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The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel

  • 19511951
  • PGPG
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
Trailer for this film based on the best selling novel
Play trailer2:21
1 Video
48 Photos
BiographyDramaWar

The story of the final years of the respected World War II German general, Erwin Rommel.The story of the final years of the respected World War II German general, Erwin Rommel.The story of the final years of the respected World War II German general, Erwin Rommel.

IMDb RATING
6.9/10
6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Henry Hathaway
  • Writers
    • Nunnally Johnson(screenplay)
    • Desmond Young(biography)
  • Stars
    • James Mason
    • Cedric Hardwicke
    • Jessica Tandy
Top credits
  • Director
    • Henry Hathaway
  • Writers
    • Nunnally Johnson(screenplay)
    • Desmond Young(biography)
  • Stars
    • James Mason
    • Cedric Hardwicke
    • Jessica Tandy
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 73User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    The Desert Fox
    Trailer 2:21
    The Desert Fox

    Photos48

    James Mason and Leo G. Carroll in The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
    The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
    Immortal Sergeant (1943)
    The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
    The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
    The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
    James Mason in The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
    The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
    The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
    The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
    The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
    The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Mason
    James Mason
    • Field Marshal Erwin Johannes Rommelas Field Marshal Erwin Johannes Rommel
    Cedric Hardwicke
    Cedric Hardwicke
    • Dr. Karl Strolinas Dr. Karl Strolin
    Jessica Tandy
    Jessica Tandy
    • Frau Lucie Marie Rommelas Frau Lucie Marie Rommel
    Luther Adler
    Luther Adler
    • Adolf Hitleras Adolf Hitler
    Everett Sloane
    Everett Sloane
    • Gen. Wilhelm Burgdorfas Gen. Wilhelm Burgdorf
    Leo G. Carroll
    Leo G. Carroll
    • Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedtas Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt
    George Macready
    George Macready
    • Gen. Fritz Bayerleinas Gen. Fritz Bayerlein
    Richard Boone
    Richard Boone
    • Capt. Hermann Aldingeras Capt. Hermann Aldinger
    Eduard Franz
    Eduard Franz
    • Col. Klaus von Stauffenbergas Col. Klaus von Stauffenberg
    Desmond Young
    • Lt. Col. Desmond Youngas Lt. Col. Desmond Young
    Philip Ahlm
    • German Soldier & Chauffeuras German Soldier & Chauffeur
    • (uncredited)
    John Alderson
    • German Sergeantas German Sergeant
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    Jack Baston
    • Gen. Alfred Jodlas Gen. Alfred Jodl
    • (uncredited)
    Robert Bohannon
    • Minor Roleas Minor Role
    • (uncredited)
    Boyd Cabeen
    • Minor Roleas Minor Role
    • (uncredited)
    Roland Carpenter
    • German Officeras German Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Mary Carroll
    • Rommel's Maidas Rommel's Maid
    • (uncredited)
    Steve Carruthers
    Steve Carruthers
    • Signal Manas Signal Man
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Henry Hathaway
    • Writers
      • Nunnally Johnson(screenplay)
      • Desmond Young(biography)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    This biopic follows Rommel's career after the Afrika Korps, including his work on the defenses of Fortress Europe as well as his part in the assassination attempt on Hitler, and his subsequent suicide. —Alfred Jingle
    military leadershipyear 19441940sreference to erwin rommelwestern front of world war ii62 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The vast African desert is aflame with the startling story the world has only guessed at ... never known until now !
    • Genres
      • Biography
      • Drama
      • War
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Apparently, Erwin Rommel's widow, Lucie Marie Rommel acted as a technical consultant and adviser to this movie. She was played by Jessica Tandy in the film itself. Mrs. Rommel lent the production some of her husband's personal artifacts and liaised with Nunnally Johnson, the film's producer and screenwriter. As Frau Lucie Maria Rommel, Mrs Rommel later also acted as a military consultant to the film The Longest Day (1962) made by 20th Century-Fox, the same studio that produced this movie.
    • Goofs
      The opening commando raid shows at least a dozen German soldiers killed. In reality, only four were killed.
    • Quotes

      Field Marshal Gerd von Runstedt: [It's] too late for me. I'm seventy now - too old to fight, too old to challenge authority, however evil... but not too old, however, to wish you and your friends the best of luck in their extremely interesting enterprise.

    • Connections
      Followed by The Desert Rats (1953)
    • Soundtracks
      The Army Air Corps Song
      (uncredited)

      Music by Robert Crawford

      Heard during the scenes of D-Day and the ensuing battles

    User reviews73

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Not A Fully Reliable Portrayal
    This is a pretty solid attempt to portray a soldier's great dilemma - balancing loyalty to the state and obedience to orders with the higher calling of loyalty to what's right and just. Erwin Rommel was one of the great German generals of World War II (a hero in Germany and respected by the Allies.) In the end, he also became involved with the conspiracy against Hitler. The movie shows us some of that development, beginning with his incredulousness at Hitler's orders that the Afrika Korps stand and fight to the last man in Africa rather than withdrawing to fight another day. According to the movie, it was this "stand and fight to the last man" attitude of Der Fuhrer that finally pushed Rommel over the edge. That makes Rommel consistent with what I know of most of the leaders of the "resistance" (such as it was) to Hitler. The opposition wasn't political; it wasn't based on a rejection of Nazi ideology or distaste for Hitler's racial policies - it tended to be based simply on the belief that Hitler was leading Germany to defeat in the war. That's the overarching sentiment portrayed here. That being the case, Rommel may not have been the sympathetic character this movie makes him out to be - maybe he just had the smarts to realize that Germany was fighting a losing war. There's also no mention of his performance during the German invasion of France in 1940, in which Rommel - as a panzer commander - received some German criticism for both his tactics and his tendency to exaggerate his achievements.

    James Mason was very good as Rommel. His portrayal was believable, although I wish there had been more exploration in the story of where Rommel came from rather than simply starting us abruptly in Africa. Made only 6 years after the end of the war, the movie is also somewhat courageous in presenting a German general (even one who was unsympathetic to Hitler) in such a sympathetic light. I didn't find this to be structured particularly well. There was too much narration involved, which seemed put an end to any flow the movie might have been trying to develop. Some scenes (particularly of the Allied landings on D-Day) featured a little too much patriotic American and British and French music as the troops went ashore (frankly, listening to the Marine Fight Song or The Marseillaise in a movie about Rommel seemed a bit silly.)

    It's an interesting movie, but doesn't seem to completely capture the man it portrays.
    helpful•21
    1
    • sddavis63
    • Apr 30, 2010

    FAQ1

    • Chicago Opening Happened When?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 17, 1951 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Le renard du désert
    • Filming locations
      • Yuma, Arizona, USA
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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