SINBAD THE SAILOR

US, 1947, 116 minutes, Colour.
Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Maureen O’ Hara, Walter Slezak, Anthony Quinn, George Tobias, Jane Greer, Mike Mazurki, Alan Napier.
Directed by Richard Wallace.

Sinbad the Sailor is a lavish 1001 Nights film from the immediate post-war period. It is filmed in very bright, even lavish and garish Technicolor. It is also a film of dialogue rather than action.

Sinbad, Douglas Fairbanks Jr in the vein of his father and his action films, is Sinbad, boastingly telling stories to his followers. One of his stories comes alive, an encounter with the Kurdish Princess Shireen (Maureen O’ Hara), a confidence man who has been in all kinds of employment, Walter Slezak, and an Emir who is after the same treasure as Sinbad (Anthony Quinn).

While there are some action sequences and some swordfights and pirate action, the film is mainly dialogue – especially at the end where the two seekers after treasure find the hidden island and encounter the Aga (Alan Napier) who gives some moral reflections on greed.

1.The popularity of pirate films, 1001 Nights, the Middle East?

2.The Hollywood treatment, costumes and décor, lavish Technicolor? The cast? The rousing score?

3.Douglas Fairbanks as Sinbad, his father’s tradition of swashbuckling heroes? His son keeping the pace, even outdoing his father (with the benefit of sound)? His derring-do, laughter, storytelling, romance? His telling the stories to his followers, inventing, the fabled treasure?

4.The visualising of Sinbad’s story, on board his ship, the auction, his followers and getting the money? His encounter with Melik? Melik and his stories, being trustworthy? Sinbad pretending to be the prince? The chain around his neck and its symbolism? The encounter with Shireen, falling in love, the romance, the attempt on his life? His encounter with the Emir, pretending to be Prince Ahmed? Being welcomed? His magician’s tricks? His abducting Shireen? The voyage, the romance, her urging him on with the treasure? The image on the boat of the mountain? His chain? Being rammed by the Emir’s ship? Prisoner? The mutual quest? Arriving at the island, the Aga, Sinbad telling the truth about himself? The attack by the Emir? The greed? His defending the Aga, fighting the Emir, the final romance with Shireen? A dashing hero?

5.The Emir, wealthy, ambitious? With Shireen? Wanting the information from Sinbad? His court? On the ship, torturing Melik? The island? The truth? His greed, his death?

6.Shireen, the Kurdish princess, Maureen O’ Hara’s glamour? With Sinbad, the stories about him, romance? With the Emir? Her trying to get the information? Abducted, on the ship, with the Aga? The happy ending?

7.Melik, his appearance, his stories about his employment? Trying to poison people? His being tortured? The island, the poison and his death?

8.The characters in the crew, their being foil to Sinbad, listening to his stories, the comic touches? Piracy and action adventure?