The Lost Patrol (1934) User Reviews

Classic film with powerful direction by John Ford

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 20 March 2006]

While the WWI raged in Europe British troops were fighting in a far corner of the world . Small solitary patrols moved over the vast Mesopotamian desert that seemed on fire with the sun . The molten sky gloated over them . The endless desert wore the blank look of death . Yet these men marched on without a murmur , fighting an unseen Arab enemy who always struck in the dark . A brave group (Wallace Ford , Boris Karloff , Reginald Denny , among others) of British cavalrymen lost in the desert are shot by the Arabs (Francis Ford , John Ford's older brother , appears in an uncredited role as an Arab) , one by one and twelve battered fighting men battle it out to the finish . Dead the commander officer they are subsequently commanded by the sergeant (Victor McLagen) , then arise boiling passions in the burning sands .

The movie gets brief psychological remarks about diverse character studios , especially the religious fanatic Karloff and although is completely developed on the wide desert , the tale results to be claustrophobic . Produced by RKO with a script by Dudley Nichols , usual Ford's screenwriter . Merian C.Cooper (King Kong) as executive producer intervened profoundly in this film along with main producer Cliff Red . The picture was shot for two weeks (1933) in Yuma desert which represented Mesopotamian desert (Modern Iraq) . The temperature on the Yuma locations could be as hot as 150 degrees and actors were limited to working two hours a day . Philip McDonald (novel's author being based the movie) had been recruited in the British cavalry during WWI (1917) and he then wrote an intrigue and suspense tale , adding his war memories . Furthermore , Andrew McLaglen actually served with the Irish Fusiliers in Mesopotamia during World War I at the same time this story took place . Max Steiner's musical score was Academy Award nominated, and this classic composer re-used the main title music he wrote for this film for the main title music for Casablanca , albeit with a slightly different instrumentation and tempo . Magnificent direction by the master John Ford and excellent interpretations make this a very good film . Subsequently remade and reworked several times : ¨Sahara¨ (by Zoltan Korda) with scenarios in Libya desert ; ¨Bataan¨(Tay Garnett) in Philippines jungle ; ¨Last of Comanches¨ (Andre De Toth) in Califonia desert ; and even part of ¨Flight of Phoenix¨ (Robert Aldrich) in Sahara desert . The motion picture will appeal to cinema classics moviegoers .

The Lost Patrol (1934) ***1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 8/10 · 14 April 2005]

The second film version of an archetypal adventure story is arguably the best despite some dated elements; John Ford deftly handles the proceedings and Max Steiner's stirring score - which at times foreshadows his later one for CASABLANCA (1942) - is a major asset. The solid cast of character actors is highlighted by Boris Karloff's remarkable turn as a religious fanatic who is slowly driven crazy by the amorality of his comrades and the futility of their struggle against unseen Arab attackers. The film can not only be seen to form part of the "British Empire" sub-genre of adventure films - with THE LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER (1935), THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (1936), THE FOUR FEATHERS (1939) and GUNGA DIN (1939) being its most notable contemporary examples - but, if one were to stretch it a bit, also paves the way for more modern stuff like John Carpenter's ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976). It's unfortunate that nowadays, only the 66-minute reissue version seems to be available rather than the original, full-length 74 minute version. Over 20 years ago, I missed my one opportunity to watch this one on Italian TV and have been on the lookout for it ever since; however, I did manage to catch two similarly-themed wartime actioners, BATAAN (1943; with Robert Taylor) and SAHARA (1943; with Humphrey Bogart) over the years which were quite good in their own right. Curiously enough, Cyril McLaglen had played the same part played here by his brother Victor in the earlier 1929 British film version.

Despite some flaws, the film still delivers an emotional feeling of helplessness.

[Art-22 · 6/10 · 3 October 1998]

John Ford's critically acclaimed film has lost some of its punch, but still delivers an emotional feeling of helplessness, as the lost patrol is menaced by unseen Arabs, and are picked off one by one until few are left. That feeling is reinforced when a rescue airplane lands and the pilot, unaware of the danger, cavalierly walks toward the men, who try to signal him to take cover. But there are bit too many dead spots between the action sequences. And Boris Karloff tends to overact his religious fanatic role, which got on everyone's nerve, including mine. Still, the film is beautifully photographed and has a good Max Steiner score.

No McDonald's at this Oasis

[dougdoepke · 12 February 2009]

Odd movie for John Ford since what's on screen could have been done by a score of less talented directors. My guess is that his movie-making personality had yet to assert itself and that screenwriter Dudley Nichols is the molding force here. Clearly, Nichols is behind Karloff's wacky religious fanatic given Ford's generally sympathetic view of religious folks (The Searchers, for one). Note the parody of "Onward Christian Soldiers" as Karloff advances into the desert behind a huge crucifix. Such caricatures would largely disappear during the restrictive Code era soon to follow, 1934.

