User reviews

I have to say from the outset I'm a sucker for operettas. I like music as long as it has a melody and there's nothing more melodious than an operetta. The Desert Song is filled with wonderful melodies and Gordon MacRae and Kathryn Grayson sing them to perfection in this third film adaption of the Romberg-Harbach-Hammerstein operetta.

The real surprise for most people is that the Riffs are quite real. A hardy fighting group they were led in the teens and twenties of the last century by a romantic hero very much like the Red Shadow(El Khobar)named Abdel-Krim. They are the indigenous folk who inhabit in and around the Atlas mountains of Morocco and what was at that time Spanish Morocco.

During the post World War I years American correspondents reporting from those wars were pretty much on the side of the Riffs who were seeking independence from France and Spain. Spain which was not a combatant in World War I took the brunt of the fighting. And Abdel Krim led them on a merry chase for a decade. The Spanish army was beaten at every turn. A guy named Francisco Franco got his first military combat in the Riff Wars.

Eventually the French entered the war in a big way and Abdel-Krim became a prisoner. He went into exile after release and died in the mid 60s. He was a warrior, Abdel Krim in the tradition of Saladin of the Crusades, not at all like today's terrorists. He never made war on civilians. The guy most responsible for his capture was Marshal Phillippe Petain who led the French army, his most notable activity between both world wars.

No doubt in my mind that Abdel-Krim was the model of our hero. Of course since this is the west doing the story we make the hero a Frenchman named Paul Bonnard who by day is a mild-mannered archaeologist from a French University by day and the fearsome lion of the desert by night. Gordon MacRae even dons glasses in his Paul Bonnard mode, just like Clark Kent.

And the leading lady is Margot, daughter of the French commandant and a typical 1920s flirt. In this version that would be Kathryn Grayson.

But it's the wonderful romantic music that Sigmund Romberg wrote that will make the Desert Song last forever. The main songs, The Desert Song One Alone, the Riff Song and Margot's soliloquy Romance are done in fine style by the leads. I wish more of the score got into this version.

Doing operetta, of necessity a lot of it is tongue in cheek. As villains Raymond Massey and Frank DeKova seem to be having a great old time, hamming it up.

Kathryn Grayson got to do a lot of classic operetta and opera while she was at MGM. Gordon MacRae had a terrific baritone voice and sad to say in his case, he didn't come along in the 1930s or he could have done a lot of the operetta that was being filmed then.

One more thing about Abdel Krim. I can't prove it, but I think he was the model for Rudolph Valentino's The Sheik and we all know how popular that was.

For us operetta fans of all ages.

I grew up listening to Gordon MacRae sing The Desert Song on an album that also featured him in the musical Roberta. The soprano in both cases was Lucille Norman, and both recordings were wonderful. So it was with great interest that I watched "The Desert Song."

Having myself appeared in "The New Moon," I can tell you that on stage, these operettas only work if done tongue in cheek. If one were filming them for today's audiences, I suspect they would have to be done that way as well.

However, for beautiful music, "The Desert Song" is operetta at its best.

The story is not unfamiliar -- just think Superman or Zorro.

Shiek Yousseff (Raymond Massey) secretly plots to overthrow the French, all the while pretending to be their friend. Opposing him are the Riffs and their leader, El Khobar. El Khobar is in reality Professor Paul Bonnard who is making a study of the desert. The Riffs' attacks on supply trains keep the villages in food.

General Birabeau (Ray Collins) of the French Foreign Legion arrives to investigate, and his daughter Margot (Kathryn Grayson) accompanies him. He hires Bonnard to tutor her. Margot, meanwhile, has eyes for a Legionnaire captain, Claud Fontaine (Steve Cochran). El Khobar kidnaps Margot until he can convince her that Yousseff is not on the side of the French, but Yousseff's men attack the camp and take Margot prisoner.

This is different from the actual operetta, in which Birabeau has a son, not a daughter; his son, Pierre, is actually the Riff leader The Red Shadow. In the operetta, Margot is engaged to Claud Fontaine, but the Red Shadow is in love with her.

Gordon MacRae and Kathryn Grayson lend their beautiful voices to songs such as "The Desert Song," "One Alone," and "Romance." Grayson is not quite bubbly enough as the flirty Margot. I can't believe that with that size voice, she sang Butterfly on an opera stage, but I guess she did.

It's a pretty production, with Dick Wesson, playing a reporter, providing some comic relief. In the operetta he has a girlfriend, Susan.

This is the kind of movie where you enjoy the music and the singing. Well worth watching.

