Conrad Veidt on TCM: More Than Major Strasser

[Ann Harding]

No, you didn't miss anything. It's meant to be confusing. Veidt is allegedly a deserter and anti-Nazi. Leigh is supposedly a German spy. But neither are what they appear to be. That's what makes it fun. A bit like Cottage to Let (1941, A. Asquith) which is crawling with spies, but all not quite what you expect.

[charliechaplinfan]

It's so easy to miss a small fragment of a film when watching with kids in the house and then wondering if I've missed the crucial bit in the film where everything is revealed. I'm glad Dark Journey actually played this way, it was a lovely film. It was made back in 1937 and to believe some Hollywood histories Vivien was but a footnote in British film although she shows here that she's a very reliable leading lady with a unique charm.

[charliechaplinfan]

I watched The Thief of Bagdad today, I haven't seen this since I was a small child and I was pleased that it picqued my 6 year old's curiosity, the effects look dated but Joe was happy enough watching Djinn fly through the air as the genii. Hubby couldn't believe how Disney had ripped off some of the characters for Aladdin and though the film was proof of a good story line been needed above special effects. The storyline is fastmoving and magical, the hero, John Justin looked and sounded like Douglas fairbanks Jnr, or was that because the silent is so embedded in my mind even though the story have nothing to do with one another. Sabu nearly steals the film and would have done if Conrad Veidt hadn't been such a super baddie, John Justin might be better looking and whiter than white but I'm thinking the Princess might just have had a more exciting life with Jaffar. It was a truly magical story that reminded me of my childhood.

[JackFavell]

Oh that is too funny about John Justin! I have always felt the same way.

I watched this as a young girl too, and I always thought it was about SABU back then. I used to love when he changed into a dog.

I remember one year, I think I was about 6 years old, it was on New Year's Eve. I was sick, but I wanted to stay up and watch. I managed to make it till the movie was on, but threw up when the giant spider came on the screen. Ah good times....good times.

[charliechaplinfan]

That spider is really quite frightening, I quite liked the effects with the genii, I'll admit it didn't look brilliant when he flew through the air but it struck me how advanced camera techniques were. For me it means more that someone slaved and invented new techniques advancing what could be achieved on film than using computer graphics, I'm sure there is a lot of work and innovation there too but it doesn't get me the same.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that about John Justin, I admit to looking more than once making absolutely sure it wasn't Doug Jnr but if I closed my eyes, it was.

[JackFavell]

I think the special effects are quite good in the film, for instance I love the flying horse sequence, and the way the horse flips upside down and crumbles in puzzle pieces.

I wish it were Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

[charliechaplinfan]

The flying horse sequence is fabulous. I wished it was Doug Jnr too.

It made me remember a film I watched a couple of times as a child about Sinbad, in my memory I would guess it was a 1940s film, I can't remember any of the cast, I was too young, I can't even remember any of the effects but searching on the imdb shows up nothing, only a 1973 film which it might be. I still think it was older than that though.

[JackFavell]

I know that movie! Doug Jr. was Sinbad in a 1948 movie I think it was. I used to watch that one and The Corsican Bros. all the time when I was a kid.

[charliechaplinfan]

That must be it, I'll be on the look out for it.