Sinbad, the Sailor (1947)

In medieval Persia, during the rule of Caliph Harun-Al-Rashid, Sinbad the Sailor boasts about his latest adventures to his friends.

Director:

Richard Wallace

Writers:

John Twist (screenplay), John Twist (original story)

Stars:

Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Maureen O'Hara, Walter Slezak

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.	...	Sinbad
Maureen O'Hara	...	Shireen
Walter Slezak	...	Melik
Anthony Quinn	...	Emir
George Tobias	...	Abbu
Jane Greer	...	Pirouze
Mike Mazurki	...	Yusuf
Sheldon Leonard	...	Auctioneer
Alan Napier	...	Aga
John Miljan	...	Moga
Brad Dexter	...	Muallin (as Barry Mitchell)

Storyline

Sinbad is a story teller who weaves great adventures about - himself. Whether they are true or not, no one knows. For this is the story of the eight adventures of Sinbad - as told by Sinbad. A ship saved by Sinbad and Sabu. A treasure map to the treasure of Alexander the Great, which mysteriously disappears from the ship. The beautiful Shireen - the woman who has stolen the heart of Sinbad. The evil Amir who wants the treasure for himself to own the world. The deadly Melik, who will stop at nothing and kill anyone to have the treasure. A perilous voyage to a mysterious island where the treasure is said to be held.

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Plot Keywords:

island | boat | arabian nights | hidden treasure | arabian | 

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Taglines:

BRAVE in Adventure! BOLD in Love!

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Genres:

Adventure | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 January 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Strange Adventures of Sinbad

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,459,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Due to his service in the US Naval Reserve after the United States' entry into World War II, this was Douglas Fairbanks Jr.'s first film since The Corsican Brothers (1941) six years earlier.

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Goofs

Wires are visible on the black bird as it circles the ship's mast.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Title Card: O Masters, O Noble Persons, O Brothers, know you that in the time of the Caliph Harun-Al-Rashid, there lived on the golden shore of Persia a man of adventure called Sinbad the Sailor. Strange and wondrous were the tales told of him and his voyages. But who, shall we surmise, gave him his immortality? Who, more than all other sons of Allah, spread glory to the name of Sinbad? Who else, O Brother, but...
Sinbad: ...Sinbad the Sailor! Know me, O Brothers, for the truth of my words, and by the...

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: O master, o noble persons, o brothers, know you that in the time of the Caliph Harun-Al-Rashid, there lived on the golden shore of Persia a man of adventure called Sinbad The Sailor. Strange and wondrous were the tales told of him and his voyages. But who, shall we surmise, gave him immortality? Who, more than all other sons of Allah, spread glory to the name of Sinbad? Who else, o brother, but-

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Connections

Featured in Glorious Technicolor (1998)

User Reviews

Used to be my favorite Sinbad

I saw this film perhaps three times on TV, as a kid in the 1950s. I always thought it was black & white, because I saw it only on a B&W TV. I rewatched it recently for the first time in over 40 years, & it sure has changed! Or more likely, I sure have changed. Of course, it's in color, not B&W. What seemed like a great mystery to me then is now fairly obvious. And Fairbanks Jr., who seemed to me the best of all Sinbads, now seems a bit over the top in his role. Not that those are bad comments, they're just different than I had remembered. The colors are amazingly bright & vivid for a 1947 film, which both adds interest & takes away from the mystery of what I had seen in B&W. Fairbanks grandiose character portrayal (arm flourishes & almost ballet-like movements) actually works well, because Sinbad is a braggart who is disbelieved by many, & has a self- confident air; he's also a fellow who's had eight amazing voyages & has escaped dozens of monsters & difficult situations. Sinbad refers to some of his previous exploits (the Roc & the Cyclops, for example); it would have been nice to see a couple of monsters or mythical beings in this film. With minimal special effects, the plot becomes rather talky, & there's a repetition of escapes & fight scenes that lack variety & seem too staged. I would call this a kid's film, although the dialog is a bit too poetic & difficult for many kids. As a film for adults, it's a bit too soft with too little action, although there's lots of romantic elements for those viewers who enjoy that. There are three nice surprises to the plot which still hold up well, so stick with it to the end. I would no longer call this my favorite Sinbad film, but it's still enjoyable as a light adventure-romance. I rate it 6/10.