Der Gauner von Bagdad (1961)
25KDer Gauner von Bagdad: Directed by Bruno Vailati, Arthur Lubin. With Steve Reeves, Giorgia Moll, Arturo Dominici, Edy Vessel. In the time of the Arabian Nights, the city of Baghdad is ruled by Sultan Ali Bajazeth but actually controlled by the scheming Grand Vizier Ghamal. The poor of Baghdad are aided by Karim, the Thief of Baghdad.
“I remember how great I found this movie when I first saw it as a child. Entertaining, inviting, beautifully scored and visually exciting, it was a good surprise for me, a muscle-movies fan then.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI found Steve Reeves could show something else than his stunning muscles. He gives this time a very lighthearted performance – surprisingly, I guess, for his legions of fans – a step ahead of his habitual towering figure and dark persona. He shows, maybe for the one and only time, that he could create a character that goes beyond himself, in this case, Karim, the Thief of Bagdad. Convincingly, this is the point. In excellent, slimmer shape, smiling, it was Steve Reeves in his apex, in a delightful, colorful movie.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis is a very lovable movie, and I rate it as the best in his career, if you put the seminal u0026#39;Herculesu0026#39; aside as u0026#39;hors-concoursu0026#39;.”
