When I was about 11 Alexander Korda's Thief of Baghdad was shown on TV for the first time. Even at that age I was deeply impressed by Conrad Veidt's performance as the evil vizier with magical powers and the film just bowled me over. Since then I've gotten to see many of Veidt's movies both silent and talkie and they've left me in no doubt that he was an amazing character actor with an extraordinary range. Although he is revered by movie buffs his name no longer resonates with the general public even though just about everyone must have seen the Thief of Baghdad or Casablanca on the TV. So if you want to know more about him this book is the one to hunt down. It's not easy to come by but full marks to Amazon for locating a copy for me at a reasonable price even though it took them about 8 weeks. The book is superbly illustrated with many rare photographs which the author obtained from Veidt's daughter (including one of the actor blacked up and in his arabic robes for his role in the Thief of Bagdad studying his script with a monocle in one eye );and the author gives an affectionate and balanced account of the man and his life and work. Despite the often sinister parts he played on screen, Veidt off-screen was a generous, witty and totally delightful man by all accounts and his professionalism was much admired by those who worked with him. I've withheld one star because Mr. Allen is a rather prosaic stylist, writing in short sentences and with a tendency to link his material awkwardly and to repeat himself, and I thought his critiques of Veidt's movies and performances could have been a tad sharper. Even so I highly recommend his book. Conrad Veidt deserves to be remembered.
