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.

---

Plot Keywords:

camel chips | sahara desert | prostitute | lost city | treasure hunt | 

---

Taglines:

The Great SAHARA Adventure!

---

Genres:

Adventure | Drama

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

Italy USA

Language:

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)

Gross USA:

$2,200,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Batjac Productions, Dear Film Produzione

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shortly before filming began, John Wayne was devastated when the U.S. sided with the Soviet Union in the Suez Crisis. He called for military action in response to the Soviet invasion of Hungary. Wayne had always had a very low opinion of then U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and this increased after Suez. However, he continued to publicly support Eisenhower, as he felt Adlai Stevenson, a progressive Democrat, as President, would be far worse for the U.S. and its allies.

---

Goofs

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

---

Quotes

Paul Bonnard: [after Bonnard took his pistol and shot Joe's whiskey bottle out of his hand] I'm sorry, Joe. I had to do it. I heard you talk.
Joe January: So you took a shot at me?
Paul Bonnard: No, not at you. At the liquor that was making you talk like that.
Paul Bonnard: [extends his hand] Let's be friends, Joe. Let's start over.
Joe January: [reluctant, then shakes Bonnard's hand] All right. We'll start over. But you pull a gun on me again, and one of us will be a *dead* friend.

---

Connections

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

User Reviews

I'll wait until he's awake, to give him the bad news

Henry Hathaway had something in his hands few director's would ever dream of having. A winning combination, to include the screen strength of John Wayne (Joe January) the sexual allure of beautiful Italian goddess, Sophia Loren (Dita) and dashing leading man, Rossano Brazzi (Paul Bonnard,) all in the same film. The Legend of the lost is one of those particular film which should have become a superb adventure/drama, which in turn should have evolved into a classic. But like a Formula One Car which should win the international Gran Prix, unfortunately run short of fuel. The story is that of three people all searching for something which it seems lies beyond them. January seeks enough money to break free of the monotonous cycle of drunken nights in jails, Dita hoping to find someone who appreciates her for herself and not just one night stands and Bonnard, hoping to find a desert treasure left to him by his father. All three struggle against themselves and their weaknesses and then at the temptations which cause them to remember why they failed the first time. Against them is the limitless Shahara which is unforgiving and more than a challenge to lesser adventurers. Expected steamy scenes between the story characters in the novel are abandoned and disappointed viewers are resigned to the "Romance-Lite" they are given. A good film if you don't expect too much from such international greats. ***