According to the credits The Thief of Bagdad had three directors. The credits lie. There were six. Also, the entire production pulled up tent pegs and moved to America halfway through, because of the war. So yes, it is a little uneven; but then, so is the Arabian Nights itself; and like the Arabian Nights it has more than enough colour, magic and plot to compensate. Here is a partial list of things you can expect to find in the film (feel free to mark them off as they appear): a big colourful boat, a doddering sultan, a dog, an enchanted blue rose, a flying horse, a genie, a giant ruby, a giant spider guarding the giant ruby, a magic carpet, a marketplace, a mechanical eight-armed woman with blue skin, a palace, a princess, a prophecy, a shipwreck, a thief, a wicked vizier. Also, at a more abstract level: Oscar-winning art direction, cinematography and special effects, and an Oscar-deserving musical score by Mikl((mdash))s R((mdash))zsa. Did I mention the hero? Damn, I knew I forgot something. He's upstaged by Conrad Veidt (vizier) and Sabu (thief), and out-beautifulled by June DuPrez (princess), but don't hold that against him.