True, the acting is pretty stagey as often happened with Ford, but exaggeration was not unusual for the time. Fortunately, the often comedic Victor McLaglen shows an effectively somber side, providing the movie's needed dramatic core. Note too, that there's little of Ford's celebrated poetic eye for natural landscapes. Instead, he films in pretty un- ornamented literal fashion.

I agree with those who believe the film has lost much original impact. The florid acting, Karloff's especially, certainly doesn't help. And for that matter, neither does the British pilot who exits his plane looking and acting like he's going to a prom date instead of a war zone. There are the other implausibles pointed out by other reviewers, so no need to repeat them here. Unfortunately, the sum total of these negatives works against the film's effectiveness, especially for modern audiences.

Nonetheless, there's still that really creepy element of instant death. It strikes the patrol suddenly and silently, stalking them like an evil metaphysical force. It's this unusual dimension, sort of like our worst nightmare, that continues to lend the movie real distinction and unnerve the viewer. Too bad, in my book, that the screenplay relents in the end when we see the men (Arabs) behind the force. Better that they had been kept out of audience reach and remained a shadowy presence throughout.

But my guess is the script couldn't end by implying that the Arabs had won the battle. So eventually the natives get mowed down in good conventional fashion; McLaglen gets rescued in good conventional fashion; and the British colonialists ride into the sunset in good conventional fashion. One of the film's strengths is that it's ambiguous enough that we can't be sure how it will end. Thus the conventional ending for me is a disappointment, unworthy of what's gone before.

Consider how forceful the film would be had no member of the patrol survived and the attackers remained unseen. That would have violated political correctness, but also resulted in a more memorable movie. After all, in real life, the so-called good guys don't always win, and sometimes it's helpful to be reminded of that. And sometimes an unhappy ending also makes for good, memorable cinema. Too bad this movie, with so much pre-Code potential, couldn't or wouldn't carry forward its unnerving side and end outside the box.

Strangely affecting even with the falseness of some of the shooting and acting

[secondtake · 7/10 · 15 July 2014]

The Lost Patrol (1934)

A John Ford war movie five years before his breakthrough movie, "Stagecoach," is interesting at least in relation to his career. So I watched this (on Warner Archive Instant).

And his lifelong themes are here—men in the wilds facing their weaknesses. His war films and westerns all have qualities of machismo, for sure, but they aren't just masculine adventure flicks. That's what makes even something like this minor effort stand up over time. When two of these men, after seeing their fellow soldiers die one by one, sit and smoke a pair of cigarettes and talk about themselves and their lives and their halted dreams, you have the depths of the movie. And of John Ford.

The plot is a contrivance—a British WWI patrol gets lost in an Arabian desert with hostile fire around them. As each of the dozen or so men dies, either from standing up at the wrong time, making a run for it, or just losing their mind in the heat, you zero in on the few that remain. And on the idea of survival. But none of this is particularly realistic. In fact, most of the film is supposed to be a night and it's bright as noon.

But Ford must have known it was a fable he was laying out, and he knew as well the realism he needed in the interactions between the men, all ordinary fellows. Except for one religious nut played with believable excess by Boris Karloff, and he also is a symbol of what their options are.

And so it steadily dwindles on, the men and the film, honing down to the final moments of desperation. And then a big sudden end which feels about right. That's what is odd, somehow—the actions of the main characters become more and more realistic as they get more extreme.

For those interested in Ford's famous blocking out of how his movies are shot, this is a decent example. Because most of it was shot on this oasis set, he could control within these confines the angles and the use of space of confinement well. Which is partly what the movie is about, too, thinking about either escape or entrapment and death. Not a great movie, but with an aura of greatness here and there and in the overview.

"Come on swine! Come and get me now!"

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 28 October 2016]

Having seen Victor McLaglen in any number of support roles, particularly in John Ford's later Westerns with John Wayne, it was cool to see him here leading a group of lost men in the Mesopotamian Desert during World War I. I say 'cool' but it was anything but, as the searing heat of the vast desert expanse has a way of intruding on one's viewing pleasure.

The story sets up quickly as the unnamed lieutenant running the show is gunned down by an invisible Arab, and The Sergeant (McLaglen) steps up to the task of seeing his men to the safety of a larger brigade operating somewhere nearby, though that secret died with the commanding officer. What follows is the harrowing ordeal of the men in the Sarge's company summarily picked off by enemy fire or succumbing to madness resulting from fear, heat exhaustion and an unknown fate.

