Ali Baba and the Forty Robbers (1944)

Movie
German title	Ali Baba and the forty robbers
Original title	Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Country of production	United States
original language	English
Publishing year	1944
length	84 minutes
Age rating	FSK 12
Rod
Director	Arthur Lubin
script	Edmund L. Hartmann
production	Paul Malvern
music	Edward Ward
camera	W. Howard Greene ; George Robinson
cut	Russell F. Schoengarth
occupation
	María Montez : Amara; Jon Hall : Ali Baba; Turhan Bey : Jamiel; Andy Devine : Abdullah; Kurt Katch : Hulagu Khan; Frank Puglia : Prince Cassim; Fortunio Bonanova : old Baba; Moroni Olsen : Caliph Hassan; Scotty Beckett : Ali Baba as a child; Ramsay Ames : Nalu; Harry Cording : Mahmoud; Chris-Pin Martin : fat robber;

Ali Baba and the Forty Robbers is an American fairytale film by Arthur Lubin from 1944. The film was released on March 5, 1948 in Austrian cinemas and on June 13, 1950 in German cinemas.

action

The Mongol prince Hulagu Khan conquered Baghdad . He demands the head of Caliph Hassan, who is on the run. Hassan is killed by the Mongols through a betrayal of his friend Prince Cassim, but Ali, the young son of the caliph, is able to escape the murderers with the royal seal. In the mountains he watches the robber named “old Baba” with his 40 men as he leaves his robber's den with the sentence “Close yourself, oh sesame”. Ali tries to open it again, which he succeeds in saying "Open yourself, oh sesame". When Baba returns with his robbers, they discover Ali sleeping in the cave. After Baba recognizes the royal seal, he takes the boy in, gives him the name Ali Baba and orders his follower Abdullah to act as Ali's “nanny”.

Ten years later, Hulagu Khan continues to rule Baghdad with bloody violence. The robbers around Baba are the only ones who resist. Ali Baba and Abdullah discover a camp of a Mongolian caravan that is bringing Hulagu Khan's future bride Amara to Baghdad. Amara is Prince Cassim's daughter. When they were children, Ali and Amara swore lifelong loyalty; however, Ali Baba does not know that this woman is his girlfriend. While Abdullah escapes, Ali Baba is captured.

Arrived in Baghdad, Ali Baba is to be executed on the orders of Hulagu Khan. Prince Cassim recognizes the royal seal and now knows who Ali really is. But the robbers can free him and take Amara hostage, but the old Baba succumbs to his injuries from the fight. Amara's slave Jamiel appears unexpectedly in front of the cave, who wants to join Ali Baba and his men. Ali sends him back to Hulagu Khan with the message that he wants to exchange Amara for Prince Cassim. When he doesn't react, he lets Amara go anyway. In the palace, Prince Cassim reports to his daughter and Hulagu Khan that Ali Baba is the son of the caliph, who was believed to be dead. Amara then announces the planned wedding with the Mongol prince, who angrily threatens to kill her father. With a heavy heart she agrees to the marriage after all.

Ali Baba and his 40 robbers plan to defeat the Mongols on the day of the wedding celebration. Ali's men are said to be smuggled into the palace in oil jugs, which Prince Cassim tells the Mongol ruler through a spy. But Ali Baba's followers caught the spy and changed the plan accordingly, and when there was only sand in the jugs, Hulagu kills Cassim. Ali Baba and his men then open the fight in which Abdullah can kill the Mongol prince and thus end Baghdad's occupation. Amara and Ali hug while Jamiel hoists the Arab flag .

criticism

"Elaborately staged adventure film in bright colors."

- Lexicon of international film

“Colorful and not too demanding oriental adventure that deals freely with the 'tales from 1001 nights'. Originating from Alexander Korda's 'The Thief of Baghdad', director Arthur Lubin presents Jon Hall, Maria Montez and Turhan Bey, a trio of actors who also distracted Americans from the reality of World War II in numerous other similar films of the period should - as in Lubin's 'Curse of the Temple Gods' that was created in the same year. "

- Kino.de

Web links

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in the online movie database
Ali Baba and the forty robbers in the German dubbing file
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves at Rotten Tomatoes (English)

Individual evidence

↑ Actually the film is set in Persia , but apparently because of the English title of 1001 Nights - "Arabian Nights" - to which the story of Ali Baba is assigned, the wrong flag was used here by mistake.
↑ Ali Baba and the forty robbers. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
^ Ali Baba and the forty robbers kino.de

[1] Actually the film is set in Persia , but apparently because of the English title of 1001 Nights - "Arabian Nights" - to which the story of Ali Baba is assigned, the wrong flag was used here by mistake.

[2] Ali Baba and the forty robbers. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .

[3] Ali Baba and the forty robbers kino.de