KING'S THEATRE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 121, 24 May 1941, Page 12

KING'S THEATRE

"THIEF OF BAGDAD"

"The Thief of Bagdad," which drew crowded houses at the King's Theatre yesterday,! is a brilliant fantasy in the spirit of the Arabian Nights. Its proaucer, Alexander Korda, has achieved ■i reputation for unusual and striking productions, but there is no doubt that 'The Thief" is his best yet. The useof techmcolour, ■ which brings out tht full beauty. of .lavish ■ eastern settings, is little short of a stroke of genius The film is a fascinating one. as much tor the splendour and "novelty of its settings as' for the weird and magicaJ situations unfolded in its plot. The scene is in old Bagdad—the Bagdad of the Golden Age—with the grandson of the great 'Haroun al Raschid on the throne of Persia. The sun of the Golden Age is nearing its ?etting, how ever, and djinns and black riiagic are sufficiently rare for their manifestation to be regarded as a little unusual. The tale is that of the young king, who ousted from his throne by "a trick play ad by his vizier Jaffar. enlists the services of a little thief to win hii throne the most beautiful princess in Persia md. presumably his life-long happiness It is a duel between the black magic jf Jaffar and an interesting team leaded by a djinn several hundred feet high,' a magic carpet, a Bone of Justice, an all-seeing eye. and Sabu The little Indian youngster is the star of the show, though he is probably outshone by trip evil genius ot the film Jaffar (played by Conrad Veidt). Jolm Tustin is a most convincing exiled king and as the object of his search June Duprez leaves little to be desired Re>: Ingram plays his biggest part to date as the djinn, and makes a great success of it. Supports include newsreelt and travelogues of more than usua. interest. '' ■ I