Sea of Sand [Desert Patrol] **** (1958, Richard Attenborough, John Gregson, Michael Craig) – Classic Movie Review 9381

Director Guy Green’s 1958 British war film Sea of Sand [Desert Patrol] is better than average war fare, using the sandy wastes of North Africa as an endless backdrop for a tale set during the North African Campaign in the Second World War.

A patrol with a valiant group of men of the Long Range Desert Group from the British 8th Army struggles against the odds to blow up a Nazi supply post and destroy one of the Desert Fox’s vital communications links in North Africa.

Richard Attenborough is remarkable as Brody in his third major role of the year (after Dunkirk and The Man Upstairs), and John Gregson (as Captain Bill Williams R.E), Michael Craig (as Captain Tim Cotton), Vincent Ball (as Sergeant Nesbitt), Percy Herbert as Corporal ‘Blanco’ White, and Barry Foster (as Corporal Mathieson) also make their mark strongly.

The Long Range Desert Group badge depicting a scorpion within a wheel.

Also in the cast are Andrew Faulds as Sergeant Parker, George Murcell as Corporal Simms, Ray McAnally as Sergeant Hardy, Harold Goodwin as Road Watch, Tony Thawnton as Captain Tom, Wolf Frees as German Sergeant, George Mikell as German Officer, Martin Benson as German Half-track Officer (uncredited) and Dermot Walsh as Commanding Officer (uncredited).

Robert Westerby writes the screenplay, from Sean Fielding’s original story.

It was shot on location in the Kingdom of Libya, in Tripolitania near many sites that saw real action during the war in North Africa.

The technical adviser is Bill Kennedy Shaw, who was the Long Range Desert Group’s intelligence officer during the desert campaign in North Africa.

The score is by Clifton Parker, performed by the Sinfonia of London under the direction of Muir Mathieson.

Most of the European extras are British Army personnel stationed in Libya because of the military alliance between King Idris of Libya and the West. Most of the military props are derived from British or American equipment.

It was nominated for three BAFTA Film Awards: Best Film, Best British Film and Best British Actor (Michael Craig).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9381

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