My thoughts on The Thief of Baghdad (1924)

Directed by: Raoul Walsh
Written by: Lotta Woods & Douglas Fairbanks
Starring: Douglas Fairbanks, Julanne Johnston, Snitz Edwards

I'm in awe of the special effects used in silent films, because I wonder "How did they do that?" rather then just thinking about CGI. The second half of the movie has the Thief (Douglas Fairbanks) travel on a perilous quest through caves of fire, under the sea, and riding a winged horse. Meanwhile, the three princes vying for the hand of the Princess (Julanne Johnston), fly on a magic carpet. There's a rope that hangs straight up without being attached to anything, and the scale of some of the sets are a marvel to behold (for example, the giant statue which houses the magic crystal in its eye).

I was not expecting to be so caught up in the spectacle either considering what I thought of The Thief for the first half of the movie. He's so cocky in his flaunting of the law, and how he steals from, and ridicules those who live differently from him. He pursues the princess not because of love, but because he wants her, and he always takes what he wants. The second half of the movie is a redemption arc, but truthfully the redemption occurs during his plan to disguise himself as a prince and win the hand of the Princess. He is found out, flogged, and only saved because the Princess already having fallen in love with him, bribes the guards to save his life. Dejected, he seeks the Holy Man (Charles Belcher) he mocked at the start of the film, who sends him on his quest. I think what caused me to stick with such a despicable character for the first hour is Douglas Fairbanks' charisma. His expressions and his gestures. You gain an understanding of how much fun the Thief is having and how much he enjoys life, even while disagreeing with his perspective.

The Mongol Prince (Sojin Kamiyama) lives by a similar creed. He takes what he wants. What he wants is the city of Baghdad, but after meeting the Princess, he sees that he will leave the city with two prizes instead of one. He spies on the Princess, the other princes, and sneaks his army into the city walls. When he signals them, Baghdad is defenseless. It falls and his power is absolute. Only the Thief returning from his quest with magic powder is able to stop him, summoning an entire army to retake the city. The Mongol Prince is thwarted, but we do not see him punished for his crimes. Instead the film focuses on the happiness of the Thief and the Princess, riding off on the magic carpet in love with each other. Their joy is more important than any justice.

I watched the movie in two halves, one night apart. The first half was a slog to get through. I didn't like the Thief and didn't care that his heart was slowly turning because of the Princess. I stopped watching right before the Thief was going to be ripped apart by the palace ape. Throughout the second half, I was sympathetic towards him for wanting to turn his life around, and the lengths he was going through to do it. I marvelled at the special effects. I was emotionally invested in his triumph, and hated the Mongol Prince for his plan to poison the Princess, and then save her life with the magic apple. I'm impressed how the film was able to emotionally invest me when I had such low engagement during its beginning.

Personal Enjoyment: ★★★