1001 Nights (1945)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | 1001 night |
| Original title | A Thousand and One Nights |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1945 |
| length | 93 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Alfred E. Green |
| script |
Wilfred H. Petitt Richard English Jack Henley |
| production | Samuel Bischoff |
| music | Marlin Skiles |
| camera | Ray Rennahan |
| cut | Gene Havlick |
| occupation | |
| |
1001 Nights (original title A Thousand and One Nights ) is an American fairy tale and adventure film from 1945 with contemporary swipes. Directed by Alfred E. Green plays Cornel Wilde Aladin, Evelyn Keyes a genie and a Wild Sidekick is Phil Silvers be seen in the role of a pickpocket.
action
In the West at an indefinite time, the vagabond Aladin wanders through the country singing. He has his hands full with keeping his friend Abdullah, a notorious thief, away from anger that he magically attracts. When the beautiful Princess Armina, the daughter of the Sultan Kamar Al-Kir, is carried in a sedan chair through the streets of the lively 1001 Nights city, Aladdin is instantly in dire straits . Every common man who sees the face of the gracious princess is subject to the death penalty by law! Still, Aladin just can't look away. He distracts the guards and slips into the litter with her. Aladin can persuade Armina to lift the delicate veil that has been drawn down in front of her face and is downright delighted that all the stories that have circulated about her beauty are actually true. Aladin instantly falls in love with Armina. The sultan's daughter, however, does not reciprocate his feelings, but neither does she call for help, since Aladin leaves the litter as quickly as he got into the chair.
Aladin cannot forget Armina, and so he later goes to the sultan's palace to see the princess again. In this endeavor, he is caught and thrown into the dungeon, where he meets his long-fingered friend Abdullah again. According to the quick judgment, the executioner is already waiting for the singer the next day. Armina, who was scared to death, does not like this either, and so she instructs her faithful servant Novira to steal the cell key from the prison guard and give it to Aladin. Indeed, Aladin and Abdullah can break free and secretly leave the city with the Sultan's henchmen on their necks. The two friends hide in a cave on their escape, where they meet the magician and warlock Kofir. Kofir instructs Aladdin to go inside the cave and bring a magic lamp from there. On the way there, Aladin and the somewhat frightened Abdullah encounter a giant who scares them both, but the two friends return from inside with the magic lamp. You can no longer leave the cave because the warlock has conjured a mighty boulder in front of the cave entrance. On the condition that Aladdin handed him the lamp, he would remove the rock again, said Kofir. Aladin doesn't trust the devious man and prefers to keep the lamp to himself. Thereupon Kofir disappears and leaves Aladin and Abdullah to their fate.
Aladin is so angry about this situation that he angrily throws away the magic lamp, whereupon a red-haired, female genie is freed. She calls herself Babs and tells Aladdin to rub the bottle properly. This makes Aladdin their lord and master. According to Babs, only their master can see and hear them and have power over them. Aladin does as he is told and first demands that she free him and Abdullah from this cave. So it happens, and Aladin decides to return immediately to the palace and to “his” princess - much to the displeasure of the genie in a bottle, who has meanwhile fallen in love with his master. Aladdin's company is accompanied by an oriental-clad entourage - also a magic work by Babs. Meanwhile, the Sultan's twin brother, Prince Hadji, has usurped power and assumed the Sultan's position. The usurper is supported by the villainous Grand Vizier Wazir Abu-Hassan, who was promised the hand of the coveted Princess Armina as a reward for his unconditional allegiance.
Aladin moves into the sultan's palace with his entourage and claims that he is the prince of Hindustan. Since the new ruler Hadji prefers a rich, new family member to his grand vizier, he agrees to Aladdin's / Hindustan's courtship for Armina. Meanwhile, the amorous genie Babs tries everything to torpedo this romantic connection. Magician Kofir, who had been watching the process through a magic crystal the whole time, now also appears in the palace walls and pretends to want to exchange new lamps for old ones. All he wants, however, is to get his hands on the lamp with the helpful genie. Babs succeeds in persuading the innocent servant Novira to exchange the genie lamp for another. Things soon get moving as Kofir undoes all the tricks of the genie in a bottle. Armina thus realizes that Hadji is not her father, and the exposed Aladin and his buddy Abdullah are taken away to be unraveled as cheaters soon. Grand Vizier Abu-Hassan promises to spare both lives if Armina agrees to marry him.
Armina is willing to accept this deal. Aladin is released again and now believes that Armina was only playing with his feelings. But Novira tells him what really happened, and so Aladin and Abdullah track down Kofir and discover that he has died of a stroke in the face of the overwhelming joy of holding so much power in his hands. You regain possession of the magic lamp and return to the palace. Here it comes to a fencing fight to the life and death between Aladdin and Throneurper Hadji. The Sultan, who has been restored to office and dignity, is now full of gratitude and ready to give his Armina Aladin as wife. Genie Babs is left heartbroken. But she has a brilliant idea: She conjures up a twin brother of Aladdin who has to fall in love with her. To reward Abdullah for his loyal service, she gives him Frank Sinatra's voice so that he can penetrate the chamber of the harem girls.
Production notes
1001 Nights was filmed between November 8, 1944 and January 27, 1945 and premiered on July 11, 1945. The German premiere was on July 7, 1950.
The film structures nominated for an Oscar were designed by Stephen Goosson and Rudolph Sternad . Frank A. Tuttle took on the equipment . Jean Louis was responsible for the extensive fantasy costumes. Lawrence W. Butler designed the special effects, which were also nominated for an Oscar. Morris Stoloff was musical director, George Duning arranged the music composed by Marlin Skiles . The later film star Mel Ferrer worked unnamed as the dialogue coach in this film.
Reviews
In the lexicon of international films it says: “A fairytale adventure film that freely varies the story" Aladdin and the Magic Lamp "with ironic Americanisms. With clear parallels to the successful film "Thief of Baghdad" ... in which Rex Ingram also plays a giant, a lively oriental fairy tale unfolds with good trick effects, brilliantly equipped and convincingly played. "
“Good escapism based on Arabian nights fairy tales. Colorful production with usable cast ... "
Halliwell's Film Guide thought the film was "an amusing take-off with the Arabian Nights with good jokes and music."
Individual evidence
- ↑ 1001 nights. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed February 23, 2019 .
- ^ Leslie Halliwell : Halliwell's Film Guide, Seventh Edition, New York 1989, p. 2021.
Web links
- A thousand and one nights on Turner Classic Movies
- Arabian Nights at the American Film Institute
- Complete review in Variety
- 1001 Nights in the Internet Movie Database (English)