Other reviewers for the film here on IMDb find Boris Karloff's performance to be rather over the top and maniacal, however I thought he built on the persona of a religious zealot over the course of the story until he could no longer maintain his grip on reality. When he ventured out into the desert with the makeshift cross, it reminded me of John the Baptist heralding the arrival of Christ as Savior, a role Karloff's Sanders seemed to be emulating. I thought he did a fairly credible job.

But then there were the simply stupid actions some of the soldiers took in attempting to establish their position. For example Hale (Billy Bevan) climbing up the palm tree making himself a come and get me target. Or the pilot (Howard Wilson) who took no precaution getting off his plane in potentially hostile territory. Through it all, the Sergeant managed to maintain his authority through to the very end, eventually succumbing to the madness himself while gunning down five Arab enemies. While watching the picture, my biggest challenge was trying to understand how the enemy managed to stay invisible all that time in a terrain that had virtually no cover.

THE Lost Patrol Reflects Ford's' Philosophy of Life

[tpea1 · 9/10 · 12 July 2008]

John Ford's the Lost Patrol probably reflects Ford's views on life in general . Ford knew what he wanted in the way he handles the various actors in their parts and each fulfills their role admirably . Karloff is a bit over the top at times and evidently Ford wanted that . Ford's symbolism is reflected in the setting , the circumstances and the characters and is enhanced by Max Steiners' brilliant score . The characters are a " Grand Hotel " collection , but each having his own views about life and how death meets them.

The setting is Mesopotamia , the original Garden of Eden as pointed out by Karloff . Here is Eden ruined by the fall of man , bleak , barren and deserted .There are only ruins with very little nourishment for sustenance . Death is represented by the unseen Arabs. It strikes without warning or without being seen . It strikes at the most inopportune times . All want an opportunity to fight this unseen enemy that has decimated their ranks.It strikes mercilessly and cruelly and shatters all hope . Man facing his mortality controls nearly all of the discussions and the reminiscing .

The helplessness of man in the midst of his circumstances seems to be Ford's "arch" for this film . This is conveyed by the inability to see the enemy or know when he will strike . He steals the provisions needed to survive and there is no way to retrieve them .The seeming 'victory' of reaching the oasis shatters that illusion after the first night .

One other commented on the anti-Christian ( or religious ) bias of Ford that shows itself in this picture . One strong point that Ford makes is that there is ' no help from above '. The airplane seems to be a sign that help has arrived , but that hope is soon shot down . Then the two men discuss that they know nothing about flying ( read religion ) . Their final act of helplessness and unbelief is to burn the plane . No help is coming from above ( God ) .

I sat spellbound watching Ford weave a masterpiece of a tapestry of symbolism . Here is Ford at the top of his game and illustrating his genius whether you agree with his philosophy or not . This is not just a story ( and it is a great one at that ) , but it is man's response to life . That is where and why the attempted remakes have failed . They see only the struggle and try to focus on that . The struggle against odds has been done in every genre ,so they bring nothing new to the table . Ford used the struggle as a tableau for the deeper struggle of the basic dilemmas of man and life.

I will watch this over and over .

" All it takes is for you to be dreaming of home when death arrives instead "

[thinker1691 · 7/10 · 6 July 2011]

The wonder of the desert is it's immensity. In it, man and time blend to create the illusion of life, when in fact, it's tugging it into the shifting sands. This early Black and White film depicts the story of a British Desert Patrol, written by Philip MacDonald and is directed by John Ford. The film begins with the commanding officer being killed and ironically enough, is the only one who knows where the Patrol is headed. From then on, the cast which has Victor McLaglen playing The Sergeant arrive at a desert Oasis and do their best to survive against desert tribesmen who are systematically killing the soldiers. Boris Karloff plays Sanders, a conscience ridden soldier who succumbs to the desert isolation by becoming a religious fanatic. With Wallace Ford, Reginald Denny and Alan Hale in the cast, the movie becomes a study of men, each with his own thoughts on life. This is a wonderful, though at times a bit over the top film, but one which has established itself a an early Classic. Good Show. ****

Sandy Classic

[Ron Oliver · 10/10 · 9 December 2004]

THE LOST PATROL from the British Army in Mesopotamia desperately defends itself in a tiny oasis from Arab attackers.

John Ford directed this powerful Great War tale of agonizing heartbreak and desperate perseverance. The film becomes a character study as the eleven soldiers succumb, inevitably, to madness and snipers' bullets. Ford craftily keeps the Arabs unseen for an hour, making the implacable desolation of the sun scorched desert the men's worst enemy.

