Legend of the Lost (1957)

American ne'er-do-well Joe January is hired to take Paul Bonnard on an expedition into the desert in search of treasure.

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Robert Presnell Jr. (screenplay) (as Robert Presnell Jnr.), Ben Hecht (screenplay)

Stars:

John Wayne, Sophia Loren, Rossano Brazzi

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Wayne	...	Joe January
Sophia Loren	...	Dita
Rossano Brazzi	...	Paul Bonnard
Kurt Kasznar	...	Prefect Dukas
Sonia Moser	...	Girl
Angela Portaluri	...	Girl
Ibrahim El Hadish	...	Galli Galli

Storyline

Paul Bonnard arrives in Timbuktu in search of a guide to escort him into the Sahara desert. American Joe January takes the job despite misgivings about Bonnard's plans. Dita, a prostitute who has been deeply moved by what appears to be Bonnard's spiritual nature, follows the two men into the desert. Eventually the trio arrives in the ruins of a lost city, where Bonnard hopes to find the treasure his father sought years earlier before disappearing. But what Bonnard finds alters him in unexpected ways, with tragic results.

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Plot Keywords:

camel chips | sahara desert | ruby | gold coin | prostitute | 

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Taglines:

Wayne Puts His Brand on Loren!...

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Roman ruins where the action take place are actually the ancient city of Leptis Magna in Libya, which is not in the middle of the desert, but at the very coast. In fact, the shot where the viewer sees a front view of the Roman theatre doesn't show the building's full height, so as not to reveal the sea in the background.

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Goofs

They refer throughout the movie to the animals they are riding as donkeys, but they are clearly mules.

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Quotes

Dita: You never kissed me like that before.
Joe January: I always meant to.

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Connections

Referenced in You Bet Your Life: Episode #9.33 (1959)

User Reviews

Superb cinematography, Sophia at her most gorgeous.

This film is invaluable for its exquisite production values. It should not be missed for '50s costuming and make-up conventions, however improbable for a desert expedition. In addition, the no-show direction left all three principals to their own devices; and their natural strengths and weaknesses as performers are exposed. John Wayne fares best here, as he has never been more charismatic...or done more with less of a script. Brazzi fares worst, being unconvincing as a rival to John Wayne and as a romantic match for Sophia Loren. Pay close attention to the fist fight among the three adventurers. You will see each punch miss by at least a foot and a half.

Details

Country:

Italy USA

Language:

Arabic English

Release Date:

17 December 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Legend of Timbuktu

Filming Locations:

Leptis Magna, Libya

Box Office

Budget:

$1,750,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Batjac Productions, Dear Film Produzione

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1