Download Arabian Nights movie

Arabian Nights is a 1942 adventure film starring Sabu, Maria Montez, Jon Hall and Leif Erickson and directed by John Rawlins. The film is derived from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights but owes more to the imagination of Universal Pictures than the original Arabian stories. The film is one of series of "exotic" tales released by Universal during the war years. Others include Cobra Woman, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and White Savage. This is the first film by Universal to use the 3 strip Technicolor film process.

The story starts at a harem (which strangely has the Taj Mahal in sight, even though it is supposed to be located in Persia), where the eldery overseer bids his young charges to read the story of Haroun al-Rashid (Hall) and his wife Sheherazade (Montez), unfolding the film's plot in the process.

Sheherazade, a dancer in a wandering circus owned by Ahmad (Billy Gilbert) - whose troupe also includes Sinbad the Sailor and Aladdin, who have seemingly fallen on hard times -, had captured the attention of Kamar (Erickson), the brother of caliph Haroun al-Rashid. In his infatuation with her, and because of a prophecy which names her as the future queen, Kamar had attempted to seize the throne, but was captured and sentenced to slow death by exposure. As Haroun visits his brother, for whom he feels pity, Kamar's men storm the palace and free their leader; outnumbered, Haroun is forced to flee. He manages to get near the plaza where Sheherazade's circus is performing and is spotted by the young acrobat Ali Ben Ali (Sabu), who finds out his identity and decides to hide him in the cirus, confiding only in Sheherazade (though he does not tell her about the fugitive's true identity). Upon awakening from the wounds he had received in his flight, Haroun beholds Sheherazade and instantly falls in love with her.

Meanwhile, Kamar, thinking that Haroun is dead, assumes the throne of Bagdad, but to his chagrin Sheherazade is not to be found, and he orders the captain of his guard (Turhan Bey) to find her. But then the scheming Grand Vizier Nadan (Edgar Barrier) approaches the captain with the order to make Sheherazade 'disappear', and upon finding them he decides to sell her and her friends into slavery. But due to a witness the captain is exposed, and in order to preserve his plans, Nadan first gets him to confess and then murders him.

Haroun, Sheherazade, and the acrobats manage to escape the slave pens and flee to the border, where they are found by Kamar's army and taken to a tent city in the desert. Kamar proposes to Sheherazade, but she has in the meantime fallen in love with Haroun. Also, Nadar recognizes the caliph and his affection for Sheherazade, and he uses this knowledge to blackmail Sheherazade into helping him in his scheme: in exchange for Haroun's freedom, she is to poison Kamar during the wedding ceremony, upon which Nadar would assume rulership for himself. In secret, however, he plans to have Haroun killed once he has crossed the border.

Upon learning of this insidious scheme, Ali confides in his fellow performers, and they rush to free Haroun; then Haroun decides to free Sheherazade with the help of the acrobats, while Ali is to summon the troops still loyal to him. Haroun and the others are quickly captured, and Sheherazade and the retainers learn of his true identity. Kamar engages his brother in a sword fight, while Ahmad and the acrobats set the tents on fire; the arrival of Ali and the caliph's army triggers a massive battle with Kamar's men.

Finally, as Kamar prepares to deliver the deathstroke to Haroun, Nadar shows his true allegiance by assassinating Kamar personally. But as he prepares to finish Haroun, Ahmad and Ali interfere, forcing him to flee. But a spear thrown into his back stops him, and he dies in a burning tent; Haroun, Sheherazade, their friends and the loyal subjects celebrate victory.