I'm afraid I must contradict one of the contributors above. El Khobar (The Red Shadow) was not based on Abd-el-Kader but instead on the exploits of one known as El Hadj Aleman, who gave the French Foreign Legion fits during the Riff War in the 1920's. El Hadj Aleman was in fact a Legion deserter (Otto Klems) of German nationality. Despite being a Legion officer, he hated the French, defecting to the Arabs and with his military skills became a very effective leader. His identity was a mystery to the Foreign Legion until nearly the end of the war. Surrendering, he was sentenced to death by the French, but he had become a romantic hero in the U.S. due to dispatches by American reporters (witness Romberg's operetta, The Desert Song, as a result). U.S. pressure was applied to the French and they at last quietly released Klems. Back in Germany and in prison for burglary, he committed suicide.

Just setting the record straight.

It is what it is. For more serious-in-depth reviews, please look elsewhere in this reviewer reviews section, as I didn't pay much attention to who was doing what and why. This is a fun movie to read the Sunday paper by, and glance at occasionally. Glaring Technicolor, 'exotic' sets and costumes, and of course the trilling song stylings of Ms. Grayson and the rumbling song stylings of Mr. McRae. Look up at the TV and there's Kathryn Grayson in the desert, wearing a corseted lavendar gown, with what looks like a score of Foreign Legionaires at her feet (for all the world looking like a score of boy dancers ready to lift her over their heads and twirl her around). Look up again later, see an exotic belly dancer in a dark nightclub - mostly dancing, less belly! Look up again and see a pretty blue-eyed Arab princess painted with the fakest dark makeup the Westmores had in stock! A fun movie. If you like operetta, even more fun!

My wife and I are fond of a number of Rogers and Hammerstein musicals, especially South Pacific, so we thought we would give this one a try (Hammerstein is here, not Rogers). The Technicolor photography is striking, the desert scenes very good, the secondary characters are good, the lead actors are good, but in spite of that it is rather disappointing.

The songs are really not that good. The plot is rather predictable. Kathyrn Grayson's singing reminds of that of Snow White in the classic Disney animated movie from the 1930s: too sweet, too many trills and "ah-ah-ah"s. Speaking of animation, the plot and feel of the movie remind me of a comic book. Another poster here wrote of the Silver Age of comics, and that this movie seems to fit right in. I see what he means (although the Silver Age was roughly 1955 - 1968). We have a "super hero" (Gordon MacRae) who wears a disguise and has an alter ego. With his glasses, he looks remarkably like Clark Kent. Grayson looks a lot like Lois Lane. There's even a near perfect replica of Jimmy Olson! (Dick Wesson). Too bad Perry White doesn't show up (but there is Ray Collins, soon to join the Perry Mason TV series).

All in all, it has some good features but really seems too much like a B-western, in spite of the A- cast.

-henry

The third (and most popular) film version of the Oscar Hammerstein II-Sigmund Romberg operetta features an eclectic assembly of handsome singing stars (Gordon MacRae and Kathryn Grayson) and reliable character actors (Raymond Massey, Steve Cochran, Ray Collins and William Conrad). While I cannot say that the song score was particularly memorable in itself, the film is made tolerable enough by its straight "Arabian Nights" trappings: a mysterious avenger (MacRae, of course, posing by day as a mild-mannered anthropologist) takes on the might of a tyrannical Sheik (Massey) and the French Foreign Legion (commandeered by Cochran and Collins) while romancing the latter's rebellious daughter (Grayson). Also on hand to round up the colorful cast of characters are Dick Wesson as an indomitable reporter successfully providing the expected comic relief, Allyn Ann McLerie as the requisite dancer-temptress with a proverbial heart of gold and Frank DeKova as a typically hot-headed (and ultimately duplicitous) desert rebel.

In this film, the highlights are the singing performances of Kathryn Grayson and Gordon MacRae. Unfortunately, the songs they sing are not really memorable. They certainly are not the quality of songs that you find yourself humming as you leave the theater. To make matters worse, these musical oases are separated by vast distances of desert-like story that are uninspiring.

The tale that surrounds the music is about a tribal conflict in the Sahara and the political tensions between the locals and the French. A wily but deceitful sheik is portrayed by Raymond Massey. MacRae plays the good-guy-in-disguise Paul Bonnard, who moonlights as El Khobar--the mysterious opposition to Massey's plans.

Comic relief is handled by Dick Wesson, but his performance is not very comic and it only intrudes on the real story.

There is little to recommend this film, but fans of Grayson and MacRae will probably want to catch their performances.

Oh come on, now. Constant switching from location shoot, to soundstage, back to location, back to soundstage. All of it looking more like Southern California than Arabia. William Conrad in Arab-face. The intrusive soundtrack. The forgettable songs. This is an abomination.

