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Ali-Baba et les quarante voleurs

ALI-BABA and the Forty Thieves

Grand Spectacular piece represented on the Cinematograph and composed of 12 scenes, taken from the Arabian Nights.
Decorations created entirely by the well-known French Artist Albert Collas.
The Costumes have been specially designed and made up by the firm L. GRANIER, supplier to the principal Parisian theatres.
Two ballets executed by the dancers from the Opera House.
Length of the film : abt 615 feet.
Duration of the film : 12 minutes
Price: 15-7-6

Titles of the Pictures

1. The treasure-grotto
2. “Sesame, come open!”
3. At the residence of Ali-Baba
4. The robbers’ treasure
5. Ballet executed by women
6. Cassim’s end.
7. The false oil merchant.
8. A slave’s devotion.
9. A fête at Ali-Baba’s residence.
11. The death of the brigand chief.
12. Ali-Baba’s triump.

END.

LEGEND

The story tells us that there lived in a little Persian village, a poor man named Ali-Baba, who had married a woman as poor as himself. The only means the man had to provide for his family consisted in wood-cutting in the neighbouring forest, which he then loaded on the back of an ass, the only possession he had, and took to be sold in the town. Now, one day, when Ali-Baba was in the forest, he heard a sound of footsteps which convinced him that there was quite a troop approaching. Persuaded that they can be no other but robbers, he decides to save himself. After having hidden his ass in some brushwood, he climbs into a tree which rose to the foot of a rock which was isolated on all sides, there he remains in the middle of the branches in such a way that he can see without being seen.
The troop stop near the large tree which shelters Ali-Baba. The chief gets off his horse, and then Ali-Baba hears him pronounce distinctly these words: “Sesame, come open!” The rock opens immediately. First of all his men go in, each carrying packages or heavy objects; (reckoning Ali-Baba himself, there are forty); then his favourite arrives on a magnificent litter carried by slaves. After she has alighted, everyone enters the rock which closes.
Ali-Baba is so surprised that he leaves his observatory for a moment, but for fear of being seen, he goes back to his post and waits until the brigands have left the cavern.
When the robbers have put away their booty, they leave the cave, and as soon as Ali-Baba sees that they have all left, he comes down in his turn.
As he had retained the words which the chief had used to make the rock open, he is curious to know, if, by repeating them, they will serve as a talisman for himself. Indeed, he had no sooner said “Sesame, come open!” than the door opened. He is dazzled by the enormous quantity of costly things, he sees heaped up in the place; bales of rich goods, silk and brocade stuffs, costly carpets and especially gold and silver money. Thinking that he has no time to lose if he does not want to be surprised, he loads on the back of his ass as many sacks of gold and silver as he can carry away, and makes his way to the town. On reaching home he empties the sacks on the table before his wife who is stupefied, and there are so many that they are obliged to measure them by the bushel.
Cassim, Ali-Baba’s brother, who was there, soon learns the story, and as soon as he knows how to get into the grotto, he goes off, and once inside, he cannot believe his own eyes; he had not imagined that there was so much wealth, although Ali-Baba had told him so. Delight succeeds to delight, when suddenly he thinks he hears a noise, the door opens, the brigands are coming back; Cassim has just time to crouch behind some bales. The whole band come in with a noise accompanied by loose women; the chief is giving a feast, and whilst he women are dancing and the men are drinking, Cassim is discovered and brought to the chief, who forces him to reveal to him the person who made known their secret. Cassim, thinking that he will save his life by confessing, denounces his brother Ali-Baba. Then the chief and the whole hand swear to be avenged, but for the sake of prudence, and so as to get rid of an inconvenient witness, the chief draws his sword and beheads Cassim with one stroke.
Ali-Baba has become rich, and whilst he is enjoying quietly the fortune acquired in such a singular fashion, he never thinks that his brother has betrayed him.
The robbers, on the other hand, have not lost any time and only dream of carrying out their vengeance by getting rid of Ali-Baba as they did of Cassim. In order to do this, the chief conceives the idea of shutting some of his men in leather bottles, which he uses generally to carry oil. After having loaded them on the backs of his mules, he sets out towards the evening for to the next day, but consents to store the bottles which are placed in the yard, and offers his host the greatest hospitality. Everything was going in favour of the brigands, and Ali-Baba would have been totally lost had it not been that his servant Morgiane wanted some oil. She goes into the yard, and on getting near the first leather bottle, to draw out what she requires, she is much surprised to hear voices, the bottles were talking to each other. Taking in instantly the danger which Ali-Baba and his family ran, and the necessity there was to effect a remedy without making any fuss, she fills a large boiler with oil which she boils, and afterwards pours into the leather casks killing all the brigands by suffocation.
During this time, Ali-Baba, whose only desire is to look well after his host, has sumptuous supper served up which is accompanied by dancing and other diversions.
Morgiane, however, wishing to carry out the work so well begun mingles with the dancers. As soon as the dancing is over she takes a tambourine from one of the slaves, and hiding a dagger in her right hand, she goes to the spectators pretending to beg. Having reached the would-be oil merchant, and whilst he is taking his purse from his pocket to give her dagger into his heart, thus showing how courageously she has carried out her resolve to save her master.
Ali-Baba and his wife are afraid of what she has done. They run to Morgiane crying. “Unhappy creature, what have you done!” She has no difficulty in convincing them of the danger from which they have escaped. Happy at having been saved so easily, and finding themselves now in sole possession of the secret of the grotto, he thanks Morgiane, and in order to show her how much he is grateful to her, rewards her by setting her free.
This scene comes to an end by a splendid display. 

PAT 1902-08S

Ali Baba y los 40 ladrones

Cuento en 12 cuadros entresacado de los de mil y una noches. (Recomendado)

PAT 1904-03

 Alibaba and the Forty Thieves

Fairy in twelve pictures taken from the Arabian Nights. 1-The treasure-grotto. 2-Sesame, come open. 3- At the residence of Ali-Baba. 4-The robbers' treasure. 5- Ballet executed by women. 6-Cassim's end, 7-The false oil merchant. 8-A slave's devotion. 9- A fete at Ali-Baba's residence. 10- Ballet. 11-The death of the brigand chief. 12-Ali-Baba's triumph.

SEA 1908