I've never read any of the Arabian mythology, only seen adaptations of it. "The Thief of Baghdad" is one such adaptation, and it delivers exactly what it promises. If you're looking for action and adventure, this is the movie for you. There aren't any genies, mind you. Just the typical things that we find in sword-and-sandal flicks.

The says at the beginning that it got filmed in Tunisia. Tunisia of course made news in 2011 as the birthplace of what became known as Arab Spring. Around the time that they were making the movie, both Tunisia and Iraq - that is, Baghdad's location - had had coups in the past few years, and had more in later years. But Iraq didn't come to the world's attention until the Gulf War (and even during the second Gulf War large numbers of Americans couldn't find Iraq on a map),and Tunisia didn't come to the world's attention until its populace overthrew Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Even so, scenes from two of the most famous movies got filmed in these countries: part of "Star Wars" got filmed in Tunisia and the beginning of "The Exorcist" got filmed in Iraq.

Anyway, "The Thief of Baghdad" is simply a fun movie. Steve Reeves always played cool roles.

This ¨Thousand and one Nights¨ fare results to be an impressive fairy tale of a good and happy-go-lucky thief versus evil vizier full of fantastic elements . This one concerns a resourceful , handsome thief (Steve Reeves) helps a Sultan fight an evil Vizier , and win the hand of a beautiful Princess . This is an Oriental fantasy about ¨Thousand and one Arabian nights¨ plenty of incredible adventures, fantasy , witchery and wizardly. As a likeble thief falls in love for for a gorgeous princess (Giorgia Moll) whose father tries to marry off her , but she is poisened , as Steve and other suitors seek out the magical blue rose which is the antidote and all of them go across the seven fantastic doors . The wily young thief enlists the aid of a powerful genie (Chamarat) to face off the nasty and scheming Grand Vizier , Prince Osman (Arturo Dominici) who is helped by Gamal (Daniele Vargas). The malignant vizier with powerful magic faculties imprisons the princess . The thief then escapes thanks the magician and goes throughout the desert to find the antidote . The story accumulates several fantastic ingredients such as transformation of the starring, a flying horse, and of course , the sympathetic genie who gives wishes to Steve , among others.

An adventure fantasy about an astute thief : Reeves , a princess : Moll , a witch : Eddy Vessell , beautiful maidens , spectacular dances and a lot of magic . An Arabian Nights spectacle with lush cinematography , expensive sets , fine special effects and striking soundtrack .This remarkable picture ranks as one of the finest fantastic Italian films of all time. Easy to take , but not the best rendition of this oft-told tale . This is an agreeable and catching story with so much oriental events , there should have been some suspense , emotion and more action . Lavishly produced by Joseph E Levine , Bruno Vailati and MGM and being well directed by the American Arthur Lubin with a stunning screenplay . The production thanks the government of Tunisia for the assistance received during the company's location work there .The splendid visual and glimmer Technicolor cinematography , setting and FX provoked a big success . Colorful cinematography by Tonino Delli Colli and acceptable Special Effects , though today are dated and is urgent a necessary remastering because of the colors are worn-out , as it has to get a newly struck print . Adding the evocative and oriental musical score by Carlo Rustichelli . This vivid tale with immense doses of imagination will appeal to fantasy fans and Italian cinema buffs.

Remade many times , such as : the classy silent crowd-pleaser who uses a genie's magic to outwit the evil Caliph shot in 1924 by Raoul Walsh with Douglas Fairbanks Sr , Anna Maria Wong . The British classic 1940 by Tim Whelan , Michael Powell , Ludwig Berger with Sabu , Jane Duprez , Conrad Veidt , Rex Ingram . And a no as lavish flick as the previous productions by this title , not as much fun directed 1978 by Clive Donner with Roddy McDowall , Kabir Bedi ,Marina Vlady , Frank Finlay .

Hollywood made many Arabian Tales on the fifties and sixties with huge box-office, also in Europe but mainly in Italy, it was a charming genre, plenty of adventures, flying carpet, friendly outlaws heroes, black villains, many pretty Princess, magicians, fantasy, Genius of lamp, winged horse, whatever you can imagine, "Il Ladro di Bagdad" bring the American bodybuilder Steve Reeves for the leading role, he plays Karim a sort of Arabian Robin Hood, stealing of the rich to give to the poor people, until meeting with the Princess Amina (Giorgia Moll),when appears the Grand Vizier Gamal (Daniele Vargas) who wants a political alliance with Baghdad marrying with the Princess, otherwise he will takes the city by his powerful Army, however the Princess Amina refuses such dirty agreement, then a magician prescribe a potion that she will falling in love to Vizier if she wasn't falling in love before, she stays sick for an indefinite period, then came up an old magician (The Funny George Chamarat) exposing how she could be save, a brave man should be finds and bring a blue rose after the seven gates will be saves and got her heart, a dozen men sign up to the deadly journey including Karim and the shady Vizier, using old special effects on several image overlay, scale model, painting backdrop and many others means giving a magical look on the enterprise, masterfully designed with valuable results, great funny adventure !!!

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First watch: 1980 / How many: 4 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.5