STUFF YOU GOTTA WATCH

SAHARA

(1943)
With Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, Rex Ingram, Dan Duryea, J. Carrol Naish, Lloyd Bridges, Richard Nugent
Directed by Zoltan Korda
Black and White
Reviewed by JL

One of the best World War II films produced during the war itself, SAHARA is a stirring tale of courage and adventure (okay, I took that from the trailer), led by a superb ensemble cast. Humphrey Bogart plays a tank commander trapped behind enemy lines; as he tries to make his way back to the main forces, he picks up other lost soldiers of various foreign armies on the way. Together, this ragtag and diverse bunch of castoffs bands together to deceive and defeat an entire German battalion. It's a masterful blend of character study, heroism, action, and suspense, with a great surprise ending that is wholly plausible and dramatically satisfying. - JL