The Thief of Bagdad (1924)

dir. Raoul Walsh
writ. Achmed Abdullah, James T. O'Donohue, Lotta Woods
feat. Douglas Fairbanks

I was lucky to catch this classic silent film at the Film Forum with live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner. While I've seen a bunch of silent films, I hadn't yet caught any of Fairbanks' films or any of the epic silents of the early Hollywood era. What an amazing picture! Fairbanks is in terrific shape, moving slyly and gracefully through the enormous elaborate sets as he slips from thief to prince over the course of the film. The sets are astounding, particularly the city gate which must be six stories tall with sharp teeth along its adjoining doors.

The story is a long one, showing Fairbanks in his easygoing life as an accomplished thief, content with his "What I want, I take," philosophy until he falls for the Princess of Bagdad and must change his ways to earn her hand in marriage. It takes some time to get him to meet the Princess, then pose as a Prince in an attempt to kidnap her when he falls for her, unable to follow through on the grand theft. She falls for him as well and chooses him as her husband, but he is found out and only barely saved from being thrown to the ape to be torn apart (actually a large chimp that never gets the chance to lay hands on the lucky thief). Finally, downtrodden and turning to religion, the thief is told by a holy man that he can prove himself by going on a long, dangerous journey over the course of which he will prove his worth and gain a treasure worthy of a queen.

The princess sends her other suitors out for treasures just to buy herself time, not wanting to marry the other men- one old, one fat and lazy, and the last one ugly and evil, with his own secret plan to take over the city. This sets up a third act of high adventure with more stunning sets and a show of the special effects of the age. Fairbanks braves fire and monsters in a nice mix of puppetry and composite shots, including an underwater battle with a giant spider (?) and subsequent fending off of alluring water nymphs. The dashing Fairbanks is tempted but remembers his princess and swims chastely to safety. Ultimately, he arrives at the Citadel of the Moon where he takes a miniature chest filled with magic powder that permits him to conjure a horse, princely raiment and soldiers to battle the evil Mongol prince. While no one seems to inhabit the citadel, it does seem a bit like he steals the chest, though I suppose his lengthy quest justifies this prize.

It's a fun film and a fantastic example of the grandeur of old Hollywood. While some of the acting is broad and overly emphatic, Fairbanks is also playful and athletically subtle, clearly deserving of his star status.

Check it out!