Destination Gobi *** (1953, Richard Widmark, Don Taylor, Max Showalter) – Classic Movie Review 10,253

‘ADVENTURE AS FIERY AND FURIOUS AS THE FLAMING SANDS OF CHINA’S GOBI DESERT!’ Director Robert Wise’s 1953 drama Destination Gobi, his first film in colour, is an engrossing war adventure about US Navy men on weather observation duty in Mongolia in 1944.

Richard Widmark stars as Chief Petty Officer Sam McHale, who leads them from the desert to the coast, where they are rescued from the Japanese by Mongol chief Kengtu (Murvyn Vye).

Edmund G Love’s fact-based story and the fascinating backdrop make it an unusual war picture, with more thoughtful ideas, character development and intelligent dialogue than action. The Technicolor shooting is very welcome.

The screenplay is by Everett Freeman.

Also in the cast are Don Taylor, Max Showalter [Casey Adams], Murvyn Vye, Darryl Hickman, Martin Milner, Ross Bagdassarian, Judy Dan, Rodolfo Acosta, Russell Collins, Leonard Strong, Edgar Barrier, William Forrest, Earl Holliman, Richard Loo, Alvy Moore, Bert Moorhouse, Anthony Numkena, Jack Raine and Stuart Randall.

It starts: ‘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 Two.’

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,253

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