Destination Gobi is a Technicolor film directed by master craftsman Robert Wise. Richard Widmark plays a longtime Navy man who improbably finds himself "babysitting" a small crew of Navy weathermen stationed in the Gobi Desert. The team is responsible for helping to forecast weather in the Pacific Theatre. The film is said to be based on a true story, and the script blends sarcastic humor, poignancy, and flashes of action to create a somewhat absorbing WWII saga. Ain't it a rare thing to see meteorologic seers attempting to evade a Japanese army while riding camels across the desert? The cinematography was by Charles G. Clarke , who creates some striking shots with the Nevada Desert standing in for the Gobi. A favorite scene is when the weathermen pass their Skipper's burial place as they leave camp, against a backdrop of a beautiful cloud-filled sky. A serviceable music score was composed by Sol Kaplan.
Review of Destination Gobi
