Sahara (1943)

Director: Zoltan Korda
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, J Carrol Naish

Synopsis:
A tank crew in North Africa pulls back in the face of the German advance and picks up an assortment of stragglers along the way.

Impressions:
I have a particular interest in WWII movies made while the war was going on. After all, it's a snapshot of the times and the image that was presented to the public. The political influence on the films from the era are interesting. For instance, in '43 the armistice with Italy was signed and some Italian forces started cooperating with the Allies, so we have a sympathetic Italian POW as opposed to the unfailingly antagonistic Luftwaffe fighter pilot. Our protagonists include an American tank crew, British soldiers, a Free French partisan, and even a British Sudanese NCO to provide a positive example of not just blacks but also colonial troops in the war effort. Even with all this obvious calculation, it still is a solid, well-written and well acted film. Bogart plays the typical tough guy type, but it's interesting seeing the character type played off the rest of the cast. If you like WWII movies, this one's well worth watching.

Rating:
Watch It