Hindsight

Day 18

Classic Kids, or films the kids in your life have to see by 13 or else!

The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

Visually splendid, with wild characters, this is real fantasy stuff, way before the Hobbit. The synopsis sounds a tad sordid, but they really underplay it, with a focus on the lovable characters. I saw this film when I was five, and still think about that carpet ride. From ‘rotten tomatoes’ “In ancient Bagdad, Abu, a good-natured young thief (Sabu), befriends the deposed king Ahmad (John Justin) as both are imprisoned in the palace dungeon, under orders from the evil vizier Jaffar (Conrad Veidt), who has seized the throne. But they escape and make their way to Basra. There are some scary scenes so kids should probably be at least 8 years old.

Roger Ebert rated The Thief of Bagdad among his great movies, "on a level with The Wizard of Oz." According to Ebert, "it maintains a consistent spirit, and that spirit is one of headlong joy in storytelling."

Themes: Friendship, Fantasy, Adventure, Freedom & Love

Media Literacy questions: Why is this film considered a fantasy? What time period is this story meant to take place? How do the characters show their friendship? How does the film use special effects? What were your favorite scenes and why?