Desert Patrol (1958)
"Sea of Sand" (original title)

A small British army team is sent to destroy a German petrol dump as part of the preparation for a major attack in the North African campaign. Whilst they are there they spot a large number... See full summary »

Director:

Guy Green

Writers:

Robert Westerby (screenplay), Sean Fielding (original story)

Stars:

Richard Attenborough, John Gregson, Michael Craig

Nominated for 3 BAFTA Film Awards.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Richard Attenborough	...	Brody
John Gregson	...	Capt. Bill Williams
Michael Craig	...	Capt. Tim Cotton
Vincent Ball	...	Sgt. Nesbitt
Percy Herbert	...	White
Barry Foster	...	Cpl. Matheson
George Murcell	...	Cpl. Simms
Andrew Faulds	...	Sgt. Parker
Ray McAnally	...	Sgt. Hardy
Harold Goodwin	...	Road Watch
Tony Thawnton	...	Capt. Tom
Wolf Frees	...	German Sergeant
George Mikell	...	German Officer

Storyline

A small British army team is sent to destroy a German petrol dump as part of the preparation for a major attack in the North African campaign. Whilst they are there they spot a large number of tanks and realise that army intelligence must be informed or some Tommies are going to be in for a nasty surprise. The Germans are equally determined that they should not reach their base, and a tense chase across the desert is the result.

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Plot Keywords:

petrol | desert | tank | dunes | north africa | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English German

Release Date:

December 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Desert Patrol

Filming Locations:

Tripolitania, Libya

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rank Organisation, The, Tempean Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's opening prologue and dedication states: "In October 1942, whilst the Eighth Army prepared for its onslaught upon the enemy at El Alamein, the Long Range Desert Group [L.R.D.G.] operating hundreds of miles behind the enemy lines, was harassing Rommel's communications and supply depots. This group of picked volunteers was cut off from the main army by the vast sand seas of the desert. Their methods were unorthodox, but the results they achieved were out of all proportion to the small number of men involved. It is to these officers and men of the L.R.D.G. that this story is dedicated."

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Soundtracks

"What a Day We Will Have"
(uncredited)
Music by Joe Henderson
Lyrics by Jack Fishman
Performed by Vera Lynn
Heard on radio

User Reviews

Great ensemble piece

Recently saw this on TV. I tuned in on a whim and was delighted I did. It features a really good line up of mid 50's talent and some lustrous black and white photography. It seemed to me a forerunner of the later "mission" movies which became the norm for WW2 films in the following decade.

There were a couple of hard hitting -for the time- action sequences, which were crisply filmed and edited. There was a smattering of officers v men tension, mostly supplied by Attenborough in his cheeky chappy guise. And a fantastic sequence of a lone British soldier waiting by his machine gun for German half-tracks to appear over the crest of the dunes.

My only slight problem with the film is the heroic display by one of the officers towards the end. It felt like a throwback to earlier, more genteel values, not in keeping with the tone of the rest of the piece. Apart from that, well worth a look. Would make an good double bill with De Toth's later Play Dirty.