Chu Chin Chow

Walter Forde (1934)

103min

U Certificate

Review

Our Score

by Tony Sloman

This legendary and massively popular British stage musical by Oscar Asche, replete with its unimaginative Frederick Norton score, finally reached the screen with all its faults revealed, rather like Kismet over 20 years later, the phoney (but allowable) exoticism of the theatre proving a rather silly spectacle on film. Nevertheless, George Robey's performance as Ali Baba is forever enshrined here, and there's some interesting period casting, with Anna May Wong as Zahrat the slave girl and villain Fritz Kortner as boss of the 40 thieves. The uninspired choreography is by ballet great Anton Dolin. This was part of a fashionable fixation during the 1930s with all things Chinese, and mysterious, invariably sinister and inscrutable characters seemed to populate British cinema at the time. The title of this work is misleading, for those who care.

Cast & Crew

Ali Baba George Robey

Abu Hassan Fritz Kortner

Zahrat Anna May Wong

Nur-al-din John Garrick

Marjanah Pearl Argyle

Rakham Dennis Hoey

Mahbubah Sydney Fairbrother

Kasim Baba Lawrence Hanray

Mustafa Frank Cochrane

Alcolom Thelma Tuson

Entertainer Kyoshi Takase

Caliph Francis L Sullivan

Abdullah Jetsam

Director Walter Forde

Other Information

Language: EnglishBlack and whiteTheatrical distributor: Gaumont British Dist

Full Episode Guide

Walter Forde (1934)

Review

Cast & Crew

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