the thief of bagdad be impressive in the shape of the evil magician jaffar ( conrad veidt ) . he plot with lie and magic spell to obtain the kingdom from it rightful ruler the young king ahmad and and a gorgeous princess from her father . he fall victim in the end and a all tyrant do ( in book and legend ) to love and of the common man whom he ignore and here embody by the little thief ( sabu ) . the army of good and evil and black and white and be superbly realize in both visual and literary term . the script be poetic and simply and very beautiful . the costume of the magician and his men rise and fall like the wing of black bird and attack suddenly in the night to inflict destruction and create terror . the radiant hero wear white turban and robe and and his princess be dress in pink and pale blue . for spectacular scene it match all that have go before and while through it use of color and it bring to life a world such a have not seem possible before . with fly carpet and fly white horse and with a giant genie ( excellently play by rex ingram ) and with evil wizard and and with the good acting of sabu and veidt and the thief of bagdad capture the quality and true atmosphere of the arabian night . the 1940 version remain the screen fine fairy tale .