Posters for The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

Detail from the Spanish 1978 re-release poster

This British Technicolor fantasy film was produced by Alexander Korda, boasts great production design and it stars Sabu!

The sequence I like most in this magical movie is Abu’s (Sabu) mission to steal the All-Seeing Eye jewel in the Temple of the Goddess of Light. He has to deal with arrow-firing green-skinned men, he has to scale a giant statue, fight a giant spider on its web and make sure he doesn’t fall into a pool of giant octopi. The design of the temple is wonderful.

Sabu on his quest to attain the All-Seeing Eye — Abu on his quest to attain the All-Seeing Eye

Watch out, Abu: there are octopi at the bottom of the pit!

The movie also has a great score by Miklós Rózsa (who also did the music for THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD), a memorable genie (Rex Ingram) and a fine villain: the cunning Jaffar, played by Conrad Veidt.

A massive genie's foot! — A massive genie’s foot!

Here are just some of the posters that have been produced for this film. Get ready for lots of renditions of Sabu astride a flying carpet and giant, laughing genies!

Enjoy…