Sahara (1943)

After the fall of Tobruk in 1942, during the Allied retreat in the Libyan desert, an American tank picks-up a motley group of survivors but they face advancing Germans and a lack of water.

Director:

Zoltan Korda

Writers:

John Howard Lawson (screenplay), Zoltan Korda (screenplay)

Stars:

Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, J. Carrol Naish

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Humphrey Bogart	...	Sgt. Joe Gunn
Bruce Bennett	...	Waco Hoyt
J. Carrol Naish	...	Giuseppe
Lloyd Bridges	...	Fred Clarkson
Rex Ingram	...	Sgt. Major Tambul
Richard Aherne	...	Capt. Jason Halliday (as Richard Nugent)
Dan Duryea	...	Jimmy Doyle
Carl Harbord	...	Marty Williams
Patrick O'Moore	...	Osmond 'Ozzie' Bates
Louis Mercier	...	Jean Leroux, 'Frenchie' (as Louis T. Mercier)
Guy Kingsford	...	Peter Stegman
Kurt Kreuger	...	Capt. von Schletow (as Kurt Krueger)
John Wengraf	...	Maj. Von Falken

Storyline

Sergeant Joe Gunn and his tank crew pick up five British soldiers, a Frenchman and a Sudanese man with an Italian prisoner crossing the Libyan Desert to rejoin their command after the fall of Tobruk. They and the Germans are greatly in need of water.

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Plot Keywords:

world war two | tank | british soldier | reference to muhammad | italian soldier | 

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Taglines:

Their dramatic story can now be told!

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Genres:

Action | Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The German aircraft strafing the tank is an Allison powered P-51 or A-36. The carburetor intake is easily seen atop the nose just behind the prop.

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Goofs

There are two flags flying on the tank Lulubelle. In the opening scene, the lower flag is shown as artificially erect (like the US flags on the moon), only to be shown moments later fully flapping in the wind.

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Quotes

Sgt. Joe Gunn: [Speaking about his tank's engine that won't start] Well, you don't feed her enough. It's like a dame. You don't feed 'em they won't do nothin'.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: In June, 1942, a small detachment of American tanks with American crews, joined the British Eighth Army in North Africa to get experience in desert warfare under actual battle conditions.

History has proved that they learned their lesson well - -

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Connections

Referenced in Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

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Soundtracks

Oh! Susanna
(uncredited)
Music by Stephen Foster
Played on the harmonica by Patrick O'Moore.

User Reviews

"We stopped them at El Alamein."

Excellent WW2 film about a small group of soldiers fighting off Nazis in the Sahara desert. Humphrey Bogart plays an American tank commander who, along with his crew, picks up several Allied soldiers and a couple of Axis prisoners. Eventually they find water in a well by the ruins of an old fort. When the Nazis come looking for the same well, the soldiers have to decide whether to run or fight.

Terrific cast backing up Bogie. Special mention for Rex Ingram, J. Carrol Naish, and Bruce Bennett. Solid script and direction. Nicely photographed by Rudolph Maté with a good Miklós Rózsa score. Humphrey Bogart starred in some great WW2 movies. Most of them were made for Warner Bros. but this one was made at Columbia. I think this is the best WW2 movie they put out and it's on par with anything made at the other studios. A strong dramatic film with great characters and exciting action. One Bogie fans won't want to pass up.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German Italian French

Release Date:

11 November 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Somewhere in Sahara

Filming Locations:

Zzyzx, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$2,300,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1