The Desert Rats *** (1953, Richard Burton, James Mason, Robert Newton, Robert Douglas) – Classic Movie Review 5408

Director Robert Wise’s standard studio-bound 1953 film dramatisation of the World War Two Tobruk campaign is a fairly involving war action adventure, thanks to the well-crafted 20th Century Fox studio production, the stalwart British players and the exciting battle scenes.

James Mason steals the show in his brief appearance as as Nazi Field Marshal Erwin Johannes von Rommel (reprised from 1951’s The Desert Fox), though a not too happily cast Richard Burton tries hard in a one-dimensional star part as a Scottish Army officer, Captain ‘Tammy’ MacRoberts, who commands an Aussie bunch of ANZAC troops at Tobruk.

The out-numbered troops try to defend Tobruk against Rommel’s German Army by making daring raids, getting the nickname of The Desert Rats.

Despite all the professionalism and skill involved, it is quite a step down from The Desert Fox. There is a good cast of stalwart actors, all working hard. However, everybody is effortlessly upstaged by a hugely entertaining Robert Newton’s flamboyant turn as Tom Bartlett, the drink-sozzled British trooper who saves the day.

Also in the cast are Robert Douglas, Torin Thatcher, Chips Rafferty, John Alderson, Charles Davis, Charles B Fitzsimmons, Arno Frey, Ray Harden, Charles Keane, James Lilburn, John O’Malley, Pat O’Moore, Michael Pate, Richard Peel, Frank Pulaski, Michael Rennie, Albert Taylor, Charles Tingwell, John Wengraf, Ben Wright and Alfred Zeisler.

It runs 88 minutes, is made by 20th Century Fox, is written by Richard Murphy, is shot in black and white by Lucien Ballard, is produced by Robert L Jacks, is scored by Leigh Harline and Alfred Newman, and is set designed by Lyle R Wheeler.

Burton said later that every line of dialogue sounded like it had been taken from an army training manual.

The California-based film-makers got no further than Arizona, filming in the Mojave Desert and Yuma. The California filming was at Palm Springs, Borrego Springs and San Diego.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5408

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