I love this movie so much

Must See Movie...

Fantastic!

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Copyright 31 December 1946 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Palace: 22 January 1947. U.S. release: 13 January 1947. U.K. release: 18 August 1947. Australian release: 25 September 1947. 10,724 feet. 119 minutes.SYNOPSIS: On his 8th voyage, Sinbad finds himself competing with a beautiful princess, a blood-thirsty emir, a scheming barber and a mysterious thug called the Jackal for a treasure buried in the long-lost palace of Alexander the Great.NOTES: Negative cost: a staggering $2,460,000 - all of which is up there on the screen to enjoy and admire. Initial domestic rentals gross: around $3 million, which after paying print, advertising and distribution costs, probably broke even or made a small loss which overseas rentals would have turned into a very modest profit overall.COMMENT: I don't suppose we should be surprised that Sinbad was not nominated for any prestigious Hollywood award, though it easily outshone The Yearling in both the Color Cinematography and Color Art Direction categories. The trouble is of course that Sinbad was conceived purely as entertainment, not as "prestige". And what great entertainment it offers. True, the script is a trifle wordy, but I mean, who's listening all that intently when such breathtaking scenery and exotic costumes are constantly drifting past the camera? The dialogue has a poetic ring to it, and a lightly perfumed flavor of the Arabian Nights. Not a heavily authentic flavor it is true, but it will pass with all but the most finicky Burton scholars. And the performances are totally right. Fairbanks is perfect as the bragging Sinbad, Miss O'Hara surprisingly comes through with flying colors in a tricky role as a scheming princess who uses her beauty and romance as a tool, whilst Walter Slezak gives one of the most riveting portraits of his villainous career as a double-edged barber with more than close shaving on his mind. The support cast is full of familiar (if impenetrably bearded) faces, which just adds further pleasure to an already overcrowded slice of derring-do. Roy Webb's lyrical music score is a further major asset.OTHER VIEWS: A cleverly written, impishly played, and lightly directed romp through the exotic pages of your Arabian Nights. Mr Fairbanks plays with the right tongue-in-cheek bravado, Miss O'Hara is a Turkish delight to dazzle the eye, Mr Slezak the sort of smooth-talking, fast thinking villain to keep the action simmering (with a slight assist from the more openly mercenary Anthony Quinn) for 117 minutes. Sumptuous sets and costumes round out the tale very nicely thank you, though we do miss a few of the more exotic creatures of the Nights such as giants and djinns, monsters and wizards. -J.H.R. in Photoplayer.

after so many years, it is just nice. a naive story, a great cast, atmosphere from a Hollywood of legends, myths and pink recipes.fairy-tale, adventures and love, smart dialogs and nothing complicated, fight scenes and Arabian drops, unrealistic but charming, it remains part of a sensibility and image about a form of art. but, not the story is axis of it. the actors, each does an impressive role, a young Anthony Quinn and beautiful Maureen O Hara, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in skin of ironic, athletic hero and the moral lesson of end are pillars of a not bad construction, sentimental piece from a glory with childish nuances. it is only a fairy tale. for the public who discovers emotions of first ages, it is perfect option. for the others, maybe, a piece from a museum. nice, delicate and funny.

This Arabian Nights swashbuckler was another revisit to a film I had first come across during childhood. Considering the popularity of its titular figure, it’s odd that it has yet to be released on DVD; in fact, I had to make do with a soft and washed-out print (sourced from VHS) for this viewing. Incidentally, I had intended to schedule the film over Christmas to go with the other Arabian Nights stuff I watched back then – CHU CHIN CHOW (1934), etc. – but ended up postponing it. Now seemed like a good time to get to SINBAD due to the overlapping of various cast and crew members with such recently-viewed titles in the same vein as FRENCHMAN’S CREEK (1944), THE Spanish MAIN (1945) and AGAINST ALL FLAGS (1952).Anyway, the film is colorful entertainment – albeit overstretched at nearly two hours – in which Douglas Fairbanks Jr. admirably emulates his iconic father’s flamboyant style, particularly his craving gestures from THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1924). For the record, the younger Fairbanks himself appeared in a number of other swashbucklers: these include adaptations of such literary classics as THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (1937; the definitive version and, interestingly, in a villainous role – Rupert of Hentzau) and THE CORSICAN BROTHERS (1942; obviously in a dual role) as well as Max Ophuls’ typically stylish solitary excursion in the genre, THE EXILE (1947). By the way, given that this was the first cinematic Sinbad, his characteristics aren’t as yet those of the wholesome yet stoic hero featured in the later Ray Harryhausen effects-laden extravaganzas – rather he’s depicted as a rogue and a charlatan, albeit a lovable one.Maureen O’Hara is, once again, the leading lady – even if her character isn’t as well-developed as the ones she played in either THE Spanish MAIN or AGAINST ALL FLAGS. Anthony Quinn is rather dull as an Arab potentate after a fortune in jewels and gold, the legacy of Alexander The Great lost to the ages. Walter Slezak’s character, however, is a memorable one – with a cowardly and eccentric exterior concealing his true self, a legendary ruthless villain named Jamal. Also in the cast are George Tobias as Sinbad’s comic-relief sidekick, Sheldon Leonard as a flustered auctioneer and Alan Napier, turning up towards the end as the guardian of the coveted treasure chest.

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (as Sinbad) loves to tell stories, like this one. After a ship's crew is poisoned, Mr. Fairbanks Jr.'s "Sinbad the Sailor" hops on board and finds a map to Deryabar; there, he hopes to find the treasure of Alexander the Great. He also believes he may be the rightful Prince of Deryabar. A greedy couple - the alluring Maureen O'Hara (as Shireen) and her turbaned partner Anthony Quinn (as Emir) get in the way…Colorful lethargy. The stars are much more interesting in other films, although Fairbanks Jr. is somehow engaging; at least, he tries not to look completely bored. The story lacks both focus and humor, and it is way too long. Walter Slezak as "Melik the Hairdresser" is the performance to keep your eyes on, if you watch - he is delicious... ***** Sinbad the Sailor (1/13/47) Richard Wallace ~ Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Walter Slezak, Maureen O'Hara, Anthony Quinn