The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This movie is adapted from the incredibly popular British musical stage show that had over two thousand performance on the London stage. It's based on the Ali Baba and Forty Thieves story. The sets are lavish and highly stylized and a large number of extras are used - the production values in this movie are stunning. The uncut 102 minute version is available from VCI Entertainment - it's a very good print. For me, the major reasons for seeing this film are that it is of such historical importance and that it features Anna May Wong. It was nice seeing her in such a prestigious film. That said, some of the acting was overdone and not really suitable for film, although undoubtedly fine for the stage. It's purely a matter of taste but I didn't find the story interesting or the music memorable or enjoyable. I think the movie is too long and slow going. I probably should have watched the 78 minute version - which VCI includes with the uncut version set.

I knew of this Oriental musical adventure (produced by the pioneering Michael Balcon and already filmed as a Silent), but wasn't aware that it was directly inspired by the Arabian Nights fable of Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves (in spite of its being retitled ALI BABA NIGHTS; more on this later). The current title is rather misleading, as it gives one the impression of being set in China – and especially since the character of Chu-Chin-Chow himself, a Chinese merchant, is only a minor one. Besides, being a British film from the early Talkie era, I fully expected it to be a stodgy affair – merely "a curiosity", as Leslie Halliwell called it. However, I found it an enthralling and highly enjoyable piece of work – and still pretty much a unique entertainment after all these years.Incidentally, prior to viewing the film I re-read DVD Savant's review (if anything to ascertain myself that it was fitting Christmas fare) – I was quite intrigued by Glenn Erickson's comments (sharing his view of the ornate sets as being a particular standout), but also ended up disagreeing with his opinion about the static quality of the cinematography…as I actually felt that Max Greene's camera was reasonably mobile throughout. Being undeniably archaic by today's standards, the songs, Busby Berkeley-ish dance numbers, and the comedy and romance elements are all a matter of taste – in fact, they constitute the film's main source of longueurs, if still intrinsically charming ingredients of the whole package. On the other hand, it turned out to be surprisingly bloodthirsty for what was essentially popular entertainment! The plot has been opened up from the traditional story, while also making Ali Baba a coward – but this is the still the most satisfying version I've watched, certainly the most fascinating (for various reasons).The villain is played by Fritz Kortner (looking like a flabbier, less handsome version of Douglas Fairbanks at times and a Wallace Beery-lookalike at others, but with a voice sounding uncannily like that of Otto Preminger!), gives an entertainingly ripe performance – witness his orgasmic thirsting for Ali Baba's blood as he lays out his plans for the final assault (he's even made to don a number of clever disguises throughout). The formidable Anna May Wong has a relatively small role but is quite impressive nonetheless. George Robey's Ali Baba, then, is accompanied by a comically somnolent theme tune every time he appears; I'd only seen his brief performance in Laurence Olivier's Shakespearian adaptation of HENRY V (1944), but I can see how the actor's amiable brand of fooling would be lapped up by audiences of the time – incidentally, I need to pick up his DON QUIXOTE (1933) on DVD, a film directed by German émigré G.W. Pabst (with whom Kortner himself had made the seminal PANDORA'S BOX [1929]). Lovely Pearl Argyle isn't the typically bland damsel-in-distress, but rather a resourceful heroine; Dennis Hoey (Inspector Lestrade of the modernized Basil Rathbone-Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes series) is Kortner's second-in-command; Francis L. Sullivan is very amusing as the perennially bored Caliph, who's then overjoyed when Abu Hasan's plans are foiled in his presence – thinking that it was all part of the evening's entertainment as prepared by Ali Baba!; Malcolm McEachern – billed simply as Jetsam! – is the burly majordomo with a baritone voice who acts as Chorus throughout.Curiously enough, a full 19 years later it was re-issued in the U.S. by Robert Lippert in a much shorter version (reduced from 102 minutes to 76!) retitled ALI BABA NIGHTS – this version is available on Disc 2 of VCI's surprising 3-Disc Set of CHU-CHIN-CHOW, and accompanied by the Popeye ALI BABA short I viewed recently. Ironically, this re-edit is presented in a better-looking print than the 'original' – but the image has been zoomed-in somewhat; many of the songs have been dropped (making the few that remain feel somewhat incongruous), though not the various dances; the romantic subplots are diminished, and so is the role of Robey's elderly wife and plump lover; ditto the allusion during the final banquet to The Caliph's vindictive treatment of disappointing hosts; some of the edits, however, are clumsily done – especially the death scene of Robey's brother, which is interrupted half-way through!One last word: Fritz Kortner followed this with another exotic melodrama, the even better-regarded ABDUL THE DAMNED (1935) – which has been thoughtfully included by VCI in this set (see below for my comments about that film).

Think of Michael Powell/the Korda brothers' Thief of Bagdad but better, even! An Arabian nights adventure but no stops for spectacle, rather a seamless story and an unrestrained telling almost unprecedented in British film. The sets are wonderful, there are songs popping up in the least expected places, the direction has a verve rarely seen elsewhere in British film and the story is adapted with guts and no fear that restraint (any) must be employed, as it usually is, it seems neccesarily, in British film. It's a film which goes all the way in all departments, astonishing for any age let alone for 1934, just a year after Korda's Private Lives of Henry VIII had opened things up a bit for Britfilm.

Sumptuous British Gainsborough Pictures production with a huge budget for its day ($500K) plays a lot like a cross between THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD and KISMET all bumbling through meters of silk and pearls on their way to a Gilbert and Sullivan convention.Anna Mae Wong is just so beautiful and this very funny - delicious- farce is a pleasure to watch. Often referred to as an antique musical in that creaky British manner of 30s films - it is actually a lot better than that and viewers will find the whole concoction quite intoxicating. I am sure it did influence Hollywood and had Selznick known it was possible to make such a lavish fantasy musical I am sure he would have made in color too. Instead he made THE GARDEN OF ALLAH which this gives more than a veiled nod towards. Of course if Howard Hughes press-ganged RKO onto it we would have got ...huh? we did? oh yes...THE SON OF SINBAD. Chu Chin is good Chow. Enjoy!