The Thief and the Cobbler (released as The Princess and The Cobbler in Australia and South Africa, and Arabian Knight in most other countries) was the twenty-six-year animated feature film pet project of Canadian animator Richard Williams. Beginning the work in 1964, Williams intended for the film to be his masterpiece (in the traditional sense of the word), and to be a milestone in the art of animation. The Thief and the Cobbler was in and out of production for over two decades, until Williams, buoyed by his success as animation director on Who Framed Roger Rabbit, signed a deal in 1990 to have Warner Bros. finance and distribute the film. This deal fell through when Williams was unable to complete the film on time. As Warners pulled out, The Completion Bond Company assumed control of the project and had it finished by producer Fred Calvert without Williams.

Two versions of Calvert's completed The Thief and the Cobbler were released; one was issued in Australia and South Africa in 1993 as The Princess and the Cobbler and the other in the United States in 1995 as Arabian Knight, distributed by Miramax Family Films. While both are significantly different from Williams' intended version, the Arabian Knight version included new voice work by actors such as Jennifer Beals, Matthew Broderick and Jonathan Winters. Although The Princess and the Cobbler/Arabian Knight was not a financial success, the film's history and intent has given it significant cult status among animation professionals and fans.

Video copies of Thief and the Cobbler workprints made during Richard Williams' involvement on the project often circulate within animation subcircles. In addition, several different people and collectives, from animation fans to The Walt Disney Company's Roy E. Disney, have initiated restoration projects intended to create a high-quality edit of the film which would mirror Williams' original intent as closely as possible. Because it was inactive making from 1964 until 1995, The Thief and the Cobbler holds the record for having the longest years in the making time for a motion picture in history.

The film was the final released work of Vincent Price. Price recorded his dialogue starting in 1967 and died in 1993, prior to the film's 1995 release in the United States.

The film tells a story which takes place in an oriental city from the tales of thousand and one night. It covers the friendship of a thief knowing all tricks to survive in the city and a poor cobbler/shoemaker who has to struggle in order to live. Written by Volker Boehm

Designed in the '60s, this Arabian Nights fantasy uses expressive animation to detail the story of a shy, near-silent cobbler who tries to win the affections of a distant princess. Meanwhile, the entertainingly evil, rhyme-speaking Grand Vizier Zig-zag tries to win the Princess's hand, and wages war on the peaceful Golden City. It's up to a rather odd, unspeaking local thief to set things right by accident. Written by Anonymous