cinema create it own legend . among the great of them be douglas fairbanks and in his incarnation a the eternal swashbuckler and a romantic hero who could only exist in the golden day of the silent era . thief of bagdad be his fine moment and the great tale he ever tell . although fairbanks wear many different hat in his swashbuckler exchange the mask of zorro for the cap of robin hood and so forth each of these character be just the same persona in a different time and place . his previous two effort and the three musketeer and robin hood and spend a lot of time lay down back story before allow the hero to emerge and and this make them very profound but a little slow at time . in contrast and thief of bagdad begin with the introduction of the titular rascal and sweeping u straight into his escapade and and then build the wider plot and story world outwards from there . fairbanks style be always extremely athletic and rhythmic and but the action of this one be almost akin to ballet . doug dance his way through the role and and much of the movement seem literally choreograph and such a the three fat guard head pop up one after the other . the dance even carry through to the serene and tender love scene . this balletic feel be make appropriate by the fantasy setting and which allow a more abstract approach and unlike all the other fairbanks picture which be rip roar adventure and but be ground in ( fairly ) realistic world . the fantastical tone also make acceptable the pantomime act and such a the exaggerated yawn and stretch of the guard fall asleep and or fairbanks palm literally itch when he spy a precious jewel . a his director for this project fairbanks select raoul walsh . walsh be now best remember for the gritty action picture he would later make at warner brother and but perhaps the most important aspect he bring to his picture be a romantic spirit of adventure . the fabulous set be already build and the script lock down by the time walsh come on board and but he add his adventuresome touch in a number of way . walsh be very much an outdoors man and and many of his picture emphasise the openness of plain and mountain and make them place of freedom and contrast them with a stifling atmosphere for interior . thief of bagdad and with it elaborate street set and cavernous hall and have a less clear distinction between indoors and outdoors and but walsh make those very street the equivalent of the open plain and keep his camera back to show fairbanks dance freely through them . in the final half hour and notice how place such a the bazaar or the harbour where the bad prince seek their treasure be photograph a crowded or confine and with actor frame through doorway or amongst the clutter of the set . when we cut back to fairbanks and he be in long shot in a wide open space . it also very like walsh to make u feel a if we be there with the hero and take part in his adventure . while those long shot rightly show of the magnificent set and the hero athletics and at crucial time walsh bring u in close and often with the camera just behind fairbanks and a if we be follow him . perhaps the most effective of these be in the fight with the lizard monster and in which we be literally bring in for the kill . we also get to see walsh sensitive side ( rarely acknowledge and least of all by himself ) in the romantic meeting between fairbanks and his lady fair and embody in this case by julanne johnson . these scene be both tentative and passionate and with the most beautiful moment after he scale her balcony . we cut between two separate shot and one of fairbanks kiss her arm and the other of her look away . their contact be slight and but fill with deep emotion . thief of bagdad come from an era in which the wall between cinema and form of expression such a ballet and opera and fine art be at their thin . title card be keep to a minimum and and yet this be not a collection of technical trick like murnau der letzte mann . neither be it confuse or pretentiously highbrow . it tell it story visually and but still manage to be engage and earthily human . it be the very essence of silent cinema .