SAHARA

US, 1943, 97 minutes, Black and White.
Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, Lloyd Bridges, Rex Ingram, J. Carroll Naish, Dan Duryea.
Directed by Zoltan Korda.

Sahara was a topical war film in 1943. It looks at events in North Africa in the preceding year. It highlights the British, American observers in 1942 in the Sahara Desert. It reflects Rommel's advance, the siege of Tobruk, the defence of El Alamein.

The film was written by John Howard Lawson, one of the Hollywood Ten indicted for unAmerican activities at the end of the war. The film was directed by Zoltan Korda, Sir Alexander Korda's brother, who directed such interesting films as The Drum, Four Feathers, Jungle Book and was later to direct The Macomber Affair and Cry the Beloved Country.

The film is based on a Soviet screenplay, The Thirteen.

The film is also the main war vehicle for Humphrey Bogart, who gives a convincing performance as the tank sergeant. A good supporting cast includes J. Carroll Naish as an Italian, Dan Duryea, Lloyd Bridges (with a British accent).

While so many war propaganda films are dated, this film is so well made, takes a look at one small unit during the war - so that the film remains relevant irrespective of the decades passing since World War Two.

1. Interesting war film? Dramatic? Propaganda for the period? Impact in later decades?

2. The writer, the basis of the Soviet screenplay, the British director, the Hollywood cast, a Columbia release? In 1943?

3. The title, the focus on the desert, the war, tanks and survival, the sands and the storms, the need for water, the Sudanese and others knowing the desert? The toll of the desert on the soldiers?

4. Black and white photography, editing and pace? Miklos Rozsa's score?

5. The British and the Americans in the Sahara? The attack of the Nazis? Battles, enemy lines? Battle attitudes - Germans, Italians, British, Americans?

6. The sergeant and his crew, the tank? Going south for survival? Radio orders? Contact with the British, Dr Halliday, the British men? Antagonism towards the Americans? The possibilities for survival - the decision to go all together? Tensions between the Americans and British? Dr Halliday putting the sergeant in charge of the operation? Deciding about water rations?

7. Progress through the desert, the sand, the storms? The finding of the Sudanese soldier with the Italian? Receiving the Sudanese? His military background? The Italian, the sergeant deciding to leave him, compassion? The Italian's promise not to drink the water? His co-operation and his being allowed to drink?

8. The encounter with the Germans, the capture of the pilot after his strafing them? Interrogation, translation? The irony that he understood English?

9. The progress of the Germans, the advance group, the decision of the sergeant, sending them back, the German airman trying to give them the message that there was no water? The plan to get the Germans to come to the well, defend the well, delay them, send Waco for help?

10. Water, the dry wells? The Sudanese discovering the dripping water? The refreshment? The morale of the soldiers? Digging in, the tank, the guns? The death of the British soldier from the air attack?

11. The advance of the Germans? Wanting water, the terms for the exchange of guns? The battles? The snipers picking off the British? Waco and his getting through? Jimmy and his death? The British, Dr Halliday dying? The German trying to escape, the Sudanese trying to prevent him and his death? The German trying to get the Italian to betray? Killing him? The Italian giving the information to the sergeant?

12. The battle, the final surrender, the bombardment uncovering the water? The rounding up of the Germans? The rescue?

13. The delineation of characters: Humphrey Bogart as the tough sergeant, from nowhere, in command, his ability with the tank, relationship with Jimmy and Waco? With the British? Patriotism and loyalty? Success of the mission? Jimmy, the American, loyal, on the lookout, the bets? Waco and the background in Texas? His going on the mission, hard to survive, found? The British, the doctor from Ireland and his sympathies? The British soldier and wanting to irrigate the Sahara? The Italian, his relatives in the United States, his skill as a mechanic, not wanting to fight, photos, disillusionment with Mussolini? The German pilot, indoctrinated Nazi, loyal, wanting to save his soldiers? The Sudanese and the long military tradition?

14. The focus on one unit, the war personalised and dramatised?