, however, when he sees the beautiful princess (Julanne Johnston). Princes have come from many faraway lands to win the princess' hand (and it's amusing to watch her face growing ever more alarmed at their arrival, because each one is uglier than the last). The thief disguises himself as a prince and the princess falls in love with him. After having a pang of conscience, the thief confesses all to the Holy Man (Charles Belcher), who sends him to find a magic chest. He braves many obstacles to get it, and when he returns he discovers that the Mongol Prince (Sojin) has taken over the city. Using the chest, the reformed thief creates armies of men out of nothingness and recaptures the city. He then uses the cloak of invisibility to spirit the princess away on a magic carpet. Fairbanks stole some of the special effects for his film from Fritz Lang's Der Müde Tod, which he had purchased for American distribution. The Thief of Baghdad, with its look of unrealistic beauty (courtesy of art director William Cameron Menzies), was not fully appreciated in its day. Because of its huge cost (two million dollars -- a real fortune in those days), it made little money. After that, Fairbanks stuck closer to the swashbuckling persona he felt his audience wanted. Available now on DVD, the remastered film features a new score by Carl Davis. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 33 min.
Directed By: Raoul Walsh
Genres: Action & Adventure, Kids & Family, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Mar 18, 1924 Wide
On DVD: Jan 7, 1998
Studio: United Artists

Critic Reviews

, TIME Magazine
It is like reading the Arabian Nights at one sitting, with only six minutes allowed to stretch the limbs and get the contrast of a workaday world.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Walsh's dynamism is evident in every frame of this deftly Americanized fantasy, beautifully designed by William Cameron Menzies.
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
Douglas Fairbanks is magnetic in this fun early adventure.
Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Visually spectacular mix of adventure movie and fantasy.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A visual extravaganza.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
The immense space -- both vertical and horizontal -- in this film finally seemed enough to contain Fairbanks' sheer gusto.
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
The film has a joyful sort of grandeur that's basically dead in the modern cinema.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Korda's version of 1940 has the quirks and the luscious colour, but this one has the electric energy.
Steven D. Greydanus, Decent Films Guide
Unprecedented special effects and sets… perhaps the first great achievement of cinematic epic mythopoeia, and the forerunner to the likes of The Lord of the Rings.
, Film4
Full of astounding effects way ahead of their time, this first screen version of the famous Arabian Nights fable is wonderfully extravagant.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Fairbanks's splendid flourishes infect the whole cast.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Not up to the 1940 version , but a treat

Read all 12 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

The first half of the movie is a predictable romantic comedy type story, but it changes in the middle and gets exciting as the thief goes on an epic adventure to win the princess. This is a really long movie, a little too long, but it's got some really cool special effects in… More
The first half of the movie is a predictable romantic comedy type story, but it changes in the middle and gets exciting as the thief goes on an epic adventure to win the princess. This is a really long movie, a little too long, but it's got some really cool special effects in the second part and Fairbanks is awesome as usual.
Veronique K

silent "thief of bagdad" is raoul walsh's lush classic with original swashbuckler douglas fairbanks in the imaginatively turbulent exotic land of arab...it is intertwined with the bizarre outlandishness of persia, india, china as well as the essence of arab under… More
silent "thief of bagdad" is raoul walsh's lush classic with original swashbuckler douglas fairbanks in the imaginatively turbulent exotic land of arab...it is intertwined with the bizarre outlandishness of persia, india, china as well as the essence of arab under intepretation of the primary stage of hollywood aesthetism. the visuality is mythically expressionistic thrived with every stroke of riotous imageries, such as the prophetic magic crystal upon the pupil of indian buddha with multiple hands, the swirling marine palace with mermaids, the flaming caves within the moon and the mongol eccentric courtesies.....of course, it also includes the cameos of the first chinese american hollywood star, anna may wong as the undercover mongolian slavegirl who doublecrosses the princess. inevitablly chineses are the ultimate villains douglas fairbanks have to confront then conquer. fairbanks stars as the title role, theif of bagdad, who is a frivolous but resourceful man abiding upon the life philosophy of grasping everything he wants at once...an incorrigible crook who lives for his own pleasure...he enjoys his unrepetant thieveries until his arms are set upon the fair chaste princess of bagdad, so he gotta earn himself a honour of prince by seeking the rarest treasure on earth seperately with his competitors: princes of persia, india, and mongol...how shall he overwhelm the persian flying carpet, indian crystal ball and mongolian healing golden apple? eventually chinese mongols are the evil ones who entrap the princess then besiege bagdad with insidious ambush...the odd thing is mongols are all dressed in the constumes of merchurian dynasty in the last century of china as if it's whimsical pastiche of silent hollywood with all the background extravagenza which functions highly upon human endeavor in the age without CGI...the result might be blatantly exposable but still a granduer visual feast....most of all, our athletic swashbuckler douglas fairbanks is flamboyantly dashing enough to live up as the fearless romantic hero. "theif of bagdad" is somehow the best exemplification of the so called "american orientialism" with a distorted image upon the east by dismissing it as "primitive, slavish, exotic, manipulative, and amoral," particularly upon china. arab, persia, india and china are all "orient" by the ancient definition of the occident, so " the more eastern the more twisted" would be the principle to comply. personally, as what i mentioned before upon "the shanghai gesture," at least being "primitive, slavish, exotic, manipulative, and amoral" is still uncompromisingly edgy with its luring characteristics. so far, the coolest asian hollywood star to me is still anna may wong with her quirky orientalness blended in the sensuality which populates in 20s~40s.
Pierluigi P

My favorite version of the Arabian nights tale is this wonderful, timeless epic fantasy with a great acrobatic performance by Douglas Fairbanks. magical ride for all of us who are still kids.
MJS M

An early example of a fantasy adventure, starring the silent film star Douglass Fairbanks. An early work from director Raoul Walsh, who would go on to have a very long and prestigious career in the early studio system well into the 1950s. I could really see the roots of Indiana… More
An early example of a fantasy adventure, starring the silent film star Douglass Fairbanks. An early work from director Raoul Walsh, who would go on to have a very long and prestigious career in the early studio system well into the 1950s. I could really see the roots of Indiana Jones here, this is exactly the kind of pulpy adventure that inspired that character. Still the story telling isn?t brilliant and most of the movie didn?t quite live up to the great first twenty minutes or so. It sort of seems like they tried to fill the film with too much? stuff, it can never dwell on any one cool thing as it keeps moving on to other things too quickly. I sort of got the feeling this is sort of the silent equivalent of a Roland Emmeich movie, I don?t mean that as an insult so much as a description. I?m sure it was a major spectacle at the time, but plotwise it?s a bit iffy. Still I liked watching it and its definitely a great time capsule. I?ve heard the 1940 remake is even better, and I?ll definitely check that out when Criterion puts it out on DVD.