"Open, sesame!" for this lavish and colorful take on the classic tale of Ali Baba, who just wanted a little bit more in life than he had and who encountered the deadly, devious and treasure-hungry forty thieves.
Set in and around Bagdad of the old times Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves is the highly entertaining tale of kind but luckless Ali, played by French superstar Gérard Jugnot who finds himself unwilling in the center of multiple difficult situations.
There’s an high political intrigue involving the evil queen and wicked sorceress Zubayda and the scheming Grand Vizier Ya-Ya, who want to plunge the Orient into a war with the West to seize the power from the weak Caliph. And if that’s not enough Ali has also to help finding the Emperor Charlemagne’s missing envoy (multiple award-winning actor Ken Duken, Inglorious Basterds). In the same time he has to stay ahead of the murderous thieves, deal with his son Sliman – who is determined to marry a woman who is not Ali’s choice – and keep the peace at home between his ever arguing wife and sister-in-law. He’s also trying to teach his parrot to speak finally.
This two-part TV-movie is entertainment as its best and a feast for eyes and ears with excellent photography, lighting, costumes, music and special effects.