British actor Victor McLaglen is the absolute backbone of the film. Beefy McLaglen--who had his own distinguished military career in World War One--is perfectly believable as the stalwart sergeant with the task of keeping his men alive at the water hole until relief can arrive. Bullying, blustering, brave, his is a heroic performance of a man fighting titanic odds.

Gaunt Boris Karloff appears as a religiously fanatical private; his final scene, carrying a large cross up a dune, is especially memorable. Also in the patrol are Wallace Ford as a lively music hall performer and Reginald Denny as a gentleman with a past. Among the other men are good-natured Billy Bevan, sturdy Alan Hale and naive teenager Douglas Walton.

Max Steiner's powerful soundtrack propels the plot onward to its inevitable conclusion.

Lost Interest

[kenjha · 6/10 · 4 September 2009]

During World War I, a British Army patrol loses communication and must fend for itself while dealing with Arab snipers. McLaglen is quite good as the sympathetic leader of the troop. The actor's career would peak the following year with a Best Actor Oscar for "The Informer," another Ford film before he became a reliable member of Ford's stock company of supporting actors. Karloff, taking a break from a string of horror films he was making during the time, is horribly over-the-top as a religious fanatic. The premise of the story is compelling and the desert cinematography is impressive but the uneven script fails to sustain the interest.

Not just the patrol that's lost

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 24 July 2020]

No, 'The Lost Patrol' is actually not as bad as that review summary (me trying to think of a summary that wasn't too generic or overused as others) made it sound. It has divided viewers and critics and it is not hard at all to see why. There was a lot of potential here, one of golden age cinema's best, more consistent and most influential directors in John Ford, an interesting idea for a story, music from Max Steiner and a talented cast (especially love Boris Karloff, a horror film icon).

'The Lost Patrol' really isn't one of Ford's best and it is actually one of my least favourite earlier efforts of his and a lesser effort of his overall to me. It does contain some of the best work of some of those involved, while others do not come over well which will be elaborated upon below. Is 'The Lost Patrol' bad? Absolutely not. It takes a lot for me to call any film of Ford's bad and this is no exception. The execution though was disappointing and very flawed.

Shall start with the good things. 'The Lost Patrol' looks great, some obvious rear projection aside on occasion. The photography is very beautiful and atmospheric and the scenery is typically quite majestic. Steiner's score has gotten mixed reviews here, for me it was lushly orchestrated (not surprising as it is Steiner), sweeping and deliciously exotic but can see why others found it intrusive and not always original (personally found the referencing affectionate and effective). There are signs of Ford's directorial brilliance, the more action oriented scenes are powerful and rouse.

Acting is generally not bad with one glaring exception. Victor McLaglen gives a ferocious and commanding performance in the lead role and Reginald Denny is just as excellent. Wallace Ford also excels in a type of role that he was always comfortable in.

Unfortunately, Karloff gives a rare bad performance in a truly bizarre part that was like watching an uncomfortably strange cartoon. His outrageously exaggerated acting is really at odds with everything else. Really appreciated that the film really did take time to try to make the characters meaty but this takes up too much of the cartoon and only McLaglen's character has much meat or felt realistic, the others felt like stereotypes and not always sensitive ones. The script has some thoughtful and intriguing moments but suffers from too much long-winded talk.

Furthermore, the story never properly comes to life, sometimes uneventful, and is a tonal muddle. Indicative of trying to do too many things and it was not clear what the film was trying to be. There is not enough suspense, very little is realistic here and the comedic moments jar and come over as odd.

In conclusion, a tricky one to rate and review and just didn't gel for me. All personal opinion. 5/10

John Ford is by far my favorite director

[zetes · 9/10 · 11 October 2002]

No director impresses me more consistently than John Ford. Add The Lost Patrol to the list of his second tier triumphs - it's a cliche, but if anyone else had made this film, it would probably be their masterpiece. A British officer, riding through the Arabian desert in 1917, refuses to share his orders with his subordinates. When he is sniped by an unseen assailant, his six companions have to fend for themselves. They luckily run into an abandoned mosque, where they hold up. Their pursuers, on the other hand, now have them cornered, and start picking them off one by one. Victor McLaglen, a year before he performed his Oscar winning role in Ford's even better The Informer, was not yet pigeonholed as the Irish drunk. He has a straight British accent in this movie, which somehow makes him a bit less great, in my opinion. I just guess I have a soft spot for him as a lout! He's still excellent, however, as the troop's new captain. The other actors are also good. Especially worth mentioning is Boris Karloff as an overly religious man driven insane by the situation. That's a cliche now, but I'm guessing it wasn't in 1934. I don't think I've ever seen Karloff not buried under make-up. He's still playing a horror role, I suppose. At one point he slowly tries to escape the mosque, using a cross as a walking stick. God, what a beautiful scene. Ford's direction is brilliant. Although this is a slightly darker movie than many of his others, there are still several touching Fordian moments in which the soldiers discuss their families. McLaglen has a particularly wonderful moment as he converses about his son, whose mother died in childbirth. At first he hated the child, but he really couldn't help but love him. The smile on his face when he describes his son's life is enormously affecting. Max Steiner's score, although a bit overused at time, is mostly exceptional. At one point, the troop's situation seems about to be relieved. The music becomes triumphant. But a well-aimed bullet stops the score dead in its tracks. This is a great film. 9/10.

