bkoganbing The Sigmund Romberg-Otto Harbach-Oscar Hammerstein, II operetta from the Twenties, The Desert Song is given an update and World War II worked into the plot about the Caucasian leader of the Riff tribesmen of Morocco in revolt against the French Colonial government. It's in this version that the real Riff leader from the Twenties, Abdel Krim is acknowledged as reporter Lynne Overman is phoning in a story as he tells them that the new leader of the Riffs is a mysterious masked man named El Khobar.In this version Dennis Morgan is a saloon entertainer in Gene Lockhart's place by day and by night, he's the mysterious El Khobar. Like Humphrey Bogart's Rick Blaine in Casablanca he's an anti-fascist, unlike Bogey he doesn't have to be coaxed back into the fight, he's fighting the good fight albeit from a secret identity. Gene Lockhart stands in quite nicely as the intriguing saloon keeper for Sydney Greenstreet. The Ingrid of the piece is Irene Manning, another entertainer who matches her soprano to Morgan's tenor. Most movie fans remember Irene best from Yankee Doodle Dandy where she played Fay Templeton.Which brings us to the Claude Rains part, the guy who's chasing El Khobar for the Vichy government, Bruce Cabot. This film contains the most charitable view of Vichy that I've ever seen on the screen. My guess is that this one came from the top as we were probably still in negotiation with the Vichy government in what was unoccupied France.The Nazis have set up a dummy corporation in Switzerland which is funding a railroad to Dakar, the western most part of Africa, then in French West Africa. Victor Francen is the duplicitous Arab sheik who's cut a deal with them. They will build a railroad using slave labor from the Riffs who are Francen's enemies. All this under the French noses. The fact that a couple of Teutonic looking gentlemen are around Francen doesn't give anyone, but Morgan and his allies a clue, is a bit much.Morgan and Manning sing The Desert Song score beautifully, the main songs are all retained for this film. That's the main reason to see this dated film. In fact with events moving as rapidly as they were in North Africa starting in September, 1943, this version of The Desert Song dated before it hit the screen.For myself, I certainly recognized some of the interior sets that were used on Casablanca. I'm not sure which came out first, but since everybody comes to Rick's, you'd best be going there unless you like operetta.

Slievedon The various commentators on the 1943 version of The Desert Song cleared up (and confirmed?) the suspicions of a 9-year old boy who thoroughly enjoyed the movie in 1944. It was only after many years and reminiscences (in addition to a fascination with the history of World War II) that I began to wonder why this movie never appeared in public again.MY suspicions were confirmed by briantaves of Washington, DC in his comment on The Desert Song; viz., that the politics of North Africa and Vichy French were involved. Considering the time-line of the filming and release (1943-1944), it would appear that the American invasion of Morocco in November of 1942 was involved in the original planning. Our troops were actively resisted by the French troops in Morocco (under the control of the Vichy French (collaborators with the Nazis). A tricky situation considering that the "Free French", led by Charles DeGaulle in London, were our allies.As for the copyright issues regarding one song (that keep the movie from being viewed once again), fuggedaboutit! Even as a 9-year old, I knew it was a good movie.

nataliej5243 I have always loved this movie but couldn't remember the actress/singer, only that she was called Margot. My grandmother took me to the movie when I was 9 yrs. old. Since it has been so long ago I didn't know the plot, just loved the color and the music. We had a Music Festival in our town with Dennis Morgan as a guest and of course he sang One Alone, I'll never forget that day. I would like to hear & see him again someday so I hope the movie will be released . My daughter loves the old musicals & I would like her to see this version of The Desert Song. Is there any thing we can do to get this movie released so more people could enjoy??

Robert Elsner (relsner) It's my understanding that this great movie was re-mastered in the mid-90s, and even shown for one week in New York City before suddenly being taken out of circulation. Apparently, there is a copyright problem over ONE SONG in the movie, which has apparently caused Warner Bros./Turner Classic Movies, or whomever has its rights, to withhold release of The Desert Song (1944 version) from theatrical circulation or home video and DVD. One would think there must be a way around this stumbling block, even if the (probably unfamiliar, non-Romberg) song had to be deleted to permit its re-release. -- Bob Elsner, Palm Sprngs, CA