Destination Gobi (1953)

In 1944, US Navy specialists run a weather station in the Gobi desert where they are harassed by Japanese warplanes but aided by local Mongol nomads.

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Everett Freeman (screenplay), Edmund G. Love (story)

Stars:

Richard Widmark, Don Taylor, Max Showalter

Cast

Cast overview:
Richard Widmark	...	CPO Samuel T. McHale
Don Taylor	...	Jenkins
Max Showalter	...	Walter Landers (as Casey Adams)
Murvyn Vye	...	Kengtu
Darryl Hickman	...	Wilbur 'Coney' Cohen
Martin Milner	...	Elwood Halsey
Ross Bagdasarian	...	Paul Sabatello
Judy Dan	...	Nura-Salu (as Judy Dann)
Rodolfo Acosta	...	Tomec
Russell Collins	...	Lt. Cmdr. Hobart Wyatt
Leonard Strong	...	Wali-Akhun

Storyline

A group of US Navy weathermen taking measurements in the Gobi desert in World War II are forced to seek the help of Mongol nomads to regain their ship while under attack from the Japanese air force. The Mongols are rewarded by an airlift of the finest saddles.

---

Plot Keywords:

mongol | gobi desert | navy | u.s. navy | saddle | 

---

Taglines:

ADVENTURE AS FIERY AND FURIOUS AS THE FLAMING SANDS OF CHINA'S GOBI DESERT! (original ad - all caps)

---

Genres:

Adventure | Drama | War

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1953 (UK)

Also Known As:

Gobi Outpost

Filming Locations:

Yuma, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,340,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Don Taylor as "Jenkins" occasionally wears a Cincinnati Reds or Cleveland Indians baseball cap. Both teams wore similar caps - navy blue with a red bill, wishbone "C," and button - during the 1940's.

---

Goofs

McHale claims that "Gobi Desert" means "wall of spears." Actually, "Gobi" is the Mongolian word for "desert."

---

Quotes

Paul Sabatello: I don't get it. What I don't get, I don't like.
Jenkins: Looks like you ain't been getting much lately.

---

Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: In the Navy records in Washington, there is an obscure entry reading "Saddles for Gobi."

This film is based on the story behind that entry--one of the strangest stories of World War II.

---

Connections

Edited into All This and World War II (1976)

User Reviews

Mongols, Meterorologist and McHale.

Destination Gobi is directed by Robert Wise and written by Everett Freeman. It stars Richard Widmark, Don Taylor, Casey Adams & Murvyn Vye.

"In the Navy records in Washington, there is an obscure entry reading 'Saddles for Gobi.' This film is based on the story behind that entry--one of the strangest stories of World War II."

An odd story makes for an oddly entertaining yarn as Widmark and co troop across the Gobi Desert after a Japanese air attack on their weather station base. Other problems exist too, as the Mongol tribe they have befriended may not actually be friends. Poor Widmark, he's a Navy man out in the desert and the motley crew under his command are getting rather restless.

Amazingly based on a true incident, tho we can safely assume there's much poetic license used by the makers, Destination Gobi has a nice blend of action, drama, adventure and comedy. The cast work well as a unit and run with the oddity of the plot, while Wise directs with customary assuredness. It's not one you would sit thru too often once viewed for the first time, but while it's on it's never less than engaging . 6.5/10