Christopher Evans
You can see elements of great adventure films in this with one sequence where Sinbad tries to evade guards as he searches for the girl within the palace seeming rather like the later adventure in the first Star Wars film of 1977 with Han Solo trying to evade stormtroopers while searching for the girl within the Death Star. George Lucas openly was inspired by all the adventures he saw as a kid and whether this sequence was directly influential or whether it was just an example of the type of scenes which inspired him I do not know. Scenes like that are classic adventure fun but they are few and far between in this rahter dull and confused film. There are plenty of better adventure films from this era and there are better Sinbad films too. The film is not artistically interesting and the story is pretty turgid. Maureen O'Hara is, as always, a sparkling presence, Anthony Quinn is always a good character actor and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. is well able to handle the action and humour but there is little material to work with here. I am being generous to award it 4.5/10 for the good elements within this very average film.
mrwritela
Like other reviewers here, I first saw this as a child in the late 50s- early 60s on TV in black-and-white. (Can we all say "Million-Dollar Movie"?) And even then, without the sumptuous color but with frequent commercial interruptions, I was captivated by the performances – Fairbanks and O'Hara, naturally–but also the supporting cast, from the creepy Slezak and strutting Quinn to George ("Abner? Abner!") Tobias, Mike Mazursky, and Sheldon Leonard in minor roles. And let's not forget Alan Napier, the original Alfred the Butler on the "Batman" TV series, who even as a kid I thought was doing a loose-limbed Boris Karloff. The miniatures are wonderful, and when I finally saw it in full-blown Technicolor, I was blown away all over again. (Yeah, the mynah bird is unconvincing to the point of being laughable, but since the movie never takes itself seriously, you sort of go with it.) And the score, by underrated RKO house composer Roy Webb, sticks with you for – in my case – decades. It's pure cornball Hollywood hokum of the highest degree, and we will never see it's like again. Watch it, give into it, be a kid again, and enjoy.
wes-connors
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (as Sinbad) loves to tell stories, like this one. After a ship's crew is poisoned, Mr. Fairbanks Jr.'s "Sinbad the Sailor" hops on board and finds a map to Deryabar; there, he hopes to find the treasure of Alexander the Great. He also believes he may be the rightful Prince of Deryabar. A greedy couple - the alluring Maureen O'Hara (as Shireen) and her turbaned partner Anthony Quinn (as Emir) get in the way
Colorful lethargy. The stars are much more interesting in other films, although Fairbanks Jr. is somehow engaging; at least, he tries not to look completely bored. The story lacks both focus and humor, and it is way too long. Walter Slezak as "Melik the Hairdresser" is the performance to keep your eyes on, if you watch - he is delicious... ***** Sinbad the Sailor (1/13/47) Richard Wallace ~ Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Walter Slezak, Maureen O'Hara, Anthony Quinn
Juha Hämäläinen
Douglas Fairbanks Jr., like father like son. Or at least trying to be, as he dances the action almost in a way of ballet like his more legendary father used to do in many classic adventure films. Great sets and glorious colors give this adventure much the same charm as Alexander Korda's 1940 production of 'The Thief of Bagdad' has. The director has wisely used all advantage of them and created some truly fantastic pictures, that are delightfully beautiful and symmetric to look at. They seem like Edmund Dulac's illustrations from old fantasy books suddenly coming alive.Much in the same vein of 'The Thief' most of the acting is done with due exaggeration and tongue in cheek. Acting wise the hero is merely left to play the second fiddle to the villain, the stoical but creepy Anthony Quinn. But the real main attraction and a scene stealer for me is Maureen O'Hara as "the rose of Bagdad". Jane Greer also pops up as a servant to O'Haras princess, but unfortunately her role here is just too small. This is a great, fun fantasy from the golden age of Hollywood showing a specifically good example of its values for powerful production design and the film would probably deserve a little more recognition.
AD
