Desert Legion
1953 film by Joseph Pevney
- April 3, 1953 (1953-04-03) (Los Angeles)
- May 8, 1953 (1953-05-08) (United States)
Running time
Desert Legion is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Alan Ladd.
Plot
Ladd stars as a soldier in the French Foreign Legion who stumbles across a lost city in the desert mountains of Algeria in North Africa.
Cast
- Alan Ladd as Paul Lartal
- Richard Conte as Crito
- Arlene Dahl as Morjana
- Akim Tamiroff as Pvt. Plevko
- Oscar Beregi as Khalil (as Oscar Berefi)
- Leon Askin as Major Vasil
- Anthony Caruso as Lt. Messaoud
- George J. Lewis as Lt. Lopez
- Sujata Rubener as Dancer (as Sujata)
- Asoka Rubener as Dancer (as Asoka)
Production
The film was made by Universal Pictures, and based on a 1927 novel The Demon Caravan by Georges Arthur Surdez.
It was Alan Ladd's first film for Universal since becoming a star. It was a one-picture deal and gave Ladd a percentage of the profits, a relatively novel thing at the time.[2][3] (He split profits with the studio 50–50.[4]) Joseph Pevney was assigned to direct.[5]
Ladd had broken his hand during a fight scene towards the end of his most recent film The Iron Mistress, but recovered to begin work on Desert Legion on 7 July 1952.[6]
Akim Tamiroff joined the support cast. It was his first Hollywood film in three years.[7]
References
- ^ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954
- ^ Schallert, Edwin (May 2, 1952). "Kramer Will Film Story of Airplane Pioneers; Ladd in 'Desert Legion'". Los Angeles Times. p. B9.
- ^ THOMAS M. PRYOR (May 2, 1952). "KRAMER WILL FILM STORY OF WRIGHTS: Producer Buys Book by Fred Kelly About Air Pioneers as Basis for New Movie". New York Times. p. 21.
- ^ J. D. SPIRO HOLLYWOOD. (July 20, 1952). "HOLLYWOOD REPORT: Plan to Aid Smeared Scenarists Is Voted Down by the Writers Guild -- Addenda". New York Times. p. X5.
- ^ THOMAS M. PRYOR (May 31, 1952). "CHARLES LAUGHTON SIGNS FOR 'SALOME': Arrives in England but Will Return Soon to Play Herod Opposite Rita Hayworth". New York Times. p. 13.
- ^ "Ladd Ready to Go in 'Desert Legion'". Los Angeles Times. June 15, 1952. p. D2.
- ^ THOMAS M. PRYOR (June 17, 1952). "TV COMEDY STARS SIGNING FOR FILM: Lucille Ball and Her Husband, Desi Arnaz, May Do Sequence in Billy Rose's Picture". New York Times. p. 23.
External links
- Desert Legion at IMDb
- Desert Legion at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Desert Legion at the TCM Movie Database
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Films directed by Joseph Pevney
- Shakedown (1950)
- Undercover Girl (1950)
- Iron Man (1951)
- Air Cadet (1951)
- The Lady from Texas (1951)
- The Strange Door (1951)
- Meet Danny Wilson (1952)
- Flesh and Fury (1952)
- Because of You (1952)
- Just Across the Street (1952)
- Back to God's Country (1953)
- It Happens Every Thursday (1953)
- Desert Legion (1953)
- Yankee Pasha (1954)
- 3 Ring Circus (1954)
- Six Bridges to Cross (1955)
- Foxfire (1955)
- Female on the Beach (1955)
- Congo Crossing (1956)
- Away All Boats (1956)
- Istanbul (1957)
- Tammy and the Bachelor (1957)
- The Midnight Story (1957)
- Man of a Thousand Faces (1957)
- Twilight for the Gods (1958)
- Torpedo Run (1958)
- The Crowded Sky (1960)
- Cash McCall (1960)
- The Plunderers (1960)
- Portrait of a Mobster (1961)
- The Night of the Grizzly (1966)
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