Gordon Macrae does look a lot like Superman and Clark Kent and in this film, he has a secret identity as a mild mannered professor as contrasted with his hero persona, El Khobar.

I must admit I was a collector of Batman, Superman, The Flash, Green Lantern and Silent Knight comics when I first saw this movie as a boy in knee pants. But even then, I knew a good song when I heard it. So well into adulthood when this movie was re-released, I made it a point to see it again. I have borrowed the video version twice and I plan to do so again. I simply can't let go of the melodies of The Desert Song and One Alone.

On Gordon MacRae, what can I say? It doesn't seem fair that one so handsome could also be the greatest singer on celluloid and besides, he is funny. Spoiler: Even my little sons who had no clue about Broadway musicals were in stitches when he pulled that stunt with the ethnic musical instrument that sounded like a cross between the bleating of an ass and a sheep.

Kathryn Grayson who strikes me as prim and proper with a seriously classical singing voice gamely plays the role of a flirt. I am sure if she didn't hit it very big in the movies, she would have been the resident soprano of a major opera theatre. She is always a treat to watch and listen to.

In full technicolor. Ray Massey is the evil Sheik, who pretends to be friends of the french. Gordon MacRae is Paull Bonnard. Professor by day, leader of the underground by night. Co=stars Bill Conrad and Kathryn Grayson, Allyn Ann McLerie. A huge, sprawling, epic piece. And Soooo many songs, going on way too long. The reporters know things are about to bust wide open. It's long and dry, like the desert itself. Just goes on and on. Directed by bruce humberstone.... yawnnn...

It's hard to believe there was any audience for such a corny movie. How could anyone have made this with a straight face?

Gordon MacCrea has a great voice and sings wonderfully. Grayson and her voice are less annoying than usual, and she's got a great figure in this movie.

Other than that, this is pure hokum from start to end. If u want to listen to the music, some of which is very good, find a recording. There's really no reason to watch this movie.

This is the third screen version of the operetta and, as far as the singing goes, probably the best. Gordon MacRae is in splendidly robust baritone voice as the mild-mannered anthropologist who is asked to tutor the General's daughter (Kathryn Grayson), all the while being the leader of the Riffs being sought by her French legionnaire boyfriend (Steve Cochran). The well-worn plot rambles on interspersed with some action scenes, silly comedy and exotic dances--all in keeping with the spirit of the desert adventure. The two leads are charming in their roles and Raymond Massey is on hand as an evil sheik. Good color photography and location filming make it a pleasant film to watch--but it's the music by Sigmund Romberg that makes it all worthwhile. Grayson is especially good when she renders "Gay Parisienne" before an army of soldier admirers and gives her most flirtatious and colorful performance since 'Kiss Me Kate'. Gordon MacRae firmly established himself as singer and actor, revealing a sense of humor along with his splendid singing voice. Well worth seeing for fans of musical comedy.

Spritely, joyous, full of heroics, romance and beautiful music, beautifully performed by Gordon McCrae and Katherine Grayson, a truly lovely actress, "The Desert Song" is simply one of the finest musicals of the first half of the twentieth century, and this 1953 version, the third filming by this studio, is by far the best. From the "Drum, drum, drum of Hobart's in the sand," as the Riffs ride across the vast trackless desert at the beginning of the film, the music seems almost continuous. On of the few disappointments of the film is the haunting "Azuri's Song" from the original musical, but the quality of acting, with Ray Collins, Raymond Massey, Frank De Cordova and William Conrad, assure that the action never becomes dull. This is the way musicals should be filmed and the direction J. Bruce Humberstone, who cut his teeth on the first Charlie Chan movies of the thirties makes it all come together in a real treat. Sit back and enjoy as El Khobar and the Riffs go riding across your living room.