Maybe I missed something

[morrisonhimself · 7/10 · 1 April 2009]

Perhaps because the sound quality was so bad, perhaps because nothing much seemed to be happening, but I didn't really like this film.

It was rather downbeat, frankly.

However, Victor McLaglen gave one of his best performances.

He was not a bigger-than-life character, not a stereotype, but very life-like.

Wallace Ford also gave one of his best performances, in what was one of his best roles.

Watching this on TCM, I heard Robert Osborne say Boris Karloff's performance drew mixed reviews, and I come down on the side of those who said he was exaggerated.

Since it is a classic, I believe everyone ought to see this, at least once. There was certainly a lot of talent, on both sides of the camera.

Disapppointingly light war film with Karloff and McLaglen

[funkyfry · 5/10 · 24 November 2006]

I really didn't enjoy the film very much, even though it's a well made movie with some really exceptional aspects.

First off -- let me say I really enjoyed the very beginning of the movie, the first 2 minutes or so. I loved how he showed the young officer being killed from a distance before we know who he is or how important it was that he lives. It's a fascinating technique which I've only previously seen used in Westerns like "Johnny Guitar".

Now, the movie itself is a bit of a bore for me.... the whole movie they were holed up in an oasis as Arab snipers killed them one by one. As my girlfriend noted, it was interestingly similar to a later era horror film, with the audience perhaps taking part in a guessing game of "who will be the next to die?". It was effective for Ford to only show the effects of the Arab snipers, and not the snipers themselves, though he kind of ruined it by the film's end. There's also a very "horror-like" scene where they are almost rescued by a man in an airplane who is killed by the Arabs, a device that reminded me of "almost" rescue attempts in horror films such as "The Shining".

Speaking of horror, how bout that Boris Karloff? I thought he was pretty weak in this one really. There were times when his performance was good, in a silent movie kind of way. But IMHO he was too far over the top. It is a very cool image of him at the end, walking up that trench with his crucifix. But none of it is remotely believable, and I can't see much symbolic significance either.

McLaglen is really excellent, though. I liked how he was subdued and maintained the illusion of total control, right up until the moment that all of his men are dead and then he absolutely snaps.

An uneven film, I think, well directed by Ford and certainly very well photographed by Wenstrom, but it feels like an A movie trying to burst out of the seams of a B movie skeleton.

Splendid stuff

[passmore · 13 October 2001]

Terrific action adventure, opening with wonderful Max Steiner score. It's simply and economically told, a forerunner of Southern Comfort. Karloff is way over the top, a bit more subtlety might have worked out for him. It's also pretty talky and some of the dialogue is unconvincing but on the whole it's a minor classic. So why isn't this movie available on video?

Icon.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 24 April 2011]

This couldn't have been the first of the genre but it may be the most popular and still packs a wallop despite the familiarity of the plot. In brief, a British patrol of some half dozen men are lost in the Arabian desert in World War I. They are stuck in an oasis with plenty of water and dates but no hope. One by one, they're picked off by unseen enemy snipers until only Victor McLaglen, the top sergeant, is left.

In these movies, there are always a couple of adumbrations of tragedy. First of all, you don't want to be the officer who's in charge. He's always the first one to get it. Second, never climb a tree in a war movie. Third, if the camera moves in on you and allows you to express your deepest thoughts to a comrade, even if those thoughts are shallow, you'd better make sure your life insurance policy is up to date. Fourth, you may or may not survive, but, since you're the last man alive, you'll have plenty of automatic weapons around to slaughter the enemy when they finally confront you.

The musical score is by Max Steiner and the movie was shot near Yuma, California, in 1933, only a few years after sound was introduced, so there's hardly a moment without music behind it. If there is a shot of a Scotsman standing guard at the edge of the oases, you will hear bagpipes. The music is what was known as "Mickey Mouse music" because if, say, Mickey Mouse took a tumble down the stairs, the music followed him down -- plunk plunk plunk -- into the lower register, emphasizing the action on the screen. "King Kong" was full of it too.

