SAHARA
Australia/US, 1996, 100 minutes, Colour.
James Belushi, Mark Lee, Jerome Ehlers.
Directed by Brian Trenchard Smith.
Sahara is based on a Soviet film, The 13. It has been adapted to the World War II battles in northern Africa around the fall of Tobruk. The film focuses on an American tank stranded in the desert, a group of stragglers which include a British officer, British soldiers, Australian and French. They also have a Sudanese soldier with an Italian prisoner and finally a German Prisoner. In seeking water from wells in the desert, they find themselves attacked by a battalion of German soldiers.
The film shows the futility of war (and the screenplay makes some comment about this). The screenplay is a mixture of old-fashioned World War II films and individual heroism as well as a critique of war.
The film was a strange choice for investment in the mid-'90s. Village Roadshow put money into the film and it was made on the central coast of New South Wales around Port Stephens. James Belushi is the star and is supported by an Australian cast which includes Mark Lee (with an American accent) and a good performance by Jerome Ehlers as the British doctor.
The film was directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith?, who has made a name for himself with action films over the decades, ranging from The Man From Hong Kong to Death Cheaters, Turkey Shoot and the family film, Frog Dreaming.
1. A World War II story - and the perspective of the '90s? Old-fashioned topic, old-fashioned treatment? Adapted for the '90s and the attitude towards war?
2. The desert locations, the sand, the dunes, the storms? The ruins and the well? The war action sequences? Vehicles, guns and ammunition? Mines - the tanks and the staging of the battles? The musical score?
3. The title and the focus on the desert and the war experience of desert? Memories of Rommel's Africa Corps, the role of the Germans, the British, the Rats of Tobruk?
4. James Belushi as Joe, the American in the desert, Lulubelle his tank, Jimmy and Waco as his assistants? Getting the tank into action? The rapport between the three? Waco's wound? The plan to go through the desert? Radio communication? Being cut off from the allied forces? The encounter with the British group and the stragglers? Interaction, the decision to go on, the stragglers joining the group? Joe taking charge - and the doctor allowing him?
5. The encounter with Tombool, his Italian prisoner? Confronting them, the decision to give the prisoner food and water and leave him? His running behind the tank? Joe's severity and the others following suit after pleading? His being allowed to go with them? The dry well? The decision to go deeper into the desert to the ruins?
6. The storm in the desert? The ruins? Digging for the water, the water dripping in the well, their being able to survive? The German prisoner and keeping him guard? His disdainful drinking of the water? In the ruins, the 500 Germans on the horizon? The decision to stay and fight? The strategy to help those at El Alamein? The advance guard, the battle, the survivors, getting the information through the promise of water? The strategy for the battle?
7. The battle, the hordes of Germans? The officer and his executing the scout? The deals for food and water? Arms for water? Joe keeping up the deception, the English doctor washing? The Germans believing? The attacks and the onslaught? The massacre? The action of the small group, heroism? The Italian and his helping with the tank? His confrontation with the German?
8. Joe and his personality, soldier since 17, in the desert, tough, survivor? His loud style, command? Bonds with his own men? The deaths in the group and his softening? The death of Waco after his being wounded? The strategies and negotiations? The survival - and the miracle with the water? The British? Joe and his reciting of the "Lest we forget" words at the end?
9. The British doctor, the Red Cross, the deaths? His decision to go with Joe, his command of the troops? His care for the men? A wise guide? Going to the well, to the ruins? His finally having to fight? His looking after Waco and their deaths with the crash of the dome?
10. The British: Bates from Yorkshire and his not wanting to be lost, his dog tags and his wife knowing where he was? Smoking his pipe? In the battles? Casey and the story about being a cat burglar?
11. Williams, the stories from Gundagai, the Australian attitude, she'll be right? His sudden death?
12. The Americans, their story, Waco and his discussion with Tombool about Islam and wives?
13. Tombool, professional soldier, the Sudanese army? His guiding them with the water? The Italian prisoner? Going down the well, collecting the water? His final heroism in pursuing the German to stop him giving information? Holding up his Iron Cross?
14. The Frenchman, his story about the Resistance, his anger, willing to kill the German? Guarding the prisoners? His story about eating bread and cheese - and the reaction of the others? His negotiations at the end - and killing the officers, his own death?
15. The Italian prisoner, changing sides, memories of Mussolini, his wife and child? Not telling the truth about the German understanding English? His helping with the truck - and his final giving of information and saving the group? His death?
16. The Germans - stereotypes from the old war movies? The blond Nazi and his heroism? Death? The German officers and shooting their own men? The men desperate for water? The battles?
17. How pro-war was the film with its presentation of battles, deaths, injuries, heroism? Anti-war with Joe's comments about each side doing the same thing, fighting over a dry well?
