Grief in Bagdad (1925) User Reviews

And What Became Of The Monk?

[boblipton · 6/10 · 22 November 2021]

During the 1920s, the Fox Film Corporation was a leading producer of comedy shorts, few of which have survived. It's a pity, since their ample budgets and leading comics make the ones that do excellent, and the ones that don't all the more intriguing.

And then, of course, there are the ones like this, starring the Fox Chimps. More than twenty of them were made. This is the second one I have seen. It's a burlesque of Fairbanks' THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD, with the lead roles taken by chimpanzees, with lots of humans who never seem to notice the distinction. Some people think these are especially hilarious because it's chimpanzees. Me, I'm more intrigued by the set with sliding panels.

One of the funniest parodies!

[miloustein · 10/10 · 4 May 2008]

I got this short movie GRIEF IN BAGDAD, 1925, in 2001, along with the French DVD of The Thief of Bagdad with D. Fairbanks, 1924. Unfortunately, the film doesn't give any details which studio produced, nor director etc. However, it is only 10 Minutes in PAL To say I was delighted would be an understatement. The bonus is better than the main film. Since the first viewing, my friends and I roll on the floor because of this overly funny gem. I have hundreds of Slapstick movies from the old days, this is my favourite one.

It's a similar story like in "Thief of Bagdad", but the main "actors" are actually… chimpanzees… it makes the story so funny.

I won't tell too many details: watch the second scene with the mule, to get a lift to the first floor, to steal the noodles of Pung Chow (a Pekin sheik!!!), then the cut of the magic rope, where Ali Bi, the hero, remains in the air and checks below the cut rope, and only then falls down; later in the palace he jumps on the praying Muslim's back; not to forget the acrobatics on the flying mule, the magic doors in Pung Chow's palace… oh boy, what delightful entertainment! Besides, the film has the same crazy, nervous, dynamic organ music than "Thief", which was played by Gaylon Carter.