El ladrón de Bagdad

I don't often beg but please release it on DVD. Make an old man happy. This is another of the marvellous range of Steve Reeves movies that came out in the 60s. I think this is my favourite because it is almost a comedy. It simply has an air of cheerfulness, joy and happiness about it, which you can't really say about any other of his films. The supporting cast is also excellent with a soundtrack that I remember fondly. Reading these comments, if anyone does, you may realise that I am padding to get in the 10 lines of text that are the minimum. The point of the comment is to try to get someone to release it so to reiterate - some company release it - it's better than some of the dross that comes out.

I first saw this film when I was a lad back in 1963. It was probably the most wondrous film I had seen - I must have seen it at least half a dozen times during its run in the cinema. At last it is available on a German Blu-ray but it is still not perfect. When a beautiful princess mysteriously falls ill, the only cure is a magical blue rose, but to find it, the princess's suitors must pass through seven doors, each door a test but woe betide to those who fail; but this is where the present Blu-ray falls down.

The film depicts only six doors, so one is missing and it seems to be of a giant killer crab. It has been suggested that this scene was never filmed but I think it was because I seem to remember a scene of a giant crab and also some video sleeves and other promotional material mention a giant killer crab. It may be that the film was shortened to suit TV slots or to fit in extra showings in cinemas. It would be great if this scene was found and restored to its proper place.

For me though, the best remembered scene is of gorgeous Edy Vessel as the evil temptress Kadeejah with her bevy of scantily-clad dancing girls. I have wondered, over the years if something was going on here. After all, gyrating scantily-clad dancing girls are not suitable for kids to see if they are in a night club, but put them into an Arabian Nights fantasy film and they suddenly become suitable for kids to see. I wonder if Arthur Lubin and maybe others were cocking a snook at the film censors. Even the censorious German FSK system gives it a rating of six years old. Whatever the case, I love this film.

Even though this film would understandably be considered juvenile by many (and I very much enjoyed it as a child), I still, as a middle-aged adult, like it very much. (I can't say this for many other things I liked as a child.)

If one watches it with "fairy tale" in mind, that goes a long way in preventing adult over-criticism.

One of the movie books (Maltin) says it is "occasionally atmospheric." I definitely agree.

Also, it has a pretty musical theme that repeats.

A favorite film of mine.

--Mark M Racine, WI, US(A)

I would second almost everything written in previous comments. I too saw it as a young boy and it stuck with me, along with other fantasies of the period like those from Ray Harryhausen. I recently started looking for it on ebay where I found it's out of print and never released on DVD; of course there are some used VHS copies available, some going for what seem like inflated prices. A previous comment stated that MGM has the distribution rights so I sent a message to them through their website (www.mgm.com) asking for the film's release on DVD. Anyone feeling the same should try it as well, it may help get results.

This is Reeves' best film. It's got it all - a love story, humor, adventure and last but not least a pretty good musical score. Reeves plays Karim a thief who falls in love with a princess. When the princess Amina has a sleeping curse placed on her, Karim must find the only cure - a blue rose. A party sets out from the palace to find the blue rose with the winner getting the hand of the princess in marriage.

The special effects are nothing by today's standards but Reeves and Moll exude a considerable rapport, due in no small part to Arthur Lubin's direction.