Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is a 1944 adventure film from Universal Pictures, directed by Arthur Lubin, and starring Maria Montez, Jon Hall, and Turhan Bey. The film is derived from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights, but its storyline departs greatly from the folk tale of the same name, wedding that story to an actual historic event. The film is one of series of "exotic" tales released by Universal during the Second World War; others include Cobra Woman, Arabian Nights, and White Savage.
Plot
Persia, A.D. 1258. After Mongolian forces conquer Bagdad, the caliph Hassan escapes captivity, along with his young son Ali. While staying at the estate of Prince Cassim, Ali and Cassim's daughter Amara, fearing they will be separated, betroth themselves via a blood-bond. Later, Cassim betrays Hassan to the Mongols' leader, Hulagu Khan. Young Ali watches his father die, and vowing revenge, he escapes capture and makes for the desert. At one point, he spies a mountainside where a group of riders exits a hidden cave. Ali enters the cave and finds it filled with treasure. When the riders return, they find the boy asleep in their hideout. Upon learning he is the son of Hassan, and impressed by his courageous spirit, they allow him to stay. Their leader, Old Baba, adopts him as his son, dubbing him Ali Baba.
More details
| author | Edmund Hartmann |
|---|---|
| contentLocation | Iraq |
| director | Arthur Lubin |
| editor | Russell F. Schoengarth |
| genre | adventure |
| keywords | ambush arabian flag arrest battle of baghdad blood-bond blood brother caliph capture chance encounter childhood friends conquer bagdad dub flag of saudi arabia hulagu khan kidnap kill learn lost child plan ransom demand report rescue resistance fighter robin hood true identity wedding day wound |
| musicBy | J. Keirn Brennan |
| producer | Paul Malvern |
| publisher | Universal Pictures |