Based on a tale from "The Arabian Nights," a boy named Abu (Sabu) must break the spell of evil wizard Jaffar (Veidt), who's turned him into a dog and struck blind his friend Prince Ahmad (Justin) in order to seize absolute power in Baghdad. Luckily, Abu finds a bottle which, when opened, releases an enormous genie (Rex). Can the genie help them thwart Jaffar's enormous power, return them to human form, and restore Ahmad to his rightful throne? 

Peerless family entertainment. 1992's "Aladdin" owes much to this film and the Disney folks chose some divine inspiration. "Thief" is artfully paced, gorgeously shot in vibrant early Technicolor, and delivers a bounty of old-fashioned derring-do. German actor Veidt's Jaffar ranks as one of the most memorable villains in screen history. Rub the lamp and let the adventure begin!