Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is a 1944 adventure film from Universal Pictures, directed by Arthur Lubin, and starring Maria Montez, Jon Hall, and Turhan Bey.

The film is derived from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights, but its storyline departs greatly from the folk tale of the same name, wedding that story to an actual historic event.

The film is one of series of "exotic" tales released by Universal during the Second World War; others include Cobra Woman, Arabian Nights, and White Savage.

Ten years later, the band of 40 thieves have become Robin Hood-style resistance fighters, robbing the Mongols and giving to the poor and downtrodden.

Their leader Ali Baba, now a grown man, plots the kidnapping of the Khan's bride-to-be, who turns out to be the grown-up Amara.

The two childhood friends thus have a chance encounter at an oasis, but they don't recognize each other, and their reunion is cut short when Ali is ambushed and captured.

As they wait at Cassim's estate for the exchange, Ali recognizes Amara as his lost childhood friend and commands her release.

[5] Diabolique magazine said the film "isn't as good as White Savage but is still bright fun" arguing that Bey's casting "throws the movie off.