"The Lost Patrol" established a genre in which the company is slowly whittled down by a faceless enemy. It was a good formula, and you can see it used to good effect in "Bataan" in 1942. In "The Lost Patrol," McLaglen survives and is rescued by the cavalry but that was okay because, after all, the Allies won World War I. I'm afraid in "Bataan" there are no survivors, but then the message in 1942 was no longer "we won" but rather "we will win someday." (Kids: 1942 was a terrible year for the Allies, who were then fighting what was called "World War II." We were not winning. There was some question of whether we WOULD win, so movies advised us to hang in there together despite setbacks. Got it? Fine.) In "Red River," the director Howard Hawks commented on a funeral scene that he held up shooting for a few minutes until the shadow of a cloud passed over the mourners. He thought it looked nice. In a voice suggesting a bit of puzzlement, he added, "John Ford does that all the time." This was directed by Ford and you can find an example of what Hawks meant when two of the soldiers pack up some canteens and trudge off into the desert to try to find help. It's a hopeless task. And as their tiny figures move away into the blinding landscape of sand dunes, a cloud shadow almost imperceptibly darkens them, prefiguring their deaths.

I've kind of made fun of "The Lost Patrol" and in fact it does look and sound a little dated, but it was fairly original at the time. Ford and his performers handle the story deftly. Nicely done job.

An Overall Good Movie That Continually Picks Up Steam Throughout

[sddavis63 · 7/10 · 18 February 2010]

This starts out on a very dramatic note as the officer in charge of a British patrol somewhere in the desert (it's presumably World War I and the desert is presumably in Iraq, since later in the movie there's a mention of "Mesopotamia") is shot by a sniper as he leads his troops. The problem? The officer hasn't shared his orders with anyone, so the patrol (now led by a Sergeant) has no idea what it's supposed to do, or where it's supposed to go. So, the basic premise is set up right from the start. After that dramatic opening, the movie does plod along a little bit for a while, with nothing much for the viewer to do but watch the soldiers traipse through the desert. It picks up steam again, though, when the patrol stumbles upon an oasis with an abandoned mosque. This provides water and shelter, but also makes them a fairly easy target for the mysterious snipers, who start to pick the patrol off one by one.

This is a pretty good movie. It gets a bit wordy at times as the various soldiers reflect on their personal lives, and while we do learn a lot about what they have back home, it seemed artificial - people generally don't talk that way. Still, there's real suspense involved as the movie winds down, because you really don't know if any of these guys are going to be able to come out of this alive. In addition to Victor McLaglen as the Sargeant, the cast is highlighted by Boris Karloff as a soldier who's also a religious fanatic. I wasn't taken by his performance at first. He seemed to have an other-wordly look and sound that would have suited his character of Ardath Bey in "The Mummy" but didn't seem - at first - to work here. But as the movie goes on, and Karloff's "Sanders" begins to go insane under the pressure, that type of presence begins to make sense and actually works quite well by the end.

A very good movie. 7/10

KARLOFF IS A BIBLE FANATIC!

[whpratt1 · 10/10 · 5 June 2003]

Learned that this film was shot entirely on location near Yuma, Arizona with temperatures over 110 degrees. The music was created by Max Steiner and was nominated for an Oscar. This picture was also a remake of an earlier English film in 1929 of the novel. I also noticed there was not a woman in the cast, and no wonder, with all that heat during takes! During the First WW1, a patrol of British cavalrymen find themselves stranded in the Mesopotamian Desert. A veteran sergeant (Victor McLaglen) is in command. They camp at an oasis, and Arabs kill a sentry and steal their horses. It seems they are surrounded by unseen enemies and are killed one by one. The three remaining soldiers are: Morelli (Wallace Ford), the sergeant(McLaglen) and Sanders(Boris Karloff), a religious nut! Karloff goes insane, and creates a makeshift cross and starts across the desert. Karloff as usual has bulging eyes and tormented facial expressions. Boris made this film another great classic. It is a worthwhile enjoyable film to view.

Existential WWI Flick

[evanston_dad · 7/10 · 15 June 2021]

A group of soldiers in WWI get stranded in a deserted desert outpost and must fend off enemies both from without and within.

Victor McLaglen leads the ensemble cast which also includes the excellent Reginald Denny, the hopelessly histrionic Boris Karloff (as a religious nut), and the hunk of beefcake Sammy Stein, who spends much of his time with his shirt off. The film becomes an exercise in existential angst as the stress of the situation begins to erode the psyches of the men and they start getting picked off one by one. John Ford makes some solid directorial choices (like never allowing us to see the Arabs who have the men pinned down, letting us experience the dread of the unseen that unravels the soldiers), even if the movie overall is a little thin to be as profoundly memorable as some of Ford's later pictures.