Cast

• Sabu - Ali Ben Ali
• Jon Hall - Haroun-Al-Raschid
• Maria Montez - Scheherazade
• Leif Erickson - Kamar (as Leif Erikson)
• Billy Gilbert - Ahmad
• Edgar Barrier - Nadan
• Richard Lane - Corporal
• Turhan Bey - Captain of the Guard
• John Qualen - Aladdin
• Shemp Howard - Sinbad
• William 'Wee Willie' Davis - Valda
• Thomas Gomez - Hakim
• Jeni Le Gon - Dresser / Dancer's Maid
• Robert Greig - Eunuch
• Charles Coleman - Eunuch

Awards

It was nominated for four Academy Awards; Best Score, Best Cinematography, Best Sound and Best Art Direction (Alexander Golitzen, Jack Otterson, Russell A. Gausman and Ira S. Webb). [1]

37 Comments »

Pages: [8] 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 »

amongst the best fantasy movies…

'Arabian Nights' is by far one of the best fantasy movies I've ever
seen. Most so-called sci-fi movies are actually fantasy movies which
need us to suspend our imaginations. Hence, as plot devices
scientifically dubious not to mention laughable 'futuristic'
technologies are thrown in. That's why in the sci-fi/fantasy genre I
like to watch movies based on various mythologies. Those stories have
stood the test of time – by having being refined in the most subtle
ways. Arabian nights is one such set of stories and I am truly
satisfied with the way this movie took to the stories. If some creative
liberty was taken, it did not appear forced (says the unlettered! I
have never read all the original stories and cannot attest to the
authenticity of the stories presented.)In all the reviews I write on this website, I always write for movies
that have good scripts and this one fits that category to the T. The
direction, casting and the acting were also all very good. I have like
Mili Avital since I first saw Stargate (1994) (a true disaster that
spawned not one but two Sci-fi series no less). Her role was the cheese
that held the movie's macaroni together. Some of the best scenes were between her and the storyteller the ones
where he is giving her tips how to hold the Sultan's/audience's
attention. I specially liked the one where the story teller tells her
about the night when he came face to face to death. It was funny, yet
gripping – the exact effect the storyteller was trying to achieve. I am
not a big fan of any of the men in the movie but all did a great job.
All the stories were done with a great sense of humor – the genies in
Aladin's story, the sultan who switches places with a drunk (and meets
his end with a smile on his face), Bac-bac's story – all done really
well.Great movie and I would recommend anyone who come across this review.

EddieVilliers from United States - 6 April 2008

One of the best from the DeMille of TV

Since GULLIVER'S TRAVELS (1996) Robert Halmi has been the Cecil B.
DeMille of television, producing films and mini-series as dazzling as
anything on the big screen. Of his many spectacles, my favorite is
ARABIAN NIGHTS, which I've watched many times since it first aired on
ABC in 2000. THE 10th KINGDOM, debuting just a few months earlier, was
Halmi's longest and most spectacular epic, but I think it was too long.ARABIAN NIGHTS could have been the same length,as its source material
has hundreds of stories. Instead, the show focuses on five of the most
popular, such as Ali Baba and Aladdin. Sinbad was excluded, but perhaps
they saved him for his own mini-series. Just as 10th KINGDOM united
Europe's fairy tales in one framework, ARABIAN NIGHTS united the fairy
tales of the Middle East. The stories are told by Scheherezade (Mili
Avital, an Israeli actress who looks like Princess Jasmine) to her
husband Sultan Schariar (Dougray Scott, who later played Moses in
Halmi's 2006 remake of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS). The show adds a feud with
his brother Schazzenan (James Frain). The two actors also appear in one
of Scheherezade's stories. The rest of the cast is good, such as Rufus
Sewell as Ali Baba and Andy Serkis as his brother, Jason Scott Lee as
Aladdin, and especially John Leguizamo as the two genies. Until I read
the closing credits, I did not know the same guy played them both!
Bakbak's story is funny albeit ghoulish. There are flaws, such as having an 18th century Englishman in Bakbak's
story. Other people are puzzled that Aladdin's tale is set in China.
But the original story is vague about his nationality, which is why he
is Chinese in some versions and Middle Eastern in others. Besides, this
helped set it apart from Disney's ALADDIN, which was still popular. The
sets and costumes are grand, as is the climatic battle. I like the
special effects, such as the duel of the genies (reminiscent of the one
in THE SWORD IN THE STONE) and the thrilling ride on a flying carpet.
ARABIAN NIGHTS breathes new life into these age-old tales.

RichardAlex from United States - 9 March 2008

Pages: [8] 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 »

Leave your Impressions!