The Magic Voyage of Sinbad (1953) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language

1953 · 80 mins · Russian

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Directed by

Aleksandr Ptushko

Starring

Nikolay Kryuchkov, Yuri Leonidov, Ninel Myshkova, Sergei Martinson, Mikhail Troyanovsky, Stepan Kayukov

Based on Nikolai Rimsky‑Korsakov’s opera, which adapts the Russian epic Sadko, it follows minstrel Sadko in Novgorod as he boasts he can bring a sweet‑voiced bird of happiness. Mocked by merchants, he is aided by the Ocean King’s daughter, who loves his song, and sets out on a quest across many lands. The picture premiered in the USA in 1953 with subtitles; a 1962 English dub by Roger Corman’s Filmgroup runs about eight minutes shorter, omitting much of the music.