While not perfect, The Desert Song has a lot to like about it. The story is very improbable and does drag in spots, and Steve Cochran is sadly underused to the point he was wasted although he does do his best. However, the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, the sets are handsome and the costumes are colourful, if anything the production values are one of the film's strongest attributes. The Desert Song has a very pleasant and lively score and the songs are great, especially The Desert Song, One Alone and Gay Parisienne. The dialogue is snappily written without ever been corny and there are some very sweet moments without being saccharine, the conflict is also convincing. The dancing is deliciously exotic and choreographed in a way that doesn't interfere with the story or the pacing of it and the direction is not too flashy and never indifferent. Gordon McRae is immensely charming and shows that he is natural in comedy, his voice, one of the beautiful on film, is as ever splendid. It is the same with Kathryn Grayson, who brings personal charm and sass to her role, who is energetic in Gay Parisienne and really goes for it in One Alone that it is easy to feel the emotion. Raymond Massey is a perfect villain and for me he was the best and juiciest performance in the film. To conclude, The Desert Song is not quite glorious but it's well performed, handsomely made and makes for good entertainment. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Though it seems many criticize this in comparison with the stage play, I have always been in love with this movie version. The characters are fun (especially Benjy), the music is heavenly (I could sing it all day!), and the plot is nonstop action. I look at the play and this movie almost as two different shows completely, since there are, admittedly, many differences. Here, Margot is the general's daughter (as opposed to his child being the Red Shadow/El Khobar). Pierre is now Paul. Captain Fontaine's first name is Claude. Benjamin Kidd's nickname is now Benjy instead of Bennie, and his secretary Susan is absent. And there's an evil sheik, making two different foes for the Riffs: The Legionaires and the sheik and his men. All in all, I find the movie quite satisfying.

There is nothing wrong with the music here, there are some tunes that will stick with you forever, and they actually make this desert soap opera of a silly intrigue with a general's daughter out of place in the desert getting mixed up with the Foreign Legion, wild bedouins and sheikhs, intrigues of foul play and Raymond Massey as the supreme villain as usual. There is nothing wrong with the cinematography either, the desert photography and scenery is tremendous, and the dramatic scenes with the Red Shadow's followers riding about in full career are perhaps what you will most like to remember of this film. In brief, everything is excellent, except for the intrigue, which is like a typical old Austrian-German operetta with plenty of soap and romantic duets to wipe away all realism with a vengeance. This is as far from "Lawrence of Arabia" as you can get, although it's the same world - "Lawrence" was also shot in Morocco, where this film is supposed to take place. Kathryn Grayson would never sing like this in the desert. But she does, and Gordon MacRae at least matches her singing. His double play is a typical operetta gimmick, there are so many faking heroes like this, like even Superman and Clark Kent - it's the same formula. But nevertheless, this is a film to enjoy for its music and colours and splendid ladies, although you never get closer to the hareem than the veils; but for me the main treat was Allyn Ann McLerie as Azuri, the only one who dances, but that steals the show entirely. She actually saves the film.

As I said in my summary, I would heartily recommend this movie to anyone who wants to see a classy movie. It has a very worn plot, but its simplicity would appeal to anyone who is tired of seeing violence and sex on the screen. It is like anything goes!! Kathryn Grayson, and Gordon McCrae sang beautifully. I've seen other movies that they have sung in and they always put on a good show. As far as the scenery, it was very authentic, and the color was awesome. I haven't seen the movie since I saw it in the Music Circus, and the Theatre, but I will never forget the red in the costume that Gordon McCrae wore, and the white of the desert sands. You would have never guessed that this man wearing glasses was the one who would come to the rescue of Kathryn Grayson. I wish that they would show it on AMC or TCM; I'd love to see it again even if it's shown on a small screen.

Following John Boles in 1929 and Dennis Morgan in 1943, Gordon MacRae gives this outdated hokum his best shot in the silly role of Paul Bonnard, sometimes a timid academic, sometimes an adventurer. He does get to sing some lovely songs though - it may be one of the most improbable musical plots, but 'The Desert Song' has one of the best scores of any musical.

Kathryn Grayson is on hand with her trademark soprano trill as female lead, while Steve Cochran and Raymond Massey enjoy themselves in the supporting cast. And there's some fabulous Technicolor. Recommended for musical fans who like to suspend belief and for those who have a long-term devotion to the lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II.

This is an example of an extinct musical sub-genre, the operetta. You get a dashing hero, a hissable villan, and a damsel in distress in any typical example. THE DESERT SONG has all these, plus, what I feel is one of the loveliest of all operetta scores, in this case, composed by Sigmund Romberg. This is the third film by Warner Brothers of this show. A few details have been changed from the 1926 stage show, but that is not important. The story flows along with Kathryn Grayson and Gordon MacRae bursting into song in true operetta fashion. Allyn McLerie does an exotic dance, and there are some gorgeous settings and scenery. I saw this years ago on a vhs tape, and, the Technicolor was a bit washed out. It is stunning on the Warner Archive dvd, and the glorious voices of Grayson and MacRae are perfectly recorded. Indeed, this was one of the last operettas filmed in the early '50s. They're out of style, and, I suppose, laughable to more sophisticated audiences of today, but they and this one in particular possess a great deal of charm, not to mention talent. If you want to escape to another world, far far away from the problems of today, immerse yourself in the soothing melodies of THE DESERT SONG.