Max Steiner was nominated for Best Scoring in the very first year of that category's existence at the Academy Awards. Whatever else you may have to say about the score, you can't deny that there is certainly a LOT of it. The music never stops, and it's easy to understand how the film got nominated at a time when it was still common for movies not to have much of a music score at all.

Grade: B+

The Lost Patrol

[guidon7 · 10/10 · 26 December 2004]

Exciting desert warfare film, compelling today, 60 years later. A fine Max Steiner soundtrack with excellent performances by Victor McLaglen, Boris Karloff, Reginald Denny and rest of cast. Unlike Gunga Din (1939) where the British were armed with U.S. Springfield '03 rifles and Colt revolvers of the early 1900's the weapons in Lost Patrol are authentically British WWI -- Lee Enfield rifles, the Lewis Gun from the airplane and it seems the officer's revolver is an Enfield of the period and attached to a lanyard in one scene. I see an underlying theme here that seems to have been overlooked. It is strongly anti-Christian throughout. Karloff as the religious fanatic soon to go mad brings on much of this, but not all. A couple of instances: Karloff reading the religious service over the body of the lieutenant is cut short by McLaglen, "Amen". Karloff confronts Reginald Denny telling of his pleasures of the flesh: "You must have faith!" Denny: "Why?" Karloff cannot answer. When Pvt. Pearson is buried, one suggests building a wooden cross for the grave. McLaglen: "Put his sword there. I think he would like that." Strange direction for John Ford, I would say! I have not read the novel "Patrol" that this film was based on. It would be interesting to learn if this theme is apparent. By the way, Lost Patrol was remade as "Sahara"(1943) with Humphrey Bogart. It is not nearly as good, but at the time it was a good wartime morale booster.

Early Ford and early Steiner with mixed results...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 26 May 2008]

THE LOST PATROL plods along in the desert sun accompanied by a Max Steiner score that gives some life to the proceedings, as a small group of British cavalry gets lost on the hot desert sands and takes refuge in an oasis.

VICTOR McLAGLEN is head of the patrol and he's his usual blustery self and BORIS KARLOFF is a Bible quoting soldier devoid of his usual horror make-up. In other supporting roles are REGINALD DENNY, excellent as a gentleman soldier and WALLACE FORD and DOUGLAS WALTON as the lesser of the ill-fated soldiers. ALAN HALE has a brief role, as does SAMMY STEIN as a robust Jewish soldier. DOUGLAS WALTON is sensitive as the nineteen year-old soldier comforted by McLaglen when overcome by fear and fatigue.

Once the lost patrol reaches the oasis, it becomes clear that there's a stagey quality to the dialog in an attempt at character development, but McLaglen remains genuinely convincing as the tough but tender-hearted man who has to keep his men alert in the face of Arab snipers.

The action is slow, but Steiner's music has a mixture of exotic flavors mixed with the feeling of wind, sand and military themes. For '34, the very fact that the music is so prominent is an unusual factor.

A wild-eyed Karloff tells Reginald Denny: "You're a gentleman. You must have faith!" and Denny, after extolling the virtues of women natives, says: "Why?" Once again, McLaglen has to take a firm hand in keeping his men under control. Karloff, with a mad stare in his eyes, eventually goes out of his mind and has an unusual final scene.

The story ends with McLaglen the last man standing by the time the cavalry arrives and everyone marches off into the desert dunes while Steiner's music reaches a pitch of military flavor.

Not bad, but not the best of John Ford either. Watchable mostly for McLaglen's performance which is worthy of an Oscar nomination--but the only nomination went to Max Steiner's score.

The Lost Plot

[kbone32-1 · 1/10 · 9 January 2007]

This film is really a classic piece of work of what I don't know. I generally enjoy the older black and white movies and I don't mind making allowances due to age but here there is no room to cut any slack. We have a group of soldiers pinned down in an oasis by an unseen enemy. So far we have the basis for a good plot. But things go seriously awry from that point forward. First off the enemy as unseen as they are, are only attacking from one direction and although they seem to be able to move in and out of the oasis at will and kill guards as they want, why they just don't wipe everyone out is beyond me. Another plot hole and one of my favorites was in an enviorment with snipers lurking about why would any one climb up a palm tree and just perch on top is beyond me. Do I really need to say what happens next. I almost expected to hear the old cliché' issued in many a 1950 WW II movie.."Gee sarge there isn't an enemy within 50 miles" Bang! I don't think Boris Karloff could have over acted anymore had someone told him too. I mean this is bad to the point where he really gets annoying after the first two lines. After that your begging for someone to shoot him. The whole movie to sum it up is a group of people trapped doing stupid things that lead to their death. While the whole time the viewer is thinking one more down one step closer to the end. Bad film and not even worth looking at.

Gripping War Film From the Distant Past

[chuck-reilly · 9/10 · 20 July 2006]

This early John Ford "talkie" (1934) crams in a lot of action and tension in just over an hour. It's the kind of classic film that could stand a good remake considering the subject matter and today's headlines in the Middle East. The plot is simple but effective. A dozen British soldiers on patrol in the Mesopotamian desert are attacked by an unseen force of Arabs. Their commanding officer is killed by a sniper and he was the only person who had knowledge of their exact location in the endless arid landscape. With no hope for reinforcements, the remaining soldiers are soon stranded on an obscure oasis and picked off one-by-one. Victor McLaglen is superb as the ranking sergeant trying to hold his dwindling force together. Boris Karloff is excellent (albeit a bit "over the top") as a religious lunatic who attempts to "convert" his comrades and the enemy to no avail. Adding to the suspense, the bewildered soldiers never see their attackers. The film's larger message regarding the utter futility of war hangs over the proceedings like a funeral shroud---but never gets in the way of the action. The surprising and shattering ending to this tale is one of the most unforgettable moments in 1930s cinema. Ford went on to make bigger pictures, but not too many were better than this one.

Solid drama, great desert scenery

[gbill-74877 · 7/10 · 5 November 2019]

It's a great concept for a story, this group of British WWI soldiers wandering through a desert in the Middle East and being harassed by Arab snipers. The religious-minded soldier (Boris Karloff) points out that they are near the location of the original Garden of Eden, but it's now a desert, and after their leader is killed, they're lost and don't even know what their mission is supposed to be. There are some pretty powerful metaphors in play here, though more probably could have been done to expand on the theme of the absurdity of war, and of man's inhumanity to man in this bleak place.

Unfortunately the film is all over the map tonally as well, with the men veering from telling lighthearted stories about people back home even after they find themselves in dire circumstance, to them suddenly snapping and idiotically charging the sand dunes (and of course then being sniped by the unseen enemy). There is the stench of cultural condescension in the air as well, with one of the guys (Reginald Denny) talking about his exploits in Southeast Asia with Malaysian girls younger than 21 (that's the age he says they should be poisoned), and the Arabs being described as dirty, sneaky swine instead of intelligent for their guerilla tactics. The film has that element of the British prevailing over the hostile environment, instead of truly exploring the darker themes that may have made it a masterpiece.

Still though, it's a good story, and one told without a lot of distractions in its 73 minute run time. Director John Ford makes the most of the dramatic desert scenery, and the makeshift graves with the swords in place of headstones are a lasting image too.

Favorite quote: Sanders (Karloff): You must have faith! Brown (Denny): Why? Sanders: Why? In heaven's name man, what do you believe in? Brown: What do I believe in? Would it really interest you? Oh, a lot of things. A good horse, steak and kidney pudding, a fellow named George Brown, the asinine futility of this war, of being frightened, of being drunk enough to be brave, and brave enough to be drunk...

Pretty good, but occasionally the characters acted a bit too "batty" to be realistic

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 23 November 2006]

This is a movie that must have played a lot better back in 1934 than it would now. To many it's considered a classic, but I just felt that one stupendously clichéd performance and often irrational behaviors from many of the men helped to sink this drama to the level of "good but not especially memorable". About the only character who came off really well in the film was Victor McLaglen as the sergeant in charge of the lost group of British soldiers. The rest either were often just very irrational--mindlessly running across the dunes to either save someone when they are ordered NOT to or just to die because their character was being written out of the film. Many times, soldiers stood up during fire fights or did really dumb things for no apparent reason. One memorable example is the pilot who lands the plane without surveying the area--only to be shot as soon as he gets out of the plane! Had the British army REALLY been that stupid, there never would have been a British Empire!! An even bigger problem was Boris Karloff's character. Robert Osborne from TCM said that he was a character that movie goers "either loved or hated". I apparently was among those who hated him. He played a total maniac religious freak who is almost 100% insane. Don't you think the army would have somehow figured out he was nuts and given him his discharge papers long before this mission?! His wild-eyed expression and bizarre behavior are very reminiscent of the Jonathan Brewster character he played on Broadway in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE--not a soldier in what was at the time the finest army in the world!! If you edited out the stupid and irrational deaths and all of Karloff's performance, you are left with a pretty good film with an interesting premise--but that's a lot of film to remove and the remaining bits wouldn't make up an entire film. Overall, the movie isn't bad, just not all that good. A true time-passer and that is all.