Sword in the Desert

Sword in the Desert

Theatrical poster
Directed by George Sherman
Produced by Robert Buckner
Written by Robert Buckner
Starring Dana Andrews
Märta Torén
Stephen McNally
Music by Frank Skinner
Cinematography Irving Glassberg
Edited by Otto Ludwig
Production
company
Universal International
Distributed by Universal International
Release dates
  • August 24, 1949 (1949-08-24) (NYC)
Running time
 101 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget ₤200,000[1] or $1 million[2]

Sword in the Desert is a 1949 American war film directed by George Sherman. It was the first American film to deal with the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine and marked the first significant feature film role for Jeff Chandler.

Plot

Freighter owner and captain Mike Dillon (Dana Andrews) reluctantly smuggles Jewish immigrants into Palestine, making it very clear to the Jewish leader, David Vogel (Stephen McNally), he is only doing it for the money. Dillon is annoyed to learn that he will have to go ashore to get paid the $8000 he is owed. When a British patrol boat arrives sooner than expected, Dillon is forced to join the Jews in their flight for freedom. There are casualties on both sides before the illegal refugees get away, including one of Dillon's men.

Cast

Production

The screenplay was based on a short story by Robert Buckner, who came up with the idea after a visit to Palestine in 1934. Bucker later expanded this into a short story about Christmas in Palestine as experienced by a visiting American. In the 1940s he expanded this into a novel, then a screenplay, originally called Night Watch, then later Desert Legion.[3]

Stephen McNally was originally supposed to play the American pilot, while Paul Christian was to play an Israeli leader. However Christian had to drop out due to an eye infection, McNally took over his role, and Dana Andrews played McNally's part.[4] (Dick Powell had also been discussed for the role of the American.[5]) Ann Blyth was intended to play the female lead.[6] Bucker was originally announced as director but George Sherman took over that task.[7] Blyth was reassigned by Universal to Come Be My Love and the female lead given instead to Märta Torén.[8]

Jeff Chandler was cast in February 1949.[9] The role was originally intended for an older actor but was reconfigured once Chandler was cast.[10]

Production took place on Universal's backlot with location work at Monterey, California, the San Fernando Valley and Victorville in the Mojave Desert.[2]

Even during filming there was an expectation that the film would be controversial because it showed Jewish settlers fighting the British and not Arabs. Universal barred reporters from the set during the last week of filming because several London papers had carried adverse articles on the project.[11]

Controversy on British Release

The Evening Standard claimed that the film was "not for the eyes of Britons" and the Daily Telegraph insisted that British audiences would be surprised to see the unwonted harshness with which the British troops in the film treated Jewish civilians. There were demonstrations and disturbances outside the New Gallery, London, when the film opened there on 2 February 1950, and pamphlets supporting the Union Movement were distributed to people wanting to see it. The New Gallery cinema near Piccadilly, which was screening the film, received a bomb threat.[12] Oswald Mosley threatened to picket cinemas which showed the movie.[13]

Five days later, the Public Control Committee of London Country Council followed the advice of the Home Office and prohibited further public showings of the film in order to prevent further scenes of rowdiness by what it termed fascist elements. It ignored the protest from the National Council for Civil Liberties that its action constituted a ban on free speech.

The film was screened in Australia after some cuts but was not shown in Tasmania because of its controversial content.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "'Sword' is out.". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 9 February 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  2. 1 2 "INSPIRED BY THE HEADLINES: CONFLICT BETWEEN BRITISH AND JEWS IN PALESTINE INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE DEPICTED IN UNIVERSAL'S 'SWORD IN THE DESERT'" by ELIZABETH PALLETTE New York Times 12 June 1949: X5.
  3. ↑ 'Letter From Hollywood' By Frank Daugherty Special to The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor [Boston, Mass] 29 Apr 1949: 5.
  4. ↑ "'SWORD IN DESERT' TO STAR ANDREWS: PAUL CHRISTIAN'S ILLNESS CAUSES CHANGE IN THE CAST OF U-I FILM ABOUT PALESTINE" by THOMAS F. BRADY New York Times 28 Feb 1949: 16.
  5. ↑ RAY SHUNS RKO BID TO DIRECT PICTURE: He Opposes Work on 'I Married a Communist' for Dramatic, Not Ideological, Reasons By THOMAS F. BRADY Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 15 Jan 1949: 11
  6. ↑ STURGES TO MAKE MOVIES AT METRO: Producer-Director Expected to Sign Pact Today -- Studio Has Carlo-Menotti Work By THOMAS F. BRADYSpecial to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 19 Jan 1949: 36
  7. ↑ LEAD IN 'CANDY KID' FOR ERROL FLYNN: Actor Will Play Gambler Role in Warner Film Based on Story by MacDougall By THOMAS F. BRADY Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 29 Jan 1949: 10.
  8. ↑ ANN BLYTH SHIFTS ROLE AT U-I STUDIO: Actress Takes Lead in 'Come Be My Love' -- Marta Toren Goes to 'Desert Legion' By THOMAS F. BRADYSpecial to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 04 Feb 1949: 31.
  9. ↑ WELLMAN DIRECTOR OF 'BATTLEGROUND': Metro Names Him to Handle Film of Battle of the Bulge -- Craig in 'Side Street' By THOMAS F. BRADYSpecial to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 25 Feb 1949: 28.
  10. ↑ Jeff Chandler Finally Gets to 'Act His Age': Rising Young (31) Screens Player Considers Himself 'a Lucky Kid' SCHEUER, PHLIP K. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 29 Oct 1950: D3.
  11. ↑ "Palestine Film Will Rouse British Feeling.". The Sunday Herald. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 24 July 1949. p. 4 Supplement: Sunday Herald Features. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  12. ↑ "Hollywood Film Incenses British.". The Sunday Times. Perth: National Library of Australia. 5 February 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "Picket threat by Mosley.". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 6 February 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  14. ↑ "PALESTINE FILM.". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 6 February 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
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