The French Foreign Legion battles rebellious Arabs in North Africa.The French Foreign Legion battles rebellious Arabs in North Africa.The French Foreign Legion battles rebellious Arabs in North Africa.
Peter Bourne
- Weems
- (uncredited)
Marc Cavell
- El Zanel as a Boy
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- GoofsThe lookouts at the Fort are maintaining a constant vigil so they should have seen the two burning crosses being lit as well as the bodies of the dying and wounded legionnaires being placed near the cross especially since it was broad daylight.
Featured review
Grand, rousing Foreign Legion adventure. Whatever happened to it?
My cherished memories of "Desert Sands" still remain after 26 years. It played on the bottom of a double-bill (can't remember the main feature--a forgettable 'A' big-studio stinker, I'm certain) but was a swift, beautifully photographed, Foreign Legion humdinger of escapism with a memorable cast--Ralph Meeker at his most stalwart, gorgeous Marla English, John Carradine & J. Carroll Naish at their outlandish best, and young, dashing John Smith poised for stardom (after charming supporting roles in "The High and the Mighty," "We're No Angeles" and the forthcoming "Friendly Persuasion"). But the film seems to have vanished after playing on TV in the early '70s. Dismissed in its time as a 'B' programmer, "Desert Sands" was a sweeping, actionful treat--the actors seemed to be having as much fun as the cheering audience (and when has that happened in today's zillion-dollar stinkers? The stars seem to be wincing and working almost as hard as the audiences do trying to keep awake while enduring these "blockbuster" bombs). Come on, Turner Classic Movies. You've got the rights to these UA programmers of the '50s. Granted, most of them aren't worth reviving, but "The Desert Sands" definitely is. A throwback to the days when even medium-budget films could be class-A efforts, depending on the talents of all those (director, actors, script, cinematographer, etc.) involved. In this instance, "The Desert Sands" comes up trumps! Suffer thru other expensive big-studio adventure epics of the time ("Beau Brummel," "Prince Valiant," "The Egyptian," etc.) and you'll relish the unpretentious, lighthearted "Desert Sands" even more. An unheralded gem of 1955, long-overdue to be recognized as a heralded gem of any day. And it demands to be letterboxed in Superscope. A dazzling wide-screen delight--for precarious adventurers of all ages and times!
helpful•204
- sdiner82
- Jul 16, 2001
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Abrechnung in Fort Valeau
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 27 minutes
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