1953 - THE DESERT RATS, standard war story with good direction.

"All right chaps we have to hold this bloody hill and keep it out of the hands of Rommel and his Nazi swine."

Directed by that old Hollywood pro, Robert Wise.  The Desert Rats is a big bunch of cliches that is so well put together it's hard to get worked up over it's stunning lack of originality in story content. 

The film features two of England's greatest alcoholics actors Robert Newton and the man himself Mister Intense,  Richard Burton.  Besides staging good battle scenes, Robert Wise must have had his hands full just keeping those two sober throughout the making of the film.

James Mason is back in what is basically a cameo role playing Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.  He played the same part in The Desert Fox, although this time he is hardly the cuddly teddy bear he was in that film.  This Rommel in The Desert Rats is a tough general, probably what he was in real life.

It's amusing to watch Burton and Mason in their one scene together.  Burton acts up a storm smoldering with rage.  In contrast, Mason slyly underplays the same scene with wit and humor.  Guess who steals the scene away?

Anyway, a good 1950's war film, written by Richard Murphy.

88 minutes.