Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves *** (1944, Jon Hall, Maria Montez, Turhan Bey, Kurt Katch, Frank Puglia, Andy Devine) – Classic Movie Review 3205

Universal Pictures studio’s lavish, Technicolor-full exotic wartime fairy tale is daft but pacey and jolly, and very popular in its day thanks to the allure of the Jon Hall-Maria Montez duo. It was meant to be another teaming of them with Sabu, but he went into the army and his role as Jamiel was taken over by Turhan Bey.

Montez is the outstanding star attraction and Hall is appealing enough in an energetic turn as the prince Ali Baba, son of the Caliph of Bagdad, who is brought up by the 40 Thieves after the baddie Hulagu Khan (Kurt Katch) who kills Caliph Hassan (Moroni Olsen) and deposes him.

Hall’s Ali Baba sets out to gives battle to Hugalu Khan and first meets Montez, as Amara, the lovely daughter of Prince Cassim (Frank Puglia), when he abducts her from her caravan, leading to romantic complications.

The story is derived from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights but Edmund L Hartmann’s original screenplay departs greatly from it and includes a real historical event.

It’s an entertaining slice of escapist hokum and the acting, especially by Montez, Katch and Turhan Bey as Jamiel, is spirited and fun, while George Robinson’s Technicolor cinematography is a treat.

Scotty Beckett plays Ali Baba as a child, and Andy Devine as the ‘nanny’ Abdullah, Fortunio Bonanova as Old Baba, Chris-Pin Martin as Fat Thief, Jimmy Conlin as Little Thief, Harry Cording as Mahmoud, Ramsay Ames as Nalu, Noel Cravat as Mongol Captain and Yvette Duguay as Amara as a Girl are also in the cast.

It’s set in Persia but Jamiel hoists the shahada, the traditional Saudi Arabian flag. Much of its footage was used in the 1965 remake Sword of Ali Baba.

Other similar Universal films include Cobra Woman, Arabian Nights and White Savage.

Austrian-born Turhan Bey (born 30 March 1922) was the son of a Turkish diplomat and a Czechoslovakian Jewish mother, and was known as ‘The Turkish Delight’. He died at 90 on 30 September 2012 from Parkinson’s disease.